dissociative identity disorder (DID): anyone with this diagnosis?

I have a friend in Kansas City who has gone through Shamanic training, I would be interested to hear how your experience was. Hope this finds you happy and well. I'm trying to add a photo of my Service Dog, Beau, the apricot standard poodle and our black standard poodle girl, Skye.

Hello @suzbyrne

You were asking about links with information on DID. Here are just a few that I found on Google,
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dissociative-disorders/symptoms-causes/syc-20355215
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9792-dissociative-identity-disorder-multiple-personality-disorder
https://www.nami.org/About-Mental-Illness/Mental-Health-Conditions/Dissociative-Disorders
How are you feeling?

Your dogs are just beautiful, @paulalina. They look very comforting!

@hopeful33250 Thanks Teresa. I’m feeling better about myself because I finally said, I’m not going to take it anymore. In that process, I’ve begun to really tell myself who I am. Yay 😀

I’ve learned so much reading the posts in connect. It’s a bit scary but I’m ready to investigate further.

I recently realized how naturally I blend and bend to appease and please. For a person with many talents, I’ve let myself down-a consequence of of my need to please and shun attention. At the same time I sought approval and put myself into situations that weren’t appropriate for me personally. It’s been my lifelong cross. Must be I mistook me for another.

So I’ll look into DID with great interest and hope to keep on learning. I sure appreciate your interest, Teresa. I’d like to stay in touch and discuss further what I learn and with that knowledge, advice on what next steps may be. Best always. Suzanne

@paulalina Thank you. Your dogs are gorgeous. This is Ellie. She’s a rescue(I think 🤔) Manchester terrier. She is extremely: loving, fast, curious, afraid, watchful, loud(outside), always on the hunt for vermin, hungry, and loyal.

I don’t know if my lack of identity places me in the DID group or not. But I’m sure I’ll learn a lot.

I appreciate the welcome and will continue to tune in.

Next step is to follow up on links Teresa @hopeful33250 provided. Then I’ll know more. Best, Suzanne

Suzanne, this entire message warms the cockles of my heart! Not sure anatomically where they’re located but they’re responsible for the feeling of warm fuzzies when something good happens! 😀

Watching you through this period of self discovery has been so rewarding. I’m so happy you reached out on Connect. By doing so, you found that you’re not alone in your thoughts of insecurity and personal failures (in your head only), that you can rise above your past which had you living with some regrets and a diminished view of yourself. With the introspection you’ve gone through, you’re ready to take on the challenge of personal growth, with a flourish! ☺️

These shared experiences help us all grow when we can identify parts of ourselves in someone else’s journey to see that we’re not flying solo!
🧡

Aww I just saw the picture of Ellie!! What a sweet little doggo! She’s a lucky girl. Dogs bring so much enjoyment to our days. (Ok, all pets. ☺️)

Hi @suzbyrne

I just love rescue animals and Ellie looks so sweet! I'm sure she is a joy to you. Congratulations on saying, " I’m not going to take it anymore. In that process, I’ve begun to really tell myself who I am."

It appears as if you have a handle on what's went wrong and are set to go in a different direction.

A lot of us have tried to "blend in" with our environment and change who we are. The search for our true selves is a great journey! I'm glad that Connect can walk with you on this journey,

Will you keep in touch and post along the way?

My girl Ellie warms my cockles also. I think they’re located around the sternum, just below the heart, and above a small tea light 🕯 that never goes out.

I sure will. The support and care, the sharing and learning are what have given me greater insight and motivation to be more open to new and valuable information.

Bless you all for being here and will report back as aha moments and new insights arise. ❤️ Suzanne

I was diagnosed with complex ptsd/DID when I was 64. For decades I had been treated for depression. Having a diagnosis that led to a therapist who specialized in complex trauma has helped me enormously. I'm 68 now. At first I fought the diagnosis, it felt scary. Today I am painting art that represents my parts, all of them! I was very fortunate to have wonderful neurologists at Mayo as well as my home area. They were able to fit me in with the top trauma therapist in my area.
My Therapist agreed to take my case only if I agreed to do the work which required that I show up weekly for an hour session. I agreed, the work began. Four years in, doing the work, weekly is an act of bravery. The best thing is when you realize you are here, whole, now. One part laughs at my "big feet" because she is a young girl. I remind her those big feet are HER feet, too.
I will probably be seeing a therapist the rest of my life and I am okay with that, maybe we will have our sessions less often eventually. We are all aware of, accepting of and respectful to each part. Just recently my "original" finally came out, I had begun to believe that there was no "original" in me.
I am lucky to have been able to train a Psychiatric Service Dog myself. Beau Geste is an apricot standard poodle that accompanies me everywhere. He is a magnet for people. We educate them on Service Dogs and WHY they can not be petted. *Smiles tenderly* It can be daunting when my ptsd flares, but Beau always helps me. Six feet behind me in a checkout lane because that is the space he takes up when he lays down and stretches out. He alerts me when I am going to have a bad episode (conversion tremors, nodding yes, yes, right arm dances all over the darn place). This way I can get to a seat and take my meds. Beau hops onto my lap and applies 70 pounds of compression therapy and keeps licking my face and neck to help me stay present. We love to sit by the grand piano in Von Maur just for fun. Be well and stay safe.