Are there any self-help books for dissociation?

I was wondering if there are any self-help books for dissociation??

I've read some of the books about dissociation, as they describe what it is and the symptoms and available treatment offered. However, it's really hard to find a qualified, trained T who believes in and treats dissociation. --Especially at the VA.

In the interim of finding a therapist, or even if I get assigned to a therapist for PTSD, among other things, I heard that self-help books offer supplementary support and tools. However, I don't know of any.

Have any of you come across any good self-help books for dissociation? Have any of those books helped you?

The types of therapies I've had for dissociation alone (not including PTSD, though it is connected), include:

IFS therapy
Grounding techniques
CBT for dissociation management (while inpatient)
Pacing and containing

I'm not sure of any other treatments available, apart from CBT for trauma perhaps, but it's hard to face trauma when dissociation is the primary symptom blocking trauma treatment.

DBT doesn't help me at all, but oddly enough, CBT does.

Desensitization therapies sometimes helps, but it depends on who is "out" or coconscious with me. Some parts may desensitize and feel a sense of relief, which brings me relief when I work alongside them with IFS approaches. But other parts are not desensitized and are still terrified of things, so only IFS approaches help for now, since I have to be patient with those parts and understand their fears, and then eventually accept those fears wholeheartedly as my own.

Sometimes I'd be okay with something, but that same something would be triggering in a different context or even at a different time within the confines of the same context. It's strange. The triggers ebb and flow, and some remain unknown until I discover what my triggers are.

If there were a self-help book for dissociation specifically, it would help both me and hopefully a therapist who is willing to work with me on a self-help book.

Have you read this one?

Note: The titles are not exact. I'm too tired right now to go through all of them. I used the titles that were embedded in the hyperlinks only. One day, I'll compile a list and suggest that someone (maybe a mod) create a sticky with resources to dissociation-specific books.

DID is not always the same as the dissociation linkd with CPTSD, for instance. Dissociative fugues and other types of dissociation may require different approaches than DID sourcebooks and CPTSD Dissociation sourcebooks.

It would be great if there were categorized lists of self-help books for these different types of dissociation - especially given that many therapists aren't trained in diagnosing or treating dissociation. Self-help books, in conjunction with a lot of other books, social supports, and trauma treatments, would help.

I've only read the one memoir on "A Fractured Mind" by Robert B. Oxnam.

I never truly read any of the DID sourcebooks, though it was shown to me when I was first diagnosed back in 2006 or 2007.

Here's what I found:

Dissociation (Largely Trauma-Focused):

Healing Fragmented Selves
https://www.amazon.com/Healing-Fragm...2408534&sr=8-4

Teammate Yourself
https://www.amazon.com/Be-Teammate-Y...2408534&sr=8-6

Treating Complex Dissociation
https://www.amazon.com/Treating-Comp...2408534&sr=8-8

Haunted Self-Dissociation Traumatization
https://www.amazon.com/Haunted-Self-...2408534&sr=8-9

Easy Ego-State Interventions
https://www.amazon.com/Easy-Ego-Stat...408534&sr=8-15

Parts Psychology Trauma-Based Self-State Emotional
https://www.amazon.com/Parts-Psychol...408534&sr=8-17

Trauma Model Therapy Dissociation Comorbidity
https://www.amazon.com/Trauma-Model-...408534&sr=8-20

DID-SPECIFIC BOOKS:

Dissociative Identity Disorder Journal
https://www.amazon.com/Dissociative-...2408830&sr=8-3

DID Companion Guide Communications
https://www.amazon.com/DID-Companion...2408857&sr=8-7

Insiders Managing Successfully Dissociative Identity
https://www.amazon.com/Insiders-Mana...408857&sr=8-10

Dissociative Identity Disorder Sourcebook
https://www.amazon.com/Dissociative-...408857&sr=8-15

Pathfinding Through Multiple Personality
https://www.amazon.com/Pathfinding-T...408857&sr=8-16

Dissociative Identity Disorder Christian Perspective
https://www.amazon.com/Dissociative-...408857&sr=8-17

Connecting Fragments Dissociative Identity Disorder
https://www.amazon.com/Connecting-Fr...408857&sr=8-18

Dear Little Ones
https://www.amazon.com/Dear-Little-O...408857&sr=8-19

DID Memoirs:

Fractured Mind
https://www.amazon.com/Fractured-Min...2408857&sr=8-8

Recovery Best Revenge Experience Dissociative
https://www.amazon.com/Recovery-best...2408857&sr=8-9

When Rabbit Howls
https://www.amazon.com/When-Rabbit-H...408857&sr=8-20

@kbonnieboo

Thank you!

