Reddit mentions: The best books about dissociative disorders

In my case when this has happened before it's because in previous trusting relationships (parents especially) when I overshared, it was used against me, to say that I couldn't trust my own opinions because I was too messed up. The fact that you're posting this here probably means that you know that quitting therapy isn't right for you, but you're really feeling the intensity of being vulnerable. That's normal, and it means that you're getting to the part that will be really healing if you can stick it out. Your future self deserves your current self's best efforts to sit with the intensity and stick it out. The fact that you're having this reaction means that you're strong enough to have survived some really tough stuff. You're strong enough for this too, and we've got your back.

I found this book to be helpful in collecting the tools for dealing with the intensity associated with processing this stuff. The short version is to take some time for self care, have a cup of hot tea, sit with the emotions you're feeling for a few minutes, and then pack them away for now. I know it'll sound silly writing it here, but in case it helps to have an example, my mental tool for packing away my emotions and overwhelming memories when I'm not working on them is a bookshelf in an orderly old fashioned study housed in suitcase like Newt Scamander's, that I store in a cave behind a waterfall guarded by a pet dragon. You get to pick your own tools that are useful for you, but that one helps me to feel like my traumatic past is safe while I'm going about my life but that I can access it and sort through the pieces and then pack them away when I'm not using them.

Good luck, and keep reaching out!

I too had been diagnosed with DID and worked with a therapist who had never encountered it before. It definitely was a learning experience for both of us. Fortunately my T was willing to learn and stick with me as we work through a lot of my sh*t. It definitely was a rough ride at times, and my T didn't always make the best or most helpful decisions over the years, but what I ultimately learned was to trust my gut and to speak up when something in the therapy or in the relationship didn't feel right for me.

Have you asked your T how much experience that her supervisor has had in regards to working with DID clients? Do you feel comfortable that your T will be getting some good support and input from this super? I would encourage you to have that conversation with her if you are not feeling good about this.

Also, in regards to your fear of having to address your trauma, you don't have to necessarily do that at this time. I would hope your T is focusing on getting you and your system to be more connected and co-concious so that you and your alters/parts are learning to acknowledge and except each other and their particular roles so they can work together as a unified system. After this is achieved, you may feel more comfortable about facing your particular traumas. And who knows, the trauma may naturally come up and be worked through as you get to know each of your alters/parts better.

Also, don't be so quick to write off other modalities or alternative therapies just yet. Body centred therapies are quite helpful for addressing complex traumas. When I got stuck in a rut with doing talk therapy and wasn't improving, but in fact slipping backwards in progress and worsening in my trauma symptoms, I started doing neurofeedback therapy in conjunction to my talk therapy and it was incredibly beneficial. It helped to calm many of my trauma symptoms, including my overall anxiety, emotional dysregulation, and dissociation unlike anything else to where I could finally start doing my talk therapy without becoming severely dissociated or triggered. I started to make a lot of positive progress in therapy and my healing after I started neurofeedback. Neurofeedback also helped me internally to become more connected with my system.

Also, if you haven't read these books yet, I highly recommend you get copies of them. You may like to share them with your T:

https://www.amazon.com/Dissociative-Identity-Disorder-Sourcebook-Sourcebooks/dp/0737303948

https://www.amazon.com/Coping-Trauma-Related-Dissociation-Interpersonal-Neurobiology/dp/039370646X/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=dissociative+identity+disorder+books&qid=1562834073&s=gateway&sprefix=Disociative+&sr=8-3

I'm sorry for your experiences, and I hope you find peace in healing now. It's a really interesting but very difficult topic to explain, and I'm genuinely sorry if I made a lot of typos, I'm currently running on only a couple of hours sleep, and a very foggy brain, so I expect it's a quite jumbled though I did try to proof read it! And it is very long too (though before the proofread it was a couple of pages longer and a lot less sensical).

I didn't mean it in a bad way, I just hope that by answering you it may help you as well as others. After I was diagnosed, my therapy terminated for other reasons, plus I think my therapist didn't have the answers I was looking for. So I spent a huge amount of money on investing in different books, some I've read and some I'm still reading, from so many different backgrounds. A lot of what I wrote was paraphrased from different books, but predominantly from this one (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Understanding-Treating-Dissociative-Identity-Disorder-ebook/dp/B007NYFJZW/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=Understanding+dissociative+identity+disorder&qid=1569369921&s=gateway&sr=8-3), which had a lot of info on both the formation of DID, as well as clinical and real life history of DID (and its previous names during understanding of it) throughout history. It's a fascinating read but it seemed to paint such a clear history, awareness and understanding of DID that I'm genuinely surprised that some still debate its reality. I wished when I was reading that, that the information I learned was more easily accessible (and affordable) as though it could be misused by some, it really helped me be able to connect a little internally and improve my outlook on so much of what I was experiencing. It was also useful to explain so much of what I'd been invalidating myself with. So I over share! One time I typed up a huge chapter word for word from the book and posted it somewhere online.

I had never heard of attachment, or heard about examples of ways that could affect an infant so profoundly that weren't directly due to horrific people, it was able to help me come more to terms with both "good" and bad experiences in my childhood I'd been invalidating myself and various Parts over and I was able to accept them a little better. So I really am glad it was of any use. Though it really is a little down to "just" differences between personal abilities to survive/cope, which I hate because there's nothing concrete or logical about it, but it is what it is. Maybe one day I'll learn something else that will make more sense from another book. I really hope so.

)

Yeah, sorry, I got that; "instantly" was a bad word choice.

As for how to tell them, I think "lying" is describing how you've been coping (or trying to) rather harshly. It's the nature of trauma that we disconnect from ourselves, and you have been disconnected from yourself, so of course how could you be connected with them? There are always "layers" of truth and if you haven't been able to share all the truth about yourself with anyone, that's not your fault, it's a mark of how messed up you've been. So I wouldn't say "I've been lying to you all these years" because I don't think it's true!

