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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 5 of 5. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by deirdrehbrt on May 27, 2003, at 21:15:19
Hi.
I've been reading in the background for a little while, and thought I would ask for some advice / encouragement if anyone has had a similar experience.
I've been being treated for Bipolar with psychotic symptoms, and Borderline. Recently, my therapist and Psychiatrist have come to an agreement that I have DID.
I'm wondering if anyone has ever been in a situation like this. Did you remain on meds, were they changed? How did therapy change? I feel like I'm going somewhere that I've never been, and it's really scary. The way things are is already scary, but I'm familiar with it. Now I'm going somewhere that I haven't been. If someone has been somewhere near here before, I would very much like to know what your experience has been.
Thank you,
Dee.
Posted by Pfinstegg on May 27, 2003, at 21:52:45
In reply to DID after previous diagnoses., posted by deirdrehbrt on May 27, 2003, at 21:15:19
Hi deirdrehbrt.. yes it is very scary to get that diagnosis. However, my impression (from my own therapy) is that many, or perhaps most, people who have endured neglect or some kind of abuse in childhood deal with these traumas by developing a sort of "parellel processing"- like a computer. If they are using one particuar set of brain circuits, they will react in one way, but if they switch to another somewhat or completely disconnected set, they will react in a very different manner. One psychiatrist might diagnose DID, or, as mine has, keep pointing out to me the disconnects that exist in my varied responses to life events- and, especially, how quickly I switch from one set of responses to another, without my noticing what has happened. Try not to worry about the diagnosis- everyone who has suffered abuse deals with it by compartmentalizing to a greater or lesser extent. The goal of therapy is to be able to bring these disconnected experiences into one common experience. I do hope you have a good therapist with whom you will be able to develop the sense of trust and safety which allows this to happen.
Pfinstegg
Posted by zenhussy on May 27, 2003, at 23:52:45
In reply to Re: DID after previous diagnoses. » deirdrehbrt, posted by Pfinstegg on May 27, 2003, at 21:52:45
> Hi deirdrehbrt.. yes it is very scary to get that diagnosis. However, my impression (from my own therapy) is that many, or perhaps most, people who have endured neglect or some kind of abuse in childhood deal with these traumas by developing a sort of "parellel processing"- like a computer. If they are using one particuar set of brain circuits, they will react in one way, but if they switch to another somewhat or completely disconnected set, they will react in a very different manner. One psychiatrist might diagnose DID, or, as mine has, keep pointing out to me the disconnects that exist in my varied responses to life events- and, especially, how quickly I switch from one set of responses to another, without my noticing what has happened. Try not to worry about the diagnosis- everyone who has suffered abuse deals with it by compartmentalizing to a greater or lesser extent. The goal of therapy is to be able to bring these disconnected experiences into one common experience. I do hope you have a good therapist with whom you will be able to develop the sense of trust and safety which allows this to happen.
>
> PfinsteggPfinstegg,
That is one of the kindest ways of describing the DID diagnosis. I have two friends with it and I am going to print out your analogy to help them. I know it will bring them both tremendous relief to hear a positive approach to this.
Thank you for that.zenhussy
Posted by deirdrehbrt on May 28, 2003, at 20:36:52
In reply to Re: DID after previous diagnoses. » Pfinstegg, posted by zenhussy on May 27, 2003, at 23:52:45
Pfinstegg,
Thank you for your response. I think that the scariest part of the diagnosis isn't that I'm in the 'DID category', but that it underscores the fact that I do indeed have to come to terms with the abuse that I endured, both remembered and as yet unremembered. I have a family, I have a family that I fantasized that I lived in, I have a family from whom I felt love, and I have a family that abused me. I have many more families that all lived under the same roof. I probably have as many, or more selves than I had families. Perhaps part of the healing is integrating in my mind all of these families.
Thank you,
Dee.
Posted by Dr. Bob on May 28, 2003, at 21:03:37
In reply to Re: DID after previous diagnoses., posted by deirdrehbrt on May 28, 2003, at 20:36:52
> Thank you for your response...
I'd like to redirect this thread to Psychological Babble. Here's a link:
http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20030407/msgs/229576.html
Thanks,
Bob
This is the end of the thread.
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