There are some really good workbooks for dissociative disorders out there. This is my personal favorite: Coping with Trauma-Related Dissociation: Skills Training for Patients and Therapists by Suzette Boon

EDITED AND UPDATED: I edited my original response to update some areas that were missing proper references. Although some of the comments in this thread were deleted, I've responded here to address the comments that I had read before they were deleted. Thus, it may seem that my reply is a little off-topic, but I thought I'd make it more clear here with what I'm looking for, what kind of feedback I'm not looking for, and what items are related to the topic but could be discussed elsewhere on other forums.

Thank you guys for your feedback and recommendations.

I plan on looking at the reviews on the books you've recommended to see what others have said on different platforms, such as Amazon.

There are different types of dissociation and dissociative disorders, so I'll be looking at the ones that specifically address DID, in accordance with the DSM.

Although dissociation is a common and normative phenomenon (e.g., example of a person driving down the highway and missing his/her exit, otherwise known in some driving manuals as "highway hypnosis"), dissociation does become problematic when it either becomes a symptom of a disorder or a dissociative disorder. Dissociation is a symptom of many disorders, including PTSD, CPTSD, and BPD, among others. But dissociative disorders are in a category of their own in the DSM.

DID is just one of many dissociative disorders, which is what I have officially been diagnosed with and received treatment for.

Support in this forum for dissociative disorders should NOT include debates on whether or not dissociative disorders are real or spurious, are prevalent, are culture-bound, or are challenged. There are other forums to discuss those challenges, such as

1. "Current Events & News Discussion" Forum https://psychcentralforums.com/curre...ws-discussion/

or

2. "Other Mental Health Discussion" Forum https://psychcentralforums.com/other...th-discussion/

What each forum for disorders is for should be to support those who have been diagnosed with one or more of the disorders represented in those forums, or to help support those who are seeking evaluations and/or treament for undiagnosed disorders related to a particular forum.

That said, what I'm asking for here are any self-help books related to dissociation, which may be scarce, but still valid and useful for those of us who have been diagnosed with a dissociative disorder, as stated in the DSM.

For those with symptoms of dissociation connected with another disorder, such as PTSD, book recommendations might be useful in both this forum and the PTSD forum, but please keep in mind that symptoms of dissociation for another disorder are NOT the same thing as having a dissociative disorder. There's an important distinction here, especially for those whose primary needs for support in this forum relate to a dissociative disorder, even if their disorder is comorbid with another disorder, such as substance-use or PTSD or bipolar, etc.

If comorbidity is something that you're wanting to discuss, then it would seem the "Other Mental Health Discussion" Forum would be suitable for issues related to comorbid disorders, unless the admins or mods decide to create a new forum for comorbid disorders altogether.

"Multiplicity" and "ego states" are lexicons that describe non-dissociative symptoms related to personality disorders, symptoms of bipolar, and symptoms of other disorders, including trauma-related disorders. Such terms have been used to describe aspects of certain dissociative disorders, such as DID, but they have also been used to describe aspects of non-dissociative symptoms related to other disorders. Debates on the taxonomies of such terms are not necessarily supportive, and could hinder the progress being made by those of us who have been diagnosed with a dissociative disorder and are in need of support for that. Whether or not the incidence or prevalence rates have changed is not the issue; there are still some of us who are dealing with dissociative disorders and are in need of support.

That said, I do like a good debate, but I'd prefer to read it in a different forum, not here.

