Quick Thought to Consider: I had a conversation this week that reminded me of a very important "thinking spot" for trauma survivors with Dissociative Identity Disorder. Which is worse -- being multiple? Or being dissociative? With multiplicity, you are leading a life combined with lots of others inside, making everything a plural existence. Being dissociative -- in the way that I am … [Read more...]
Losing Someone I Love from an Overdose
. This is a sad, sad, oh so very very sad week in my household. On Monday, we said goodbye to a very dear young man, only 27 yrs old, a young man that had been my neighbor and "second son" for many years. This young man was one of my son's best friends, my son's dearest childhood pal. "Way back when," he lived next door from us for at least five years, but he has been included as part of our extended family unit ever … [Read more...]
Encouragement on a Difficult Day
Hello, hello.... How are you? Are you struggling today? I've been thinking about you, and have some kind thoughts to pass your way. To those of you who have been having a very difficult day today – I am sorry that you are hurting so much. I can hear the wrestling with some difficult emotions, and painful options, and the pulls toward self-harm. Please know that you can fight … [Read more...]
Depression and Dissociative Identity Disorder, part 1
So you're depressed, and you're DID. That feels like a double whammy already, so what do you do now? Depression and DID go hand in hand for many trauma survivors. They are not the same diagnosis, but can be closely knitted together. When you are DID, you might have some parts that are depressed, while simultaneously having other parts that are not depressed. Dissociative walls and amnesiac barriers can … [Read more...]
20 Signs of Unresolved Trauma
Many people enter the therapy process with minimal awareness of their trauma history. When the trauma survivors are dissociative, they have the ability to block out an awareness of their trauma. They may know that their family had problems, or that their family was dysfunctional, etc, but they may believe they were never abused. However, blocking out conscious awareness of trauma does not mean … [Read more...]