Is Anybody In Here?

In the last article some of the signs and symptoms of DID were discussed. Chances are that, if you're reading this article now, dissociation is something that either you or someone you know is already being impacted by this condition. Some of the issues that can stem from dealing with this are what I'd like to address next.

Understanding DID and learning to accept that this is something that is in your life for the long term is a huge task. Unfortunately, it is not the only challenge the person living with this disorder has to face.

"How do I know this is real?" is the question that is asked again and again. Because of the nature of dissociation itself, so much of what one might experience on a day-to-day basis can leave a constant and nagging feeling of uncertainty about just what is "real" and what is not. According to the Merck Manual (Sec. Ch, Ch. 188), symptoms characteristic of DID, such as fluctuating levels of symptoms, function, bodily sensations, time distortions, amnesic barriers in the switching of personalities, etc., include depersonalization derealizationtion. "Depersonalization refers to feeling unreal, removed from one's self, and detached from one's physical and mental processes." Find this information in its entirety at http://www.merck.com/pmmanualnual/sectio...

Additionally, the survivor of abuse has been carefully "programmed" by experience to not trust his or her own thoughts, feelings, emotions, likes, dislikes, or perceptions. This is extremely difficult to overcome and to learn to believe otherwise!

I'maybe I'm just imagining all this," is another common fear. If the survivor has not been told outright that no one would believe ... if they should tell, there is always the fear that the inferred threat still holds true. The downplaying of the after-affects that abuse has on an individual are often the norm, and the reaction that those who do dare to tell old secrets receive can be almost as damaging as the abuse itself. The very mention of "multiple personalities" is enough to send some people running - unless they remain long enough to send a look of stern skepticism our way when the subject comes up! "I must be really crazy to be thinking these thoughts," is another common lament. Many have said they felt like they had some kind of horrible disease, and refuse to allow themselves to accept that what they are experiencing is something deserving of their time and careful attention. They remain stuck in the quagmire of doubt and denial and wondercan'tthey can't seem to make the progress they need in order to heal. Understandably, this is a discouraging and extremely frustrating stage of the journey.

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