When I come to the dissociative disorder forum, I'm expecting support for my dissociative disorder. Support is NOT minimizing my pain, symptoms, or diagnosis. Rather, support is offering tools to help us manage our dissociation, share our experiences, discuss treatments that we've received to manage our dissociative disorders, etc. We wouldn't go into the bipolar forums to debate whether or not bipolar is still prevalent, debate whether or not it still exists, or claim that bipolar is representative of a personality disorder or something created within a person's head, would we? We also wouldn't go into the bipolar forum and minimize their symptoms by stating that everyone has "highs and lows," would we? The same should NOT be happening here!

Thank you all for your feedback and understanding!

c/o Lilly2 (protector alters with Lilly and company present)

When I get a chance I will go through my Kindle and see what books I found helpful.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Betty_Banana When I get a chance I will go through my Kindle and see what books I found helpful.

@Betty_Banana

Thank you!

The reason why I'm asking for books on dissociation/dissociative disorders is because I'm in-between therapists and the therapists at the VA may not adequately treat DID. I don't have money to spend on specialists who treat DID, and I live in a rather conservative and rural area, so there's likely no one available who has been trained well enough to treat my dissociative disorder. That said, self-help books might help me supplement my treatments for PTSD at the VA, and some therapists are also open to working with me on a book, even if they weren't trained properly with dissociation. They may not be able to treat my dissociation, but I can share what I've learned on my own and try to fit it in with their trauma treatments for me somehow.

I've worked with some therapists who absolutely don't believe in DID. I'll switch without their even knowing about it, though I am co-conscious most of the time. Nevertheless, I benefitted from some of those therapists who have offered treatments for other things, such as CBT or grieving over something traumatic. Because most therapists don't treat DID, I figured that self-help books will help me with the areas that my current therapist won't or can't (that is, when I get assigned one).

Me and my parts didn't mean to hurt anyone's feelings. But we did feel the need to express our feelings and hurt related to the disbelief in our disorder. Maybe we didn't convey that properly, but we were also protective of other people with DID who may feel the same way. Or maybe we're on an island of our own. In any case, we're just wanting help through self-help books because there's few resources we can find in real life that can help us. Books are our last resort.

(((safe hugs)))


We're sorry. I'm sorry.

Good for you Lilly2, I like your assertiveness!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amyjay Good for you Lilly2, I like your assertiveness!

@Amyjay

Thank you. Although I am "me," my protective alters, Claire, Clarissa, and Michelle, were the ones who were assertive, LOL, but seriously. If it were me, I would have just went back to sleep and contemplated running away, or just putting myself down for not "getting it" well enough. I beat myself up a lot. I even wondered what it was like for those with schizophrenia to be told that their delusions are not real and all in their head, even if they admit those things, they are still suffering from the symptoms of it. I wondered how they are treated, too, and then I juxtapose those ponderings to my own sensitivities toward DID. Is this all in my head? Are my alters not real, even if they tell me inside that they are? Am I just failing miserably at integration? Did I do something wrong with my own treatment? Was I iatrogenically effected by "bad therapists who enabled me with accepting my alters through IFS therapy"? I've heard so many attacking-like statements and even tried to honor those statements in my own treatment. After I've exhausted all forms of alternative treatments, I've finally arrived at the conclusion that DID is something I struggle with.

I appreciate others' concerns in how my DID may affect them, just like how people with substance-use disorder affects other people, too. I even treated my DID like an addiction and tried desperately at one point to not be addicted. I realized later that DID is not an addiction, nor is it something I can turn on and off at will. It's automatic, unconscious, co-conscious (through treatment), and neurological in some senses regarding traumatic and autobiographical memory.

When I studied psychology as an undergrad, I read through articles in my spare time about Winnicott's false self, to see if I could make sense of my different identities. His theories didn't really resonate with me, and neither did theories on false memory syndrome, personality disorders, psychosis, narcissism in DID, somatoform disorders, conversion disorders, factitious disorders, and culture-bound syndrome. I tried so desperately to figure out what was wrong with me, and to explore alternative possibilities. I tried to work with therapists who didn't believe in DID, too. For 20 years (or more), I've dealt with different therapies. I'm now 45 and wanting to take my life back, similar to those with PTSD who heal and get their lives back. I want to experience that. I want healing. I want to feel feelings and not be afraid to express them without memories or alternate personalities reminding me of traumatic consequences to my expression of emotions.

