Dissociation and fragmentation

“… It is a struggle. It is a constant battle. Every moment a different person wins and that moment belongs to them. I am so many people that sometimes I become them all. And at those times I am closest to my name. At those times I am not a fragment anymore, but a being. Hopefully one that can love not in pieces but in whole. Like beings are supposed to love and be loved. In totality.”

One of the reasons that I love this quote is that it is so universal and yet so unique to those with Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID). We all have parts to ourselves that are different depending on the role we need to play or what issue just got triggered. For individuals with DID, this separation of parts is simