[stahrgeyzer]

would this workbook be therapy? our system wants to know

[SprinkL3]

Originally Posted by stahrgeyzer

would this workbook be therapy? our system wants to know

It should be a supplement to therapy, but not therapy itself. It's probably more like a self-help book.

[amandalouise]

Happy Holidays everyone. Sorry I havent been posting much lately. My family and I have been very busy with the holiday season. We did not go to the north pole attractions this year as covid has shut down some of their attractions (staffing problems) and others were severely limited capacity. We also did not feel it safe to go to big events with all thats going on covid mutations. We are vaccinated, my wife and I have had the booster shot. the older two are now fully vaccinated and the younger two have one more shot to go. But all things considered my wife and I are erring on the side of caution.

Many in my neighborhood are looking towards books, movies and board games just in case things get shut down again. My wife and I decided it was that time again to clear out our family library. the children are now into Harry Potter, Star Wars, Sabrina the teen aged witch, Locke and Key, they are all into disney plus, so its time to get rid of the baby, toddler and young child books and stock our library with teen and up books. the children will also have a new complete reference section.

my wife and I are also getting a new look to our shelves of our home library. This 2 years of covid has helped us get in touch with our creative side, which means more hobby related books, we both also like romance, mysteries, science fiction and of course we are looking forwards to the new DSM 5 TR coming out in March. We have both already pre - ordered our copies along with its companion books. Alot has changed to mental disorder diagnostics, symptoms, definitions, testing and so forth this past 8 years. The DSM 5 has been completely re-wrote, new disorders added old disorders removed. My wife and I have followed the process over the years and cant wait to see the finished product.

[stahrgeyzer]

That's great to hear the text revised DSM 5 TR will be out soon. I hope they update the DID section.

Happy Holidays everyone.

[SprinkL3]

Why would DID need updating?

[stahrgeyzer]

Originally Posted by SprinkL3

Why would DID need updating?

That's a strange question, as if the DSM 5 is perfect. DSM 5 was published in May 18, 2013. I'm not aware of any updates to the DID section since then. The OSDD 1B & 1A (Other Specified Dissociative Disorder) section is about a half of a page long. Psychologist have learned a lot since then. My trauma therapist went over the DID section of the DSM 5 with me in therapy. She said it leaves a lot open for interpretation which can lead to completely different diagnoses from therapist to therapist regarding DID and even more so for OSDD 1A/1B. I asked her what does the DSM 5 say about people who don't have missing time on a daily bases, like maybe once a month. Is that a deal breaker for a DID diagnoses? She said the DSM 5 doesn't say.

[SprinkL3]

Originally Posted by stahrgeyzer

That's a strange question, as if the DSM 5 is perfect. DSM 5 was published in May 18, 2013. I'm not aware of any updates to the DID section since then. The OSDD 1B & 1A (Other Specified Dissociative Disorder) section is about a half of a page long. Psychologist have learned a lot since then. My trauma therapist went over the DID section of the DSM 5 with me in therapy. She said it leaves a lot open for interpretation which can lead to completely different diagnoses from therapist to therapist regarding DID and even more so for OSDD 1A/1B. I asked her what does the DSM 5 say about people who don't have missing time on a daily bases, like maybe once a month. Is that a deal breaker for a DID diagnoses? She said the DSM 5 doesn't say.

My T just says I have DID, plain and simple. She's not about to change that diagnosis. My old T's from before the DSM-5 also said I have DID (when the DSM-IV-TR was in fashion).

To me, this segregation of DID to DDNOS and now the infamous OSDD 1B & 1A only creates divisions and divides among the dissociative disorders community, and the treatments probably remain the same for OSDD 1B and 1A, so why differentiate the two? They don't differentiate other disorders; they simply have specifiers and are on the "spectrum" or "continuum." The controversial DID always gets even more controversial. Even people with DID have argued that this person or that person isn't "true DID," as if the other forms of DID could easily be segregated and minimized. It's sad how our biased world thinks and then categorizes.

Back in the day, drapetomania was a racist diagnosis, but it was nonetheless widely accepted. I wished that the psychological community would understand the impact that their labeling and diagnoses creates, and that if there's no difference in the money that a therapist gets to treat DID for any kind or type, and if the treatments are the same or similar, then there's no real point in differentiating DID types. It just makes the diagnosis even more controversial and, now, divisive.