I want to be able to have the same courage that my protectors alters do. My protector alters are there because there's something in me that is afraid to speak up, or afraid to feel so hurt that I fall into a deep depression. I want to live life to the fullest. I really do. I don't want to be sad and scared all the time. <Insert a little who is now crying in the background. She, Mary, says that she wants to have fun without pain, too.> It hurts to have all these symptoms that no one else sees or experiences, except for those who have DID and truly understand what it feels like.

Thank you for understanding. I don't want everyone to dislike people with DID, or for those who think that alters are "cool" because they have similar "alters" who are not part of dissociation, but maybe part of something else. I don't mean to minimize their symptoms either. I think it is great that they find similarities with DID alters, but when I come here to the Dissociative Disorders Forum, I want to feel safe and not judged. I want my littles and other alters to feel safe. I don't want to switch whenever I'm triggered by someone who sounds like the mean therapists we've had in the past, especially the lady who asked me and my alters to spend the night at her house. Memories of that time flood in whenever well-meaning people sound like her with their wording.

I get scared of being misdiagnosed again, also. I was trapped inside a seclusion ward because they thought I was dealing with dangerous psychosis that needed medicating. I was strapped to a hospital bed and all alone. I didn't know what they were going to do to me, and my trauma memories and alter's trauma memories made that experience worse. They didn't know that I wasn't psychotic, but at the time, neither did I. I had no idea what was going on with me.

My military experiences were at the forefront, also. I remembered military sexual trauma and then those in power who could do anything to me. Those thoughts and intrusions come to mind whenever I hear someone who disbelieves my disorder and symptoms. I was resilient back then, courageous even. But after the trauma in the military, I shut down, and I dissociated before I even heard of the word "dissociation." It wasn't until years later when I was diagnosed with DID. PTSD was my primary diagnosis, but I didn't know what else was going on, and I was too afraid to disclose to civilian T's my DID symptoms (hearing voices inside, losing time, blacking out) and my military experiences. I thought I had to keep my military secrets a secret forever. I was too afraid to go to the VA because I feared that I'd eventually bump into one of my abusers or someone else like them who could revictimize me at the VA the same way I was victimized in service. To this day, I fear men in military attire. I'm afraid to be in a room alone with them. I need someone safe by my side, someone who believes me.

I don't know why my DID wasn't detected until years later, or why I didn't detect it while in service or even prior. I was, on record, relatively healthy - both mentally and physically. I was brave, but today I'm not.

I wish there was a way to prove that all of this is true, that my DID is real. I'm tired of having to prove it. I just want to be healed.

It helps to know that I'm not alone, or that I'm at least believed.

I'm sorry that people deal with other disorders that are similar to DID, and that maybe they wanted some validation themselves. It's just the way they come across when approaching DID as a subject sounds really hurtful or judgmental, or both. Maybe there's friction between different people with different disorders, and that friction sometimes feels unsafe to both of us. It's hard sometimes when our DID disorder gets compared to other disorders, or to mainstream society who don't have mental illnesses.

I just want to curl up in bed and sleep it all off, because it's painful to hear sometimes. And that pain is not part of my healing, or at least it shouldn't be. I deserve to heal in a safe environment, even if some pain is involved.

I'm trying to have some courage writing this here. I just feel bad if me or my parts said something wrong. We stand by our reaction though because it happens too many times to count, and it hurts. We just want to say, "Enough already, let us be, please. Let us be in peace."

And then the sorrows of not having therapy for DID flood in soon thereafter. Peace from others doesn't mean peace within. DID remains, and so do we.

I don't think sticking up for your own rights could ever be wrong.

Found a really cool article that was recently published on PsychCentral: Dissociative Identity Disorder Treatment

I realized that I didn't have the proper therapy all along. I had no idea about the phases until I read this article just now.

I barely made it to Phase 2. I've had some healing in Phase 3, but it's like I bounced back and forth between the two phases. Not sure if that's normal, but the article is cool.

So, if the T doesn't offer DID therapy, then maybe I can ask to set boundaries to go slower like in Phase 2, and then work on Phase 3 on my own. Maybe.