With the family, I might start with something like "I haven't been able to talk about what's been happening inside me until now..."

With your counsellor, it's absolutely normal, especially in cases where there's trauma in the background, for the extent of self-revelation to increase gradually. A good counsellor wouldn't expect you to disclose the most sensitive things until you feel ready and able to trust them. So s/he should be expecting more and deeper "stuff" to come out over time.

As for what could help you, there are different things, but I might as well start with what helped me. Mostly it was finding the right therapist, someone who I really felt always truly had my interest at heart. Sometimes I violently disagreed with her suggestions, but she honoured and accepted my disagreement. Although I have to admit she always turned out to be at least mostly (and usually dead-on) right in the end. She was a Jungian analyst, but ymmv, there's lots of classic research to suggest that the individual is more important than the methodology. It took me a few years to realise that it was actually trauma that I was dealing with, and then (with my analyst's blessing) I also got some EMDR, which was a very helpful adjunct.

Some books that also helped me:

Invisible Heroes by Belleruth Naparstek

Waking the Tiger by Peter Levine

The Myth of Sanity by Martha Stout. She also wrote a book called The Paranoia Switch which is specifically about recovering from the collective/social trauma of 9/11 but as I am not American I have never got around to reading that one. But I very much admire her work in general. Her book "The Sociopath Next Door" led me to discover the truth that I had, in fact, been raised by a sociopath. And, btw, I can tell you with great confidence that you aren't one.

The Inner World of Trauma by Donald Kalsched. Kalsched is a Jungian analyst and he references some Jungian psychological concepts so if you're not familiar it might have a bit of a learning curve.

There's a lot of terminology out there. Some people don't like "main", "host", etc, but it depends on each person, really.

I personally love answering questions, as long as they're asked respectfully. I know a lot of people are worried about offending me, but really, I know when people mean well and I'm rarely offended. It wouldn't hurt to ask her. I know I would rather be approached by my boyfriend with a request to talk to his sister than directly approached by his sister, but I'm sure it really depends on your relationship.

I did a /r/casualiama on my DID a little while ago. It's here if you're interested in that. A couple of book suggestions as well:

• Switching Time -- This is my favorite "account" book. It's written from the therapist's point of view, which I find fascinating, personally.
  
  
• The Stranger in the Mirror -- This one's less story-like, more academic. It explains the elements of DID.
  
  
• Multiplicity -- This one I would not necessarily recommend to people with DID, but it's definitely great for those that are trying to understand it. It's not about DID, but about the elements of multiple personality that most everyone can relate to.
  
  EDIT: Formatting

PsychologyToday isn't that great as well, on an in depth level. For me, I've found myself aimlessly surfing through the oversimplified/summaried articles, that only veers on the surface level of things.

• "Emotionally instability" -- but what does that explain?
  
  Honestly, the pathology spreads across so many different disciplines/schools of thought, that I had to go through many different academic literature to grasp a conceptual understanding; attachment psychology, complex traumatic stress, neuroscience, developmental psychology, developmental trauma, object-relations, intrapsychic ego (impulsiveness/ego management/emotional-pull-push with people), dissociation, as well as marital therapy and sociological Asian American (to understand the cultural barriers/friction with mental health, then I'm looking towards understanding MBT and DBT, as a way to empathize.
  
  I've pretty much have most of the "mainstream" BPD books out there, and I think the Borderline Personality Disorder Demystified does a fairly good job providing a detailed overview of the prognosis of those with BPD. However, I've come across Borderline Personality Disorder: New Reasons for Hope again, and I think it may be more promising after skimming through it. I passed on it when I first forayed into BPD literature, instead opting for simpler books; however, I've come to realize that has only lead to the surface level of things as well.
  
  
  As for Randi, her book does more oversimplification which is consequently harmful, than the righteousness of doing good it wistfully intends. It also seems that she is using/projecting the book and her participation in the BPD community as a collective coping mechanism for her past. IDK
  
  Your website is great. I feel research/literature wise, we're reaching a point where we have a good amount research/literature on BPD that provides contemporary answers, but it's still fragmented across cross-topics/disciplines. We have top-experts in their own specialization like Otto Von in PTSD that usually have a chapter on BPD in their textbooks, and I reckon there should be more work from everyone into encompassing a collaborative comprehensive text for this highly niche subject of BPD, that entails not just one sole disciplinary focus.

I am very sorry to hear about that, your experience is the opposite of what should happen and it really sickens and saddens me.

We got aware of our system about a year ago, our abuse was mainly caused by our father aswell. We spent long time in denial, infact we still get in denial sometimes. How ever the more I've gotten to know myself, better our communication has gotten, and more accepting I have been towards ALL the parts, more whole and strong I have felt.

When we get depressed about the past, or worried about the future, we remind ourselfs how lucky we are; we get to experience childlike joy about things, and its definatly not only a bad thing to feel like a teenager every now and then
We will never be alone

It really must suck the therapist broke your trust like that, but dont let it prevent yourself from getting help, can you live a good life without therapy? Maybe, I cannot answer that for you, but we know we tried to deal with everything by ourselfs way too long before getting help, only to realize we do deserve and need it.

Now it might take a while to find a good therapist, meanwhile, knowledge is power, I highly suggest the two following books;

https://www.amazon.com/Dissociative-Identity-Disorder-Sourcebook-Sourcebooks-ebook/dp/B006B7LORY?crid=1EDLIHIN9K5UB&keywords=dissociative+identity+disorder&qid=1536309996&sprefix=dissoci&sr=8-4&ref=mp_s_a_1_4

https://www.amazon.com/Body-Keeps-Score-Healing-Trauma/dp/0143127748?keywords=trauma+book&qid=1536311130&sr=8-1&ref=mp_s_a_1_1


Now they are not something you should read in a day. Or something you can read in a day. I spent months myself, sometimes only reading a page at the time, but they both provided me with alot of information that really helped me.