[SprinkL3]

The other odd thing is that they grouped depersonalization with derealization in the DSM-5 (when they did the initial change in 2013 from the DSM-IV-TR) by now calling it depersonalization/derealization disorder, or something to that effect. They are two separate and distinctive disorders, but perhaps too many people experienced both at the same time (I know I do). They also grouped autism to just autism spectrum. So why then would they break down DID into these odd subcategories?

[stahrgeyzer]

This is a bad topic for me because it makes me mad. I have problems with the DSM 5 dissociative sections because most of the time I fit the OSDD 1B section but then every so often there's a part/alter who takes over the front, I lose consciousness, who does things such as taking pictures or makes posts or whatever who seems to have a different personality and I have no memory of it. But maybe it is me doing it and I just don't have memory. My personality does change a real lot throughout the day. Maybe I don't have DID but something else that changes the chemistry in my brain enough to make my personality change and sometimes it gives me amnesia. I still doubt I have DID because I don't have alters switching throughout the day that has a severe effect on my life. What exactly defines severe enough? How often does switching have to occur before it has a severe effect on you. My 3rd therapist said the therapist doing the diagnoses has to decide from experience and that it's not detailed in the DSM 5. She sent me to Dr. Marc Borkheim for possible dissociative disorder diagnosis. He said I have DID and so 3rd therapist accepts that but some days I doubt it. She also had me get CT brain scans.


I think overall mental disorder diagnoses have a ways to go. On day one my 1st therapist said I have schizoaffective disorder. My 1st psychiatrist disagreed with her and said I have general anxiety disorder, depression and probably ptsd. My 3rd therapist said I have c-ptsd and maybe ASD. My 2nd psychiatrist said I definitely have BPD. Third therapist said I might have a dissociative disorder so she sent me to Marc Borkheim for diagnoses. He said I have DID. It's hard to trust any of them at this point.

[SprinkL3]

@stahrgeyzer - I'm so sorry you struggle with misdiagnoses, too. Dissociative disorders are the most challenging for psychologists and psychiatrists to diagnose. More often than not, DID is often misdiagnosed as BPD, bipolar, schizophrenia, schizoaffective, a factitious disorder, somatoform disorder, CPTSD with dissociative features, and PTSD. Although it is possible to have comorbidity with any other disorder, DID is distinct. It's hard for those with DID to accept their diagnosis, and we tend to go through periods of doubt, especially as we learn to manage our dissociation through coconsciousness by using IFS coping. Some people may be misdiagnosed because of treatment effects for dissociative disorders that help to lessen blackouts. More often than not, DID is comorbid with CPTSD. CPTSD has also been misdiagnosed as a personality disorder or more. Although there are considerable overlaps, the defining features of a singular personality disorder are inconsistent, and those with DID have difficulty with treatments for mainstream CPTSD and PTSD; more often than not, the treatments for PTSD or CPTSD are too triggering, which causes more dissociation. We truly need therapy for DID, which helps with the PTSD in a very slow way that caters to the needs of our DID.

Even if there are variations to DID, the treatments are the same. Perhaps they see the treatments based on severity, but the same could be said for those with PTSD that have specifiers, since CPTSD isn't a real diagnosis in the DSM 5 either, though there have been distinctions, which include one-time traumas versus multiple traumas, childhood traumas versus adult-only trauma(s), trauma types (mild to severe), dissociation as a specifier (but not enough to meet the diagnosis of a dissociative disorder), etc. They don't differentiate PTSD yet, unless that plans to change. They still treat PTSD and CPTSD the same, for the most part. The therapists add on whatever specifiers so that they can get paid by insurance companies. These labels are inherently coded for the purposes of therapists' pay and not to the benefit of the clients per se. The therapists still differ on their treatment methods, even though they get paid the same for the same diagnostic coding. But one therapist may decide to add more diagnoses to get more money for their multiple treatments or something, if that's the way the insurance payouts work. I don't know, but I've seen the differences when my T's assistant made a mistake, and my T told me that she accidentally billed Medicare for in-person sessions (which pays more) than online/video sessions (which pays less). So, coding matters in terms of the therapists getting paid.