This book is written by an attorney with DID, I think. It's also on the article that I shared immediately prior to this post. https://www.amazon.com/Sum-My-Parts-...g=psychcentral

Her name is Olga Trujillo: Olga Trujillo

I just want to get my life back and go to grad school. I want to learn how to write better and do research. I am inspired by people who "out" themselves publicly as having DID, after having already established their professional careers.

My fear is of being outed. I've already published a peer-reviewed paper. I am afraid of public scrutiny if I move forward in grad school. I also want to be able to work at least part-time without being shunned by everyone. Stories like the lawyer above and Robert B Oxnam's give me hope.

OMG, I found two other people who were in the military like me, and they have DID. I don't know who they are, but they are among the list of people with DID: An Infinite Mind

I'm not the only veteran.

I feel so much better now!

Hi @Lilly2

I recommend you Healing the Fragmented Selves of Trauma Survivors: Overcoming Internal Self-Alienation by Janina Fisher. Not cheap, but excellent.

If you suffer anxiety, this one by Sarah Rayner is very good value: Making Friends with Anxiety: A warm, supportive little book to ease worry and panic - 2019 edition

I looked through my Kindle app and there's no books at all.IDK why.Sorry.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Betty_Banana I looked through my Kindle app and there's no books at all.IDK why.Sorry.

@Betty_Banana

Thank you for trying!

Such books may not be available as ebooks, at least not with Kindle. Maybe on other apps??

And even with paperback/hardcover books, there are only a few offered.

Nevertheless, it helps to have supplements to serve as "boundaries" for clients with DID and/or dissociation who need breaks to work on dissociation tips in between trauma processing sessions. Otherwise, for me, it was my experience that I'd just dissociation and get through it without even processing the trauma fully, and then later coming undone with the triggers again and again. I think there was an article I found somewhere that I posted somewhere about the phases of DID treatment, which is an article from PsychCentral. I'll have to find it again. It explained why treatment for dissociation was necessary.

Lilly2, staged treatment for DID is definitely the recommended way of doing things. The guidelines from the international society for the study of trauma and dissociation, headed by the world's experts on dissociation, can be found here: Adult Treatment Guidelines - ISSTD
After nearly two and a half years of therapy I am still in stage 1. Our therapist says we are not ready for trauma processing yet. I find that frustrating (as I just want to get this thing done!) but I suppose I know from the times that flashbacks have come up in therapy I am not ready to process them safely yet.
So in that sense I am glad our T is helping us to pace ourselves and I can trust that she will help us heal safely.
But, ugh. How long is this thing going to take?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amyjay Lilly2, staged treatment for DID is definitely the recommended way of doing things. The guidelines from the international society for the study of trauma and dissociation, headed by the world's experts on dissociation, can be found here: Adult Treatment Guidelines - ISSTD After nearly two and a half years of therapy I am still in stage 1. Our therapist says we are not ready for trauma processing yet. I find that frustrating (as I just want to get this thing done!) but I suppose I know from the times that flashbacks have come up in therapy I am not ready to process them safely yet. So in that sense I am glad our T is helping us to pace ourselves and I can trust that she will help us heal safely. But, ugh. How long is this thing going to take?

@Amyjay

(((safe hugs)))

I'm so sorry you are struggling with this, too. I've bounced back and forth between stages, dissociating without and with the therapist's knowledge, and oftentimes because the T's didn't believe in DID. They'd bounce me around, and I'd give my own discourse on the years stuck in "coping skills." I have coping skills! It's the next stage I want to get to, but I can't. I can't just jump into trauma treatment to get to the grief stage, and yet I AM grieving! It's frustrating.

What makes sense is that I wasn't treated properly with the DID stuff. And that was while I was in civilian treatments. Now that I'm at the VA, I can forget about getting any treatment for DID, even though it's on their records. It's strange.

So, my boundaries going forward will be for me to supplement my own treatment and with whatever they offer me.

CPTSD is NOT what I'm going through either, and those treatments throw me into dissociation, it seems. I don't know why.

Maybe I'm stuck in phase 1, too. But it was nice to dissociate into the other phases to check them out. I'm just not there yet.

We're in this boat together. (((safe hugs)))

I would offer caution about reading When Rabbit Howls. For me it was full of triggers.