Symptoms
Signs to look for (symptoms)
Things you may feel include:
- feeling disconnected from your emotions (emotionally numb).
- feeling detached from what is happening around you, like you are watching a movie of yourself.
- feeling as though the world is distorted or not real.
- having problems remembering things, and having gaps in your memory (losing time).
- sudden and unexpected shifts in mood, eg, feeling very sad for no reason.
- hearing voices, or smelling or seeing things that only you can see or smell.
- feeling as though there are different people inside you.
- referring to yourself as “we”.
- being unable to recognise yourself in a mirror.
- significant memory lapses such as forgetting important personal information.
- knowing about things you don’t remember learning, like driving.
- not recognising places or people that others think you should.
It’s often those nearest people experiencing DID who will see signs that the person they are currently talking to does not have the same personality and mannerisms that the person they were speaking to yesterday, or that morning, or even a few moments ago had.
The current identity may have a completely different view and perspectives from what the person who is normally present thinks. They may project mannerisms and speech from a different age or gender. They may also lose skills between personalities, such as not knowing how to drive one day, yet knowing how to drive the next day.
How the doctor determines if you have DID (diagnosis)
DID can be difficult to diagnose as any signs and symptoms identified during routine mental health assessments (eg, for depression, anxiety, insomnia, self-harming, hearing voices) are common to other mental health problems. And so a standard assessment will often not identify a dissociative disorder.
Thus working with a doctor who specialises in this condition is useful. It's also important you take the time to talk with your doctor and help them understand what you or your loved one is experiencing.
Thus working with a doctor who specialises in this condition is useful. It's also important you take the time to talk with your doctor and help them understand what you or your loved one is experiencing.
Your doctor will help you find the right mental health professional to diagnose the condition you have, then they will work alongside you to help you feel more in control and live the life you choose.
Treatment options
Treatment of DID can involve a number of aspects, each of which can be tailored to your individual need. It’s important you choose a mental health professional with experience in treating dissociative conditions. Treatment options include:
Medication
There is no specific medications to help DID, but your doctor may prescribe medication to help with other symptoms, such as not being able to sleep, or anxiety or depression. If you are prescribed medication you are entitled to know:
- the names of the medicines
- what symptoms they are supposed to treat
- how long it will be before they take effect
- how long you will have to take them for and what their side effects (short and long-term) are.
If you are breast feeding no medication is entirely safe. Before making any decisions about taking medication at this time you should talk with your doctor about the potential benefits and problems.
Talking therapies
These are the therapies most recommended for DID. A strong therapeutic relationship, a safe therapeutic environment, appropriate boundaries, development of no self-harm contracts, an understanding of personality, stress management, working through traumatic and dissociated material, are some of the processes a therapist might use.
It may take a long time, often years for you or your loved one, and their trusted therapist to cover all the agreed goals for treatment. That is expected and beneficial. All types of therapy/counselling should be provided in a manner that is respectful to you and with which you feel comfortable and free to ask questions.
It should be consistent with and incorporate your cultural beliefs and practices.
It should be consistent with and incorporate your cultural beliefs and practices.
Complementary therapies
The term complementary therapy is generally used to indicate therapies and treatments that differ from conventional western medicine and that may be used to complement and support it. Certain complementary therapies may enhance your life and help you to maintain wellbeing.
In general, mindfulness, hypnotherapy, yoga, exercise, relaxation, massage, mirimiri and aromatherapy have all been shown to have some effect in alleviating mental distress.
In general, mindfulness, hypnotherapy, yoga, exercise, relaxation, massage, mirimiri and aromatherapy have all been shown to have some effect in alleviating mental distress.