'Switching' In Dissociative Identity Disorder- Answering Your Questions

*Disclaimer: It's important to understand that we are exploring DID and we ARE NOT diagnosing, assessing, or stigmatizing symptoms. This video is for the sole purpose of education.

___________________________

Someone asked a question about "switching" and DID so I address this question in this video.

Dissociative Identity Disorder (formerly known as multiple personality disorder) is a complex disorder. It is complex because differentiation from other diagnoses can be really difficult (we will talk about this next video). It's easy for laypeople to believe that someone who is moody or changeable in attitude has "multiple personalities" or "split personality." But it is only when you educate yourself to DID/MPD or see it in person that you realize the distinct difference.

According to the Mayo Clinic, fewer than 200.000 individuals are diagnosed with DID. But some research suggests it is more common than we think.

On average, between 13 and 15 personalities are typically displayed in those who have symptoms of DID. Other research suggests that 100 or more may also be present. Here is an example of a story in which a woman claimed over 90 different personalities:

It's important to understand that even though most cases of DID involve trauma, it isn' a necessary condition to meet in order to have the diagnosis of DID. Any overwhelming, life-changing event or great loss can precipitate symptoms of DID. But for many of the cases we hear of in the news, through social media, etc. involve individuals who have had traumatic histories and could no longer survive unless they "split" off into fragments of themselves to cope.

I welcome your comments, questions, and experiences.

------Contact me-------

I'm Támara, a licensed and nationally certified mental health therapist, with over 11 years experience. I specialize in helping children, teens, and families with mental illness. I also treat psychological trauma in children, teens, and adults.

Mail me stuff!
PO Box 113
Bridgeville, PA 15017

Social media:
Twitter - @therapisttee

_______________________________________
#trauma #DID #tamarahilllpc

*New videos Mondays & Fridays with a periodic bonus video on Wednesdays!

[beefield]

Excellent video as usual! You explained concisely and easily ( not psycho babble) which some other channels bore me to death with. Thank you 🙏🏽❤️

[bugbean]

DID isn't as rare as you put it actually. What you've been describing is someone with overt DID which is in deed rare because only 6% of all DID patients do have this form of the disorder. All other individuals diagnosed have covert DID which doesn't really show, neither to the individual itself nor to mental health professionals. Covert DID is much more common (94%) because in most cases it was important not to be recognized for the child to survive all the traumatic experiences, therefore the main fronting alters might appear quite similar and are quite skilled in acting like the host. Also, there isn't one form of switching. There are immediate switches (a lot of the time because of triggers) from one second to the other, there are very dissociated switches that can take hours or even days, and sometimes switching can also be a slow fade from one alter to the other with the alters being co-conscious or co-fronting for this period of time until one finally takes over. However, DID specialists can also spot subtle signs of covert DID in the first sessions with a new patient and as therapy goes on, they can clearly differentiate alters from one another as they get to know them better due to their different postures, beliefs, likes/dislikes, tone of voice and how they express themselves through language, clothing etc. But because of how different switches can be, it might not be easy to spot even if alters are quite different. When voice, posture etc. changes gradually over minutes and you aren't working with a lot of DID patients, you might assume that someone simply feels more comfortable now because they seem more open, less anxious, laugh/joke more, their voice is deeper, it may just look like the mood has changed. There are actually some systems out there who show this kind of switches, it's difficult to spot they've been switching while watching without knowing the alters. But when you click from let's say minute 4 to 18, it's a completely different person there even for someone who doesn't know them if that makes sense.
I hope everything is easy to understand (I'm from Germany), I just wanted to quickly tell you about the differences between overt and covert DID and add some examples :-)

[solitairerivera]

Excellent perspective. DID is real. It is serious business, and it is not an act. Not knowing who you are talking to can be difficult but not knowing if you will face their rage or whatever else is terrifying.

[DarklightTarot]

I agree with what you said. It's not like what you see in youtube at all.
It's about amnesia. Its about being unable to keep a continuous focus.
In did the mind glitches in and out. It's waking up with no idea who or where you are.
It's quite scary and a therapist that really know how to help someone with this form of trauma is needed in order for the person suffering to beable to heal. I appreciate this video. You explain it as it is. Thankyou.

[TherapistTamaraHill]

Do you know someone who dissociates and may be on the "spectrum" I talk about?

If this video was helpful or interesting to you, please like, share, and comment!