Also, try journaling, for us its been an amazing way to communicate, for start it was a bit scary, but inner communication is the key
All of your alters togeather with you make you
All of them are capable of learning and growing
Every one of them is there for a reason
Give them the love and understanding you would had deserved as a little, and not only the little ones, the angry ones too

I'm really glad you're interested in learning more! A good starting place would be to read the ISSTD's treatment guidelines: https://www.isst-d.org/downloads/GUIDELINES_REVISED2011.pdf. Even though it's meant for medical professionals, it's the best source for factual, evidence-based info. (As you already may have discovered via google, there's a lot of misinformation out there.)

I also strongly recommend checking out Coping with Trauma Related Dissociation: https://www.amazon.ca/Coping-Trauma-related-Dissociation-Training-Therapists/dp/039370646X. Unlike the academic language of the treatment guidelines, this book was written in consultation with people who experience dissociation and it gives the best picture out there of what it's really like and how someone who has it can move forward. (When I got my copy it was like finally being handed "your life: the users manual").

Been there! It sucks losing an argument with yourself XD.

My 💡ah-ha moment was realizing that I had one person freaking the fuck out, and another insisting "we're fine, nothing to see here" and a third going "what do you mean 'we'...?"

Chances are, you're not overreacting. Yes, people go through phases or have difficulty with identity confusion after major life events (teen-years, divorce, new baby, etc.) but what you're describing certainly sounds more like a median system, which is common in DDNOS/OSDD.

I'd strongly recommend doing a little reading on the topic: Stranger in the Mirror and The Myth of Sanity helped me feel a lot more secure in "yes this is actually the thing, and it's like 'normal'/healthy people may experience, but more so." Stranger in the Mirror has an adaptation of the SCID-D that you can use to gauge the severity of certain symptom clusters, and instructions on how to interpret that.

During my SCID-D assessment, it was suggested to me that I have a 'reporter part' who has the job of watching things and keeping track of what is going on. I'm not that part, but I wanted to say that we love that part a lot and think they're really special and important. They feel unreal a lot but we wouldn't be here without them.

When I feel bad about dealing with it, I like to read some books on DID or lurk on this sub to remind myself I'm not alone. Child parts distract themselves with fantasy stories or young adult novels. Also, grounding techniques that use different senses can help too. Lately I've been getting a bar of chocolate and I'll do some colouring or listen to music. If that doesn't help, I'll play with the cat, call a friend or go to sleep. There's a book on coping with dissociation that has lots of things to try.

The part I mentioned doesn't find it easy to do any of these things because they don't really have any motivation or feel any enjoyment, but we have a rule that you just pick something and try it for ten minutes and if it doesn't work at least you tried. We're not actually very good at it, but that's the idea.

Hi there! Lemme just say I'm happy to hear you're in a good place and looking to continue healing and learning. Congrats for getting to this point, and I hope your journey goes well from here!

As far as book recommendations go, several people here are reading Coping with Trauma-Related Dissociation and come together for a weekly book club thread (run by our very own u/puppydeathfarts .) If you're looking for a good book to dive into with people who can relate, I'd recommend joining!

> I have just been disappearing into another world.

This sounds like disassociation. I've spent many days in front of the tv without actually watching or thinking or doing anything. Like you say, I'd just disappear, I'd go somewhere else. I really thought it was just a normal thing (it happens in my everyday life as well), until I read this book, which spurred me to go to therapy (which was the best decision I have ever made). After talking through some of my issues, I'm 99% better. I haven't just disappeared for hours (or days) at a time in months. I still get depressed, but I am better at working through it and maintaining my life during those periods. If you have any questions, just pm me and I'll do my best to help out.

Edit: I just realized I never even addressed your original issue. I'm sorry if I am stepping out of line with this response.

It does sound like you're dealing with severe dissociation. Whether it's DID, OSDD, or something else similar this book Coping with Trauma Related Dissociation is a really good place to start. The first few chapters will explain the basics and help you recognize the symptoms of DID/OSDD, which can help you figure out if these disorders might be what you are dealing with. The rest of the book is really focused on skills for coping with and living with severe dissociation. It's mainly written for people with DID/OSDD, but I think it would be helpful for anyone who is dissociated and has the experience of feeling like there are "parts" of themselves.

I have DID and CPTSD. If you want to talk or ask any questions or anything, I'd be happy to answer.

Hi there! I was kinda where you are now, on the diagnosis part of the journey, last year. Thought it would be just PTSD. I remember being super freaked out by it, like, deeply unsettled, for quite a while. I couldn't stop thinking about the diagnosis (DID), what it meant about my past, and also my future, my relationships, my life. I'm sorry you're going through that now too. If it in any way helps, I'm okay. My marriage is good, career is great. My day to day amnesia is nowhere near as bad as it was in the past. My overall mental health continues to get better the longer I work on it. You are not incurable: the fact that you have a diagnosis is a HUGE first step towards recovery.

I won't lie to you and say it's easy. It's hard, especially at first. I recommend this book for noobs :) The "look inside" feature will give you access to the first 4 chapters, which includes understanding dissociation, the symptoms of each dissociative disorder, what dissociative parts really are (not the weird shit you see on youtube), and what having DID can do to complicate, mask and/or amplify PTSD symptoms.

Chapters include exercises like the one you already described doing with your therapist, as well as some homework exercises and thinks for you to think about. You don't have to rush into ANY of that. Maybe just check out the symptoms of the condition and think about how it maps to your own experiences.

Your therapist described the diagnostic bit pretty well: it's a scale, and the more severe your symptoms/the more criteria you meet, the further along it you go. If you have OSDD, it's assumed you may experience all of the symptoms of the others, so you only need the "last in line" diagnosis. (These are totes not the medical terms for this, sorry).

What are you most worried about? Is there anything I could share about my experience that might help?

Edit: and practice your safe place thing, it might not feel like much now, but it works if you stick with it

Courtesy ping back to /u/NutellaIsDelicious and /u/Falunel

I have no idea what you're talking about. What you're describing is not Dissociative Identity Disorder, Schizophrenia, or Psychosis.

You're referencing blogs trying to use that for backing your opinion? That really helps your argument about as much as a bucket would stop a tsunami.

Since psychosis seems to be your main argument, this might be a worthwhile read for you since your descriptions mean you have no idea what psychosis is...

Parker, G. F. (2014). DSM-5 and psychotic and mood disorders. Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law Online, 42(2), 182-190.

You also bring up Schizophrenia, again, you're off mark but you would be less so than saying psychosis.

Tandon, R., Gaebel, W., Barch, D. M., Bustillo, J., Gur, R. E., Heckers, S., ... & Van Os, J. (2013). Definition and description of schizophrenia in the DSM-5. Schizophrenia research, 150(1), 3-10.

Regarding confusing schizophrenia and dissociative identity disorder, you're not alone. The former is sometimes a misdiagnosed latter. There's been work done to help differentiate them better, which you can read about here.

Ellason, J. W., & Ross, C. A. (1995). Positive and negative symptoms in dissociative identity disorder and schizophrenia: A comparative analysis. The Journal of nervous and mental disease, 183(4), 236-241.

If you want a good description of DID, so you can understand it better. This is a great read...

Ross, C. A. (1997). Dissociative identity disorder: Diagnosis, clinical features, and treatment of multiple personality . John Wiley & Sons Inc.

Lastly, go give this a good read.

American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM-5®). American Psychiatric Pub.

****
Just to explain something here, Jung and Freud were quite the pioneers in this field. Both were born in the 1800s and died last century. They were elderly at the onset of WWII. Though much of their work influenced works today, most of what they've written has been by-and-large discredited by modern research. Both names are a bit of a joke when people bring them up in a scientific debate in university classes, from personal experience. They both lived before electricity was 'a thing'.

Using Jung or Freud as your basis is like saying a car developed by Henry Ford is better than a Tesla. Ford lived about the same time frame, and I'm sorry to tell you, technology has advanced past the Model T. It was a scientific marvel in it's time, and paved the way for things to come, but the basis of what it was is extremely outdated and admired solely for it's pioneering in antiquity only.

Carl Jung, Sigmund Freud, and Henry Ford were pioneers, but their advances are no longer the technology and understanding of today. We've learned so much more and advanced so much farther. Neuroscience, psychology, and engineering were in their infancy in those times. Things have come a long way, their advances have become obsolete from further advances in understanding.

Sure! Right now I like these Yoga With Adriene videos: Gentle Yoga, and Yoga for Loneliness (I like that this one is low to the ground and pretty much all done on your back). I also like these Somatic Exercises for neck and shoulders.

The book I like best for explaining dissociation is Sensorimotor Psychotherapy by Pat Ogden/ Janina Fisher. The book is huge and a little pricey, but that's because the format is supposed to be like a workbook for client and therapist. You don't have to go through the exercises (I don't) but my therapist utilizes a lot of sensorimotor psychotherapy ideas and techniques in our work and I bought the book because there's just so much great information in there about dissociation and how trauma gets stored in the body. There's also a workbook that I recently bought that's pretty good so far: Coping With Trauma Related Dissociation.

Hey there, sorry to hear about your accident and subsequent return of symptoms.

This book is geared toward clinicians, but it was the first one that came to mind. It may have some helpful information for your situation: http://www.amazon.com/The-Body-Bears-Burden-Dissociation/dp/0415641527 (check your local library for a copy, that is where I came across this originally)

I hope that this helps, and I wish you strength and support in your recovery!

Hi, I am married to someone who experiences DID. I would talk this over with your wife as to the possibility of having DID. Most of the time with DID, they may have loss of time when these other parts come out. Sometimes counselors and psychiatrists are not open to the idea that DID exists. What has helped me personally through this odd occurrence is to realize that it's not my fault and it's her job to manage herself (including all parts). There is a book I highly recommend (and this subreddit recommends) called Coping with Trauma-Related Dissociation. It has been a fantastic resource for my situation. I feel it has helped us gain an equilibrium even with all these alters my wife experiences. Feel free to PM me if you would like.

Hey there. I'm glad things are finally making sense for you. Here is a workbook I've been going through. You might consider getting it. It talks about all the types of therapies available and even gives you a little taste of them. Best of luck to you on your journey. If you have any questions feel free to ask me or PM me.

ok

Firstly, if you are not seeing a trauma specialized therapist I highly suggest you consider seeing one. Just from your description it sounds like your issues are above the pay-grade of your current clinicians, or they are not putting in the proper amount of effort. The fact that you have so many complicating issues and your clinicians are not understanding why you having these shutdowns is a big red flag that something is amiss with them. I presume that you are being open and honest with them about all of your current issues, and that they know about your history of abuse/trauma.

You should also definitely do some reading about borderline personality disorder.

Please don't take this the wrong way, but absolutely, positively stay away from any drugs, even legal ones like alcohol. You are a perfect candidate for death by addiction, unfortunately.

Here are a few books that you might find useful:

https://www.amazon.com/Feel-Fear-Do-Anyway/dp/0345487427

https://www.amazon.com/Dialectical-Behavior-Therapy-Skills-Workbook/dp/1572245131

https://www.amazon.com/Complex-PTSD-Workbook-Mind-Body-Regaining/dp/1623158249

https://www.amazon.com/Unspoken-Voice-Releases-Restores-Goodness/dp/1556439431

https://www.amazon.com/Pocket-Guide-Polyvagal-Theory-Transformative/dp/0393707873

I strongly suggest you try to get some serious headway on your issues BEFORE you try going to college. It might be worth taking a year or two off and just working and going to therapy/working on issues before you attempt to go to college full time.