Unfortunately, it creates this stigma among those with mental disorders. I've seen it and heard it, and then it doesn't do any justice for those like you who have all these symptoms that need treatment. With the wrong diagnosis, it can be detrimental to your health. Many of us had been misdiagnosed before we got the proper DID diagnosis, but that doesn't always equate to adequate treatment until you find a T that believes in your diagnosis and has experience in treating it. So there's that challenge on top of our natural questioning of the DID diagnosis in the first place, since we struggle with being misdiagnosed and therefore distrusting our diagnoses from those experiences alone (forms of iatrogenic effects) coupled with our childhood traumas that also play into our distrusting of our diagnoses as well (such as "Do I deserve this diagnosis?" "Does this diagnosis mean my parts will finally be heard, or are we still unworthy of being heard and seen?"). These are things that I experienced with voices at first, but they were my alters in reality. My alters even felt jealous of other alters at times when we were in therapy together and one alter seemed to think others were more liked by our T than her. The T helped her see that the T is there for all of us, but it still seemed strange to hear that. Anyways, it's hard when you're just starting out, and when you have all those different opinions.

I hope you can stick with the T who diagnosed you with DID and then try to get the proper treatments from that. If the DID treatments work, that's great. If they don't, say so to your T and see what adjustments can be made. They can always periodically reevaluate you for a different diagnosis down the line, but you will need to be honest about your symptoms and what you need help with. That's the tough part is disclosing all of our symptoms to our T.

Hang in there.

[stahrgeyzer]

Today feels strange. There's a strange looking coin on the dresser that I have no memory of. Another strange thing is that I hate the taste of coffee to the point that it makes me feel sick but the other day I found myself drinking coffee and it tasted so good. Christmas is lonely. I shouldn't have went to the mall two days ago because it was filled with people and now I have a sore throat and a headache which makes my dreams become nightmares. It's probably covid omicron. In two days I get the booster shot though. Not sure if that will help. I'm thinking about making a youtube channel to help with the loneliness, but there are a lot of cruel people on youtube. Some people disable comments but that kind of defeats the purpose of posting videos for loneliness.

[stahrgeyzer]

I can hardly wait 20 days left I'll find out if I'm going to continue being forced to be the host. I'm so angry with my therapist. She's a horrible therapist who just pretended to care.

[SprinkL3]

Originally Posted by stahrgeyzer

I can hardly wait 20 days left I'll find out if I'm going to continue being forced to be the host. I'm so angry with my therapist. She's a horrible therapist who just pretended to care.

I hope your system feels better, and I hope you get a better T in 20 days or so.

[stahrgeyzer]

Originally Posted by raging vortex

I tried the reasons to live list, and could not come up with 1 reason
not one

I hate earth humans and life. I don't want to be nice to earth humans anymore. You all are evil

At least the nature beings don't pollute & destroy living planets & make stupid toys thinking that makes them better

go run to the admins and cry

see ya

not

[SprinkL3]

Originally Posted by stahrgeyzer

I hate earth humans and life. I don't want to be nice to earth humans anymore. You all are evil

At least the nature beings don't pollute & destroy living planets & make stupid toys thinking that makes them better

go run to the admins and cry

see ya

not

I hope you feel better @stahrgeyzer

We know you are struggling right now. Please hang in there. We care.

((((safe hugs)))))

[SprinkL3]

Happy New Year! May this new year bring us more healing, hope, love, friendship, safety, happiness, prosperity, and more!

[Breaking Dawn]

I'm sorry I haven't been posting as much lately. I have had some difficulties. I wish the best for all of you. These are not easy times. I'm pretty sure things will get better.

[SprinkL3]

Originally Posted by Breaking Dawn

I'm sorry I haven't been posting as much lately. I have had some difficulties. I wish the best for all of you. These are not easy times. I'm pretty sure things will get better.

No need to be sorry. I think we all struggle with posting from time to time. I almost ran away on Christmas Day. I struggle with my DID stuff all the time, but I'm doing better at managing it.

I hope you feel better, Breaking Dawn.