[OrganicSlay]

I know I have it and I try to understand each personality by journaling which has helped me identify a personality with a name. It's a struggle and embarrassing to be someone else when "feeling" offended bc sometimes it was offensive but the voices in your head (personalities) are figuring out this person's intentions

[CandiceWilson-up]

I never understood why my one therapist was so uncomfortable around me until now. I try to be mindful how we affect other people. I never thought how hard it could be on the clinician because it is uncomfortable but all I could think about was how uncomfortable I was. Thanks for this, trying to be mindful

[kj-sfmd]

I've been dx with DID by LMSW, who sent me to a trauma specialist. After much testing, she labeled it, OSDD. But after about a year of 2x/week sessions, she changed it to DID. I didn't know what t believe. Cause I thought the first therapist was nuts, and was sure all the testing & sessions would prove I was not. But then the specialist, ended up confirming.
I do agree with you, its NOT fun or interesting. The headaches are horrible. Its like a constant state of self-gaslighting. People would tell me I did or said things i couldn't recall. And i just figured they were wrong. But now, the whole thing frightens me. I don't like it. As i try to accept it...well it feels like a kind of psychological hokey-pokey. One part in, and one part out.
Can you talk about OSDD and the different types. I do believe i have a dissociative disorder. But the DID thing, just seems extreme. Then again, aren't dissociative disorders based on denial?
Oh, and also it takes a long time to be dx w/DID. Can you tell me, why so many in the mental health field DO NOT accept DID?

[crazyeyedme]

Thank you for being one of the few real and honest Drs

[ctmaizurah]

I suspect i have it. But it is so subtle sometimes i feel like i was faking it or i was just escaping the truth.

[ladennayoung]

It's funny (not in a laughing matter, but odd), that the Holy Spirit is bringing this info to me in a large amount at the moment. I believe I understand and know why. I think He is preparing for me, if you will. I watched Sybil and the Truddi Chase story on last week, or the early part of this week, if you will. Truddi Chase wrote a book about her condition, and she was on Oprah. She endured horrific abuse in her childhood, and that is what led to this. She supposedly had 92 personalities. You can tell when she was on Oprah, she fought hard to NOT go into another personality, and it was hard for her, and she was fighting back tears. She passed away in 2010. I pray that she is TRULY resting in peace, in the mighty name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. My mom used to speak about Truddi's interview on Oprah at times throughout my life. There are some shows that she wouldn't let me watch when I was younger. I wished she would have. Because we/people need to know these/certain things, and we DON'T do our children any favors. Trying to hide/shield certain things from them. It can be a learning tool and opportunity for them, and end up being a blessing to them in one way or another, in the mighty name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth.

[Geeya]

I was just diagnosed with DID, I’m freaking out!💔Can’t process this.

[tamistone]

The switching is just a symtom. The emnisia has created pits in the brain which, because humans are amazing creates a second personality or identity. Later as time passes that unconscious bit of the person tries to make itself conscious, but can not connect to the conscious bit there at the time, but with years of therapy, depending on age, amount of trauma, the person can find that unconscious but of self and imbrace or unify with him or her... butvtjis can be very painful because he or she may have to re experience that trauma... so you need a good therapist to hold consciousness for you....

[ladennayoung]

I know someone that have supposedly been diagnosed, and I could tell with I was speaking with the other personality. I don't really like interacting with it, not because it's mean or anything (at least not to me anyway). But because it was fake. I could tell it wasn't the real him, and it would annoy me. But I would still talk to him, and try to be nice anyway. Because I didn't necessarily want to hurt his feelings, or make matters worse. But I ALWAYS talked to him, as if I wasn't talking to the other personality/persona. If that make any sense.

[wiyxgyo]

Alters switch a lot during therapy sometimes because different afters may want to each talk to the therapist. But the system might be less active in terms of switching in regular life, or you know there are often alter roles so a work alter a school alter a home alter a more sexual (not fully specialized but partially specialized sexual alter) semi-specialized “protectors” (e.g. all business “get the best k away from me” alters) or separate alters with different friend groups. But they are usually pretty developed personalities. It’s not sone casual thing, but it can happen randomly sometimes or can happen in response to “positive” (subjectively positive) triggers. The whole mind switches. It’s not as if the alter fronting or even co conscious chides to front or go away for most people most of the time. Alters are usually on the receiving end of a switch, even if certain triggers do draw them out specifically/individually.

[nessa]

I feel like I'm being possessed. I can remember bits and pieces of things which scare me. I was jailed and court ordered to a mental hospital because I went on a "long walk" . I claimed to be someone else. I have no real memory of that to be honest but that's what came out in court. I was diagnosed with disassociation disorder.

[Geeya]

Also please remember when triggered with DID there is usually amnesia.❤️

[truthutoda]

Why are you so under-rated? I swear you heard my conversation this week which was about dissociation.

Can you get dissociation if a family member has it?

[TheBagSystem]

It’s not about DID being fun, but in validating our experiences. Any other intense situation would be considered understandable to share; why should systems be excluded?

[tiphanig]

I got diagnosed but how do I know it’s not just a delusion