Do you happen to live in a very religious area? Do you have a very religious family?

ngl i wouldn't trust youtubers like this. There's a huge issue with that right now, and something about the entropy system really rubs me the wrong way. A lot of youtube videos that are very..."entertainment" centered like "SWITCH CAUGHT ON CAMERA :O" are extremely voyeuristic and fetishistic of us and our struggles.

​

I would recommend this DID sourcebook, that can be bought on amazon, as a ways to learn about the others and about yourself. It was made for therapists and DID systems alike.

I also recommend some autobiographies. Though these can be triggering and graphic, the few i've read have helped me understand my selves better. Truddi Chase, Kim Noble, Christine Pattillo... Three different people with 3 starkly different experiences and ways their disorder works with them.

I also recommend TV segments and documentaries. Kim Noble's artwork, Kim Noble's Interview (though not as good), this Netflix Doc (though outdated and slightly misinformational as well as talks to abuse apologists at the "false memory institute".), Truddi's Interview, and this old Documentary from the 90's about 3 different DID systems (old but informational, though triggering so please be careful).

I also recommend Special Books By Special Kids, an incredibly heartwarming group on youtube where a man goes and meets with people with disabilities / disorders and lets them talk about their life and experiences.

> The main take home is that depersonalization may be specifically linked to alexithymia

That source suggests no such thing. All it's saying is that there are overlaps in symptoms between different psychological disorders.

Second article pretty much is the same thing.

Third article again is pretty much the same thing, showing how certain symptoms may overlap. The sources you are citing ONE, are very brief abstracts. Not only are they very brief and unspecific, the type of dissociation it seems that is related to shizotypy is non pathological dissociation, which is a type of dissociation every human being experiences. The non pathological end involves simple daydreaming and zoning out. Pathological dissociation, meaning in the context of a dissociative disorder, is involuntary and is used as a defense mechanism. If you want a good read on the context of all dissociative disorders, I suggest you buy this book.

https://www.amazon.com/Dissociation-Dissociative-Disorders-DSM-V-Beyond-ebook/dp/B004OBZX1W?ie=UTF8&btkr=1&ref_=dp-kindle-redirect

I am also not able to find anything backing up what you said about Depersonalization being a symptom of Cotard's Delusion.

>Nobody thinks that stress by itself causes cotards syndrome, schizotypy, or autism, yet those are all situations where DP can be central

Again, no research has stated that Depersonalization is a symptom specific to those disorders. The sources you cited didn't support that, they only showed how people with certain disorders may be more likely to experience dissociation, but that dissociation is not a defining feature of any of those disorders.

Here's a good free read on dissociation:

http://www.isst-d.org/?contentID=76

Memes have been a weird but deep source of relief for me, too! I get a weird soothed feeling about really dark memes about nihilism and despair.

I really hope you find something that can help you! Have you looked at this self-help workbook at all? Complex PTSD Workbook

There's also The Mask of Sanity, which was a pioneering work in the study of sociopathy. I found it to be comprehensible for the layperson. I'm sure the field of study has moved on since 1941, but the case studies it presents are fascinating. From what I've read, the book by Hare that you suggested is also seminal, though I haven't read it yet. Hare was the one who came up with the Hare Psychopathy Checklist, Revised.

Another one for laypeople: The Sociopath Next Door. It's not a serious academic work and more along the lines of The Psychopath Test, but it's a quick read and very interesting.

If FSIL is interested in having a book to read and work through with his therapist, I can recommend this one for sure. I've used it myself and it was very eye opening and reassuring. I've seen this other one around but haven't read it yet.

It sounds like you've got all your bases covered. Silver lining from your stalker experience I guess... if such a thing could be had.

Stay safe!

James Rollins' Sigma Force Series is fiction but focuses on historical artifacts and conspiracies. I find them very interesting and often, I go off and do some of my own research after reading one of them.

As for psychology, are you familiar with the book Sybil? I recently read Sybil Exposed, which breaks down the original book and tries to separate the truth from what was manufactured by the author. If you haven't read Sybil, definitely read that first though!

Cool thanks. I'm a doctoral student in clinical psych and hadn't come across those terms before, so thanks for helping me learn. That being said, based on my understanding of similar concepts and a quick literature check (see here for instance), your definitions here are a little off. Desomatization concerns a lack of physical sensation (not functioning) or numbness. De-ideation concerns a lack of awareness of thoughts and other mental activity. Quite different from what you wrote.

You might want to look into conversion disorder as well (recently redubbed 'functional neurological symptom disorder') which technically involves dissociation of motor and/or sensory functioning from awareness/voluntary control. While the DSM places it in a distinct category, the ICD lists it as a dissociative disorder, for good reason. It was one of the earliest recognized disorders to be labelled as such, back when it known as "hysteria." I highly recommend reading into the history of psychology as dissociation plays an enormous role in it. I cannot recommend this book enough. I see a 2nd editionhas just been released

Feel free to PM me with specific questions if you like. I prefer not to give out my name.

This is the book used in a support group I'm part of, which is dual-diagnosis for trauma/substance.

Recovery from Trauma, Addiction or Both (if you want to help yourself, the frogcabaret part)

Seeking Safety (therapists book, if you want to learn to help all your parts by also coaching them through these tough topics)

Both cover dissociation in detail, but neither go into dissociative disorders. For that, this book is best in class (IMO):

Coping with Trauma Related Dissociation

Gl,

Dee

> Alison Miller: HIU

Though I have not yet read Dr. Miller's magnum opus, it's evidently got a Real Good Rep among others I know in the rapidly emerging recovery-from-cult-induced-PTSD field, and I have read professional presentation transcripts by her.

One can also look into the many useful books I have thus far read in A Basic Cult Library, as well as into the plethora of resources in these Links to Articles on Cult Dynamics. Vis treatment techniques, one should not miss Bonnie Zeimann's book on that first list above. Janja Lalich's work is also tops these days.