[stahrgeyzer]

Wishing everyone the best year and a peaceful life. This will most likely be the last post from this system. Thank you for all the help. Much Love, Clara & Darold & Paul & the whole system

[SprinkL3]

Originally Posted by stahrgeyzer

Wishing everyone the best year and a peaceful life. This will most likely be the last post from this system. Thank you for all the help. Much Love, Clara & Darold & Paul & the whole system

(((( @stahrgeyzer )))) - Safe hugs and thoughts and wishes for your entire system! I hope you're not leaving! We would miss you all! Please, consider staying and working things out. You can work things out with us. We understand the struggles. You can stay and just not post, if that is more comfortable to you. We would miss you if you left though.

We like all your alters in your system - even the ones who are upset and struggling. My T helped our alters out by accepting all of them, even the ones who were upset all the time. She said their feelings were valid, and she helped them talk about some things that were bothering them. Our T was the first one to actually listen and understand them, and to accept them.

Perhaps you need a T like that.

In the meantime, you have us here. We understand.

Please consider staying.

[Breaking Dawn]

Originally Posted by stahrgeyzer

Wishing everyone the best year and a peaceful life. This will most likely be the last post from this system. Thank you for all the help. Much Love, Clara & Darold & Paul & the whole system

@stahrgeyzer, if you're leaving, I will be praying that you're ok & that all of you will find some better people you can respect & feel comfortable with. And then I hope you'll come back & share that with us. Good luck with everything!

[buddylife]

I'm a florid system my alters are shaming themselves to make sure we're important to one another. Sometime there is good gossip and uplifting the spirit is usually what we get out of one another . It usually goes like shameful shameful shameful. Then I'm rewarded with history or who is out further or other thing that discovery provides that makes it enjoyable and understandable on why it is important to know who you are.

[Breaking Dawn]

Thank you very much, @buddylife, for joining us! And for explaining about your system. This thread has a membership attendance problem at times, so we really do need each other. We are not exactly alike here. My system is different than yours, but other members describe similar systems to yours. Please post here whenever you can. A big welcome to you!

[SprinkL3]

Honestly, I think if the dissociative disorders weren't so controversial, and certain people wouldn't try to defend it so much, then perhaps more people would be free to post things here. It's when there are responses that judge, doubt, question/interrogate, reiterate what isn't or is dissociation, etc., it makes it harder for people to share their authentic realities. Comorbidity is common among those with dissociative disorders. Comorbidity doesn't necessarily rule out a dissociative disorder; it can coexist.

When people express things here, it seems to get challenged at times. However, when people express in other sections/other forums/other threads, they don't get challenged. Why? Because there's this ongoing culture-bound war/controversy that ensues between parental rights versus children's rights, false memories versus traumatic memories, and those against supporting dissociative disorders versus those who struggle with dissociative symptoms.

I, for one, find it challenging and difficult to check in here when certain people will question or challenge your statements, your diagnosis, your expressions, your struggles ALL. THE. TIME. It would be helpful if there were specific rules for this specific section, seeing that it gets certain negative feedback at different times (not always, but sometimes).

I find it easier to share with my T privately than to share online here, to be honest.

For the other non-dissociative stuff, I tend to share those feelings elsewhere. I also sometimes share my dissociative symptoms in other forums because I'm more accepted and welcomed there; whereas similar postings here would render some responses that are rather off-putting or challenging, as opposed to supportive and accepting.

I hope this makes sense.

It would be great if this section were more inclusive of those who express similarities with dissociative symptoms, as well as the diverse kinds of symptoms that many people with a dissociative disorder diagnoses often have.

All these debates on what is or isn't dissociation based on someone's statement about something in the past, something in the present, some comorbidity, or otherwise, is just making it difficult for people to trust in the support that could be given here, as opposed to the challenges that just turn people away.

I get that some opponents will claim that dissociative disorders are "culture-bound," but those arguments have been debunked, given the amount of dissociative disorder diagnoses globally. And, because of the challenges people experience from those opponents (approximately 50% of the psychological field, and even more from the psychiatric field), people are now more and more reluctant on seeking treatment - especially minorities. It's a sadness.

So I just thought I'd mention this here, wholeheartedly, since I feel reluctant on sharing much here because of the reasons I've outlined above.

[Breaking Dawn]

Since yesterday I have been suspecting that I have more voices, separate someones, than I thought I had.