Posted by lorelai on January 2, 2003, at 15:09:02
In reply to Re: More on Dissociative Disorder » lorelai, posted by Dinah on January 2, 2003, at 12:31:44
> Lorelai, how has the expert worked out? Does she seem better able to help you than your original therapist? Is there any specific therapy for dissociative disorders?
>
> My understanding is that Dissociative Identity Disorder isn't diagnosed if there is co-consciousness. Is that accurate? You've always seemed to be co-conscious with Alice.
>
> Sorry to ask so many questions. :(
>
> Thanks,
>
> DinahHi Dinah,
It's been a while. Good to hear from you! Yeah, lots of questions, but that's okay (: I just hope I can answer them well enough! I imagine this'll be a little on the long-winded side, lol.
The new therapist's very different. I like her, but it'll take some time for me to feel as comfortable with her as I felt with my old pdoc. We're still in the early stages of therapy, still digging around to see what's what. I had no idea this would be so intensive. A lot of stuff is coming up from my childhood--an abusive grandfather mainly--that I thought I'd put behind me (never goes away. Just digs in somewhere and keeps eating away at the psyche). The new therapist's a lot more knowledgeable in this area and so has been helping me more than my old pdoc had been (I do still see my old pdoc. Have to check in with her concerning meds, which I'm currently not taking--besides an occasional Ativan for anxiety attacks. My friends and family are keeping an eye on me and I have an understanding/agreement with my pdoc that I WILL let her know the moment I or my friends/family feel I need to be back on meds).
And yes, there are definitely specific therapies involved. My therapist says it'll involve working toward strengthening my sense of self so that there's more solid grounding and (hopefully) less need to dissociate. This is supposed to be a long process, possibly taking a few years or more. She mentioned a "stabilization" process and my need to learn more realistic (more adult-level) coping skills and life skills.
In answer to your question about Dissociative Identity Disorder and its diagnosis--okay, this is my understanding. There's a huge dissociative spectrum (kind of like in the case of my son, who's somewhere on the high functioning--though clearly language-challenged--end of the autism spectrum). I guess classic DID (used to be called Multiple Personality Disorder) would only apply to those patients whose alters are unconscious personalities (though when I first mentioned my alter to my pdoc and she discussed it with this new therapist, being unconscious of the alter didn't seem to be a prerequisite to being put into the Dissociative Disorder category. That was actually my first question for them: "WHY am I even aware of Alice in the first place? Shouldn't she be completely hidden from me?" And my therapist said, "Not necessarily").
There are also atypical dissociative disorders, which fall into the category of Dissociative Disorders Not Otherwise Specified (DDNOS). Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (though not officially considered DD) also falls into the dissociative category. I'm not sure where I fall, though I suspect it would be DDNOS. Then again, with my sometimes complete lapses of memory that occur, there could be more going on than meets the eye. My therapist seems to suspect so.
I'll try to keep posting here as things progress. Hope I answered your questions, Dinah!
All the Best,
Lorelai
poster:lorelai
thread:1196
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20021230/msgs/2020.html