A final note: Odd -- isn't it? -- that the author's name is so similar to the late, great Alice Miller, whose books blew the lid off the worldwide epidemic of child abuse in the 1980s.

cc: u/life_before_lobotomy

> Dissociation is completely mysterious in psychiatry.

Haa, yeah. That's been my experience. I thought (hoped) you might have had a different one. Neurobiology of Traumatic Dissociation is the closest I've come to anything useful, and it's mostly hypothesis stage stuff. Is where I got the naltrexone idea from.

>Are you clumsy or awkward bodily?
Not usually; I've played a lot of sports. Exception being if I drift too far off during a trail run - enter a no warning, hand of god type SPLAT. Stakes are high on rocky trails and I've had a few ER visits this year.

>other ppl have a solid sense of their own agency or feel like agents, where for me it always felt ephemeral or just like a form of shakey make believe
Yeah, that sounds like a potentially very disorienting (?) thing to focus on. I've never had any reason to doubt my physical agency, but I'm definitely not attached to it. I = my brain and the body-half does its own thing but seems generally cooperative. I can locate my body-parts the way I can locate my couch in a pitch black room. The experience is about equal.

We have been using parts of the book Coping with Trauma Related Dissociation. Some of it is applicable and some is not, but it is well-written.

Good luck to you!

I've heard good things about this book. There used to be a free review copy of it available but it has expired. I'm going to take mine into the counselor and see if they'll help me get through it. Maybe you want to try too?

I'm sorry I don't know how to answer your questions. I have DID, which means I don't know how my friends know the difference between the different parts of my head. It's always been a bit of a mystery to me. But if you're looking for the best information on dissociative disorders, it's in here: http://www.amazon.ca/Coping-With-Trauma-related-Dissociation-Suzette/dp/039370646X

> Idk when I'm gonna get trauma therapy. My current therapist revealed something about himself that is making me seriously consider asking for someone else. He purchased a workbook for CPTSD but he says he won't study it unless a client studies with him. Idk, we have a lot in common... but... I think getting help from him will be like pulling teeth...

I just wanted to say that you are more than justified in being skeptical - I would definitely seek out another therapist.

You are the patient, as well as the client - it is not the client's responsibility to shepherd the care provider through their own professional development, education, and training... I would even go so far as to consider reporting this behavior/statement as unprofessional and irresponsible.

If that's the only option you have available, I would purchase a workbook and just work through it yourself. I've done this, myself, in the past - and I'd find that infinitely preferable to paying somebody to "hold their hand" through their own learning process.

I know first-hand how difficult finding appropriate care and therapy is, I really do. However, there are providers out there who are already experienced and trained in caring for patients with trauma and histories of abuse - you do not have to accept being somebody's guinea pig or training exercise.

The reason why people like us don't tell the people around us is because we fear that it will change how they treat us. I've been called a liar and unfriended sure but the worst is when people pity us and treat us not as people but as a condition. So when he says that he doesn't want to see a therapist that should be his choice, I agree with you that he should seek out any help he can but it won't matter if he isn't into it (something something you can't make a horse drink).

If you want to help then sit down with them and offer to listen to what they have to say, it might take years and you might not ever hear about everything but that's okay because we multiples sometimes take a long time to open up.

When different parts come out treat them as friends with open arms and not as a burden as they are just as important as your husband and even though they might be a pain in the ass they exist to fullfil a role that may or may not be relevant now.

Buy and read this book, it's the only DID book we've read that we agreed with 100%.
The Dissociative Identity Disorder Sourcebook (Sourcebooks) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0737303948/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_eA3PRDUuKCURG

Coping with Trauma-Related Dissociation

A little pricey, check to see if your library carries it.

Teaches great skills, easily accessible and doable with practice.

I found The Complex PTSD Workbook: A Mind-Body Approach to Regaining Emotional Control and Becoming Whole https://www.amazon.com/dp/1623158249/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_-ge0Db1GJN9KX helpful, but I don’t know if something geared specifically toward identity-related trauma would be more helpful (please, let me know if I am not describing it correctly). However, it appears to me that there is likely to be overlap, so it could be helpful in those areas.

Probably, but man we can't diagnose you, sorry bro. I'd see a professional for a diagnosis if that's in your books, but otherwise, if the shoe fits, you know? I recommend this workbook highly. it's an often recommended workbook.

:-) all https://www.amazon.com/We-Learn-Nothing-Tim-Kreider/dp/1439198713 https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0796QV121/ref=cm_cr_arp_mb_bdcrb_top?ie=UTF8 https://www.amazon.com/Complex-PTSD-Workbook-Mind-Body-Regaining/dp/1623158249/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?keywords=ptsd&qid=1550856112&s=gateway&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1 https://www.amazon.com/Gone-Girl-Gillian-Flynn/dp/0307588378/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?keywords=gone+girl&qid=1550856163&s=gateway&sr=8-2 https://www.amazon.com/Witch-Unleashed-Unapologetic-Lisa-Lister/dp/178180754X/ref=mp_s_a_1_10_sspa?keywords=wicca&qid=1550856223&s=gateway&sr=8-10-spons&psc=1 https://www.amazon.com/Witch-Unleashed-Unapologetic-Lisa-Lister/dp/178180754X/ref=mp_s_a_1_10_sspa?keywords=wicca&qid=1550856223&s=gateway&sr=8-10-spons&psc=1 https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0875421180/ref=cm_cr_arp_mb_bdcrb_top?ie=UTF8 https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Diary-Laura-Palmer-Peaks/dp/1543643256 https://www.amazon.com/Twin-Peaks-Dossier-Mark-Frost/dp/1250163307 https://www.amazon.com/Secret-History-Twin-Peaks-Novel/dp/1250075580 offering 8USD via PayPal invoice. Please pm!

