Im am so confused

My T told me she thinks I have DID. I dont really understand this though. She thinks this because of some of the things I tell her I experience but she doesnt think Im like Sybil. Those were her exact words. How can you be DID and not be like Sybil? I hope I dont offend anybody its just I am ignorant to this diagnosis. She said its because I dont lose time. How can you be DID and not lose time? Also the chatter I hear which is why shes suspicious of DID isnt coming from outside like schzophrenia but it doesnt sound like different people of different ages or an animal or whatever its just like unusual self talk. Im so confused.

This is where I was a couple of months ago, and Sybil was the first thing I thought, too. That's never how did works, apparently, and that movie has done a lot of damage. You described how I experience my other selves, too, and I swore those vicious arguments in my head were just unusual self talk. In a way, they are, because all of my parts are me, aren't they? But it's also, maybe, did.

I'm still blindly navigating this, so I hope folks who are further down the road can offer more insight.

Hugs.

Thanks, Its like that in books I have read in the past too. Thats why I am confused. I have always been into psychology and when I was about 11 I saw the movie Sybil and I never thought hey thats me. Then I just found it interesting so in my mid twenties read When the rabbit howls and then in my thirties read First Person Plural. I did see a Psychologist ( the one I am talking about recently) who diagnosed me I was like this is crazy I am not so I went to a therapist and mentioned it because I thought hey maybe I am. She that I wasnt becsuse she saw no alters. So I was like ok. Then I was like maybe I am again so thats why I got my T to talk to my old Psychologist so know T thinks I am. Im just so confused because I dont feel like different people like Sybil. You know very different people in one body. Alot of strange talk just goes on in my head.

Maybe you could ask to have a full diagnostic reassessment. It might be useful to clear up the mix of diagnoses you have had in the past.

if you dont agree with your past diagnosis that your present treatment provider found out about from your ex therapist and is now going by, you can get a new diagnostic evaluation. in fact many locations now require new diagnostic evaluations for mental disorders every so many years because many mental disorders with todays diagnostic standards are not permanent. do get better with treatment.

it is possible for you to been getting better all these years since your ex therapist diagnosed you so that you no longer have certain symptoms. especially since what diagnostic criteria you were diagnosed with in the past is not the same diagnostic/ criteria and symptoms that get a person diagnosed today with DID.

there is also a situation where a persons mind can read about or research something and their mind incorporates what they are reading into their own problems. this many times can confuse the diagnostic process and get someone miss diagnosed with things they may not have.

so on all sides if you dont feel you are DID you can talk with your treatment providers and get referred for actual diagnostic evaluations.

Im in Virginia. My old Psychologist said she taught my new T things to look and test for but I thought only Psychologists and Psychiatrists can test for DID?

some therapists have the credentials to do diagnostic evaluations. example many therapists are now licensed as Psychiatric Therapist. this is a therapist that has all the credentials/ degrees and have passed their state boards that gives them the ability to administer diagnostic evaluations for mental disorders, some are even able to prescribe medications now.

there are also many psychiatrists and psychologists that also do therapy services not just medications and diagnostic testing.

my suggestion again is if you dont agree with your diagnosis you can ask for an official diagnostic testing process with a psychiatrist or psychologist.

My T diagnosed me and is neither a psychologist or psychiatrist but he is experienced with DID.

Maybe it might be a good idea to talk to your T about your questions and doubts and let her know that you're confused?I think that would be the mos helpful thing to do.I asked my T so many questions all the time,told him all of my doubts,all my fears and had him explain anything I didn't understand.It was really helpful.

Like others have said, Sybil is not the best comparison. Can you make a list of questions and take it in to your next session?

First off, we aren’t diagnosed. In our mind there is a barrier between parts that keeps us all seperated, but we are also co-conscious where we can work as a group. We worked silently and secretly even to our selves as we vowed each other years ago when we were 15 (now 51). For some reason psychology has always been fascinating, especially when it came to MPD (DID didn’t exist then). Once we discovered each other we got scared and soon forgot about it after never looking in again. Jump to the future @ 45 years of age.... the proverbial cat got released. In short, all the inner chit chat and group thinking was once perceived as self talk by the conscious- but needlessly to say the switching kept us in a constant state of confusion and feelings of perplexity ....still does at times.

Being our system or I is always aware...we don’t experience missing time/memories...but parts to parts do. I don’t know who I is or ever will I don’t guess...I live in a constant state of dp/dr as an observer in mind through the eyes of the other parts. I don’t know if this makes sense...it kinda does to me.

I'm so sorry, Dnester I agree with all the others about talking to your therapist about this. Tell her all the doubts and fears that you have. Ask as many questions as you can. She's here to help you after all, and I believe it is your right to know what you feel you need to know. I agree with amandalouise that if you feel like you've been misdiagnosed, you could try to ask for a new diagnosis. I understand your confusion. Please don't give up. I hope things will better soon for you. Try to hang on. You can do this! You're strong, I know that. I believe in you. Remember that we're here to support you. Keep writing here if it helps. Feel free to PM me anytime. Let me know if I can do something to help you. Wish you good luck! Let us know how it goes. Sending many hugs to you