Man, this is so crazy (not calling you crazy), but the fact that I just finished reading a book on psychological trauma and how it's associated with dissociation. I dont know the specifics or even the generalizations of your story, but I think you might be able to relate.

It's called The Myth of Sanity by Dr. Martha Stout. Great book.

Oh, question: How did you cope with it being your first time?

Oh yes! I was sexually abused, beginning when I was 5. There are times when I revert to a much younger version of myself, during which (I've been told) my body language and sound of my voice are completely different. I just started working on this book with my therapist and have found it very illuminating. It's nice to discover that "oh that's an actual thing, and not just me being a crazy person!" :)

Thanks for the question! I work as a therapist (LCSW) in New York in outpatient psychiatric treatment. I also have been dx with PTSD and Unspecified Bipolar Disorder. Meds help with the moods but the dissociation seems to be mostly treated with coping skills, and Ive been looking for self help resources too. One book my supervisor uses is Coping with Trauma-Related Dissociation ( Coping with Trauma-Related Dissociation: Skills Training for Patients and Therapists (Norton Series on Interpersonal Neurobiology) https://www.amazon.com/dp/039370646X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_uTGRzbTVK025H ) . I really need to start this asap.

Copung with the same issue. I' ve found the following book extremely helpful, with tons of practical tips and exercises:

http://www.amazon.com/Coping-Trauma-Related-Dissociation-Training-Therapists/dp/039370646X/

I bought it on Kindle, which is half the price.

http://www.amazon.com/Coping-Trauma-Related-Dissociation-Training-Therapists-ebook/dp/B00O4RPUPU/

I've at least skimmed a ton of them, some are better than others. The ones I'd recommend are:

• The DID Sourcebook This is a good all-levels overview of all aspects of DID, and is the one that seems most accessible to partners or friends.
  
• [Coping with Trauma Related Dissociation] (https://www.amazon.com/Coping-Trauma-Related-Dissociation-Interpersonal-Neurobiology/dp/039370646X/ref=sr_1_1) This is a workbook style manual, very helpful but pulls no punches as far as triggering material, so a lot of people would suggest using this in therapy vs. on your own.
  
• The Stranger in the Mirror This offers a more inclusive look at the whole dissociation spectrum and also includes self-evaluation screening questions and explanations of results.
  

I've been working through this skills manual Coping with Trauma-Related Dissociation and have found it helpful. There are worksheets at the end of each chapter and exercises throughout the book on mindfulness.

Here you are! I recommend the paperback version.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1623158249?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

I would recommend DSM 5 Made Easy. I trained on the DSM-IV-TR version but this is similar for the new DSM. Phenomenal descriptions of criteria and great case examples. I learned so much about how a diagnosis ACTUALLY presents from this book.

Quick edit: Misread your post. I’m not aware of free materials available online. Unfortunately, there’s a lot of bad information from laypersons if you just google diagnoses. Best bet is to find a cheap book that really breaks things down for you.

You could try the CPSTD workbook. My therapist is literally just reading it and have me tell her my thoughts. If you could come up with the money for it, I know it's hard, I definitely wouldn't have the money for it this moment.

https://www.amazon.com/Complex-PTSD-Workbook-Mind-Body-Regaining/dp/1623158249

When I first started reading about DID after I was diagnosed, it was when the new term was just beginning to be used widely, and a lot of the discussion about it was still along the lines of "is this real or not." I was treated by the dude who wrote this book, and I highly recommend it: http://www.amazon.com/Rebuilding-Shattered-Lives-Dissociative-Disorders/dp/0470768746

Edit: he didn't actually treat me with meds or therapy, just diagnosed me and then consulted on my treatment.

https://www.amazon.com/Ego-States-Helen-H-Watkins/dp/0393702596

Watkins & Watkins are important theorists and practitioners for what my hypnotherapist does

Here’s the book.

The Complex PTSD Workbook: A Mind-Body Approach to Regaining Emotional Control and Becoming Whole https://www.amazon.com/dp/1623158249/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_bbsODbX5TM4N2

May I suggest this book.

Has anyone used this one?
https://www.amazon.ca/Complex-PTSD-Workbook-Mind-Body-Regaining/dp/1623158249/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=8-15

My advice is to find a therapist who specializes in dissociative disorders. There are a lot of therapists out there who want to help, will take you on as a client, accept your money, but will not provide the right type of therapy for you. DID is a complex disorder. So many doctors are not trained in the specific therapeutic skills that you might need.

If you are struggling to find a therapist, you could start reading self-help books in the meantime. Here's some good ones:

https://www.amazon.com/Amongst-Ourselves-Self-Help-Dissociative-Identity/dp/1572241225

https://www.amazon.com/Insiders-Managing-Successfully-Dissociative-Identity/dp/1932690034/ref=pd_sim_14_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=0FHHASZHRBA7H2K6KBEE

https://www.amazon.com/Coping-Trauma-Related-Dissociation-Interpersonal-Neurobiology/dp/039370646X/ref=pd_sim_14_3?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=0FHHASZHRBA7H2K6KBEE

Here's a link:

http://www.amazon.com/Myth-Sanity-Divided-Consciousness-Awareness/dp/0142000558/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1292989848&sr=1-1

It's written by a woman who has worked with trauma survivors for over 20 years. It's a reflection on what she has found, on aspects of trauma and coping, and some character studies where she refers to people she's worked with as she illustrates issues relating to trauma.

uh it's not a phenomenon.

it's the result of complex-PTSD.. which is severe childhood trauma.. where he believed he was going to die, on the reg.

Pasting a reply from another sub instead of linking it.. for reasons

"I tried to find the chart my therapist showed me but it's not online. So imagine a numberline, 0-100: That the spectrum of dissociation. At 10, you'll find routine dissociatation, like day dreaming or getting sucked into a book and forgetting to eat. 25 is where survival type dissociation starts, like being out of it after shock or having an anxiety attack before a big test. Still normal but it only comes up under stronger stress.

Trauma disorder start at 50 with standard single event PTSD. CPTSD is about 70, the dissociative disorders start about 80 and DID is at 100. None of those numbers are indicators of how hopeless it is or anything like that. They are simply the degree to which the dissociation is the prevalent issue

In PTSD and CPTSD, dissociation is about equal with the other trauma sypmtoms in what one is dealing with. In the Dissociative Disorders, the dissociation is more pronounced and with a stronger impact on the daily living. This also means when treating a person, the focus needs to more on the dissociation and different tools have to be used to get the best response."

30 minute phone calls every day are triggering his CPTSD and re-traumatizing him.

He's dissociating every fucking day? For how many years?? And every time you mention his mother? Christ on a cracker.

This isn't "oh how cute he's vaguing out he doesn't listen" this is 4 alarm fire, "This bitch is so abusive he's well on his way to having a multiple personality disorder"

When he comes down from it and promises to talk to her.. as soon as he tries he'll just dissociate again. He literally can't. He doesn't actually like her, he basically has Stockholm Syndrome. He's confusing "relief that she didn't let him die today" with "love".

Do you want to save his sanity? No contact with her, and an excellent therapist.

This podcast should get you started https://safespaceradio.com/trauma-dissociation/

and this book

Check out the book The Myth of Sanity by Dr. Martha Stout. When people are traumatized their personality splits into different parts as a protective measure. You are a different personality in one place and then a different in another. I would say that everyone does this so it is "normal" but it is not healthy. We live in a brutal traumatizing world and most people never learn how to heal from it. https://www.amazon.com/Myth-Sanity-Divided-Consciousness-Awareness/dp/0142000558

Here's the thing, (and yes it's shitty but you sound like you don't appreciate sugar coating things, so I'm giving you this straight) PTSD is an anxiety disorder. If your trauma was prolonged or when you were developing, then your brain physically changed to protect you from trauma.

This article details the physical changes to the brain [Trigger Warning for generalized traumatic events].

If you have a disorder, you'll have symptoms. If you have PTSD, your symptoms will get worse when you're triggered (like in therapy), but your symptoms could also get worse at any time.

>PTSD symptoms usually begin within three months of a traumatic event. Sometimes, however, reaction can be delayed, sometimes for years. Symptoms can come and go and are often more likely to occur during times of stress in your life, or if something happens in your daily life to trigger a memory of the traumatic event.

Yes, therapy will aggravate your symptoms, especially at first, but therapy will also give you a dependable structure to figure out how to improve your symptoms (i.e. meds, coping strategies, ect). To use the broken arm analogy: Your arm is already broken (PTSD), which sucks, but you CAN control where you broke it. Breaking it in the hospital or close to the hospital (therapy) or breaking it while backpacking in the wilderness (random triggers).


Here's a few things I think everyone who starts recovery should know so that they can have realistic expectations:

1. Recovery is intense emotionally AND physically. Don't underestimate how much energy anxiety and stress uses. Everyone can get bitchy when they're stressed, so make sure you give yourself more time to relax and rest.
   
   
2. It will take years. You aren't just learning something new. You have to unlearn what you've been doing before now as well. And then you have to practice until it becomes just another habit.
   
   
3. Therapy and medicine costs add up. You'll benefit from a healthcare plan that covers both. Inconsistency with either will make recovery and your symptoms much more difficult.
   
   
4. You can't do this alone. You need compassionate, supportive and PTSD-educated people more than ever during recovery. Group therapy helps with this. Also, communication with your fiance is more important now than it was before. You're going through some rough stuff right now and you're going to change, so don't expect yourself to be exactly how you were pre-recovery.
   
   
5. It gets worse before it gets better. This is what you're experiencing now, but it is impossible for it to not improve with medicine, therapy and support.
   
   
6. Recovery isn't linear. Sometimes your symptoms will get worse randomly or you will struggle or even give up for a while. Ever since your trauma happened you've been coping in your own way. Its okay to say fuck it for a bit if that's what you need. You're human. That means both joy and grief, pain and euphoria, peace and turmoil.
   
   
7. Its your life and your recovery. Every single person with PTSD has different symptoms and experiences and will have their own version of recovery. Take initiative and build a way of living that you can be proud of. As long as you don't endanger yourself or others, you don't ever have to go to therapy again if that's what you want.
   
   
   On that note, here are my own suggestions based on what's worked for me:
   
   
8. Have a goal to motivate you. I got by without therapy until I started college. That's when it really hit me that I either needed help ASAP or would have to drop out (My therapist tells me that she's surprised I managed to graduate high school - all things considered). I didn't even know I had C-PTSD at the time, just thought I had ADHD and a bad work ethic. So now if I get discouraged or things get hard, I just think about why I decided to start recovery in the first place AKA college (since then I've found many more reasons). If you don't want to be in therapy, going anyway will make the whole experience even more miserable.
   
   
9. Find a therapist you trust who specializes in trauma/PTSD that you can meet one on one with. Group therapy is great, but you need more time/attention than only doing group therapy can give you. I've had two therapists before the one I have now and they weren't good fits. I needed someone really calm, but not afraid to call me out on my bs if necessary.
   
   
10. Get some meds. Right now you're in pain, which is important and normal. Anyone who has been through what you have would be feeling just as much pain. That's the beauty of modern medicine: just because you're in pain doesn't mean you need to suffer. After I started working on my C-PTSD in therapy, my symptoms got so bad that I could barely function. I feel better on my meds now than I ever had, even before therapy (but I grew up thinking that suffering and extreme emotional pain were normal - nothing to complain about - so they may not be as dramatic for you). They'll help you feel stable.
    
    
    I'll leave you with a quote, hopefully it speaks to you in some way: "You aren't broken in need of fixing, you're deeply hurt in need of care." - Arielle Schwartz
    
    (edit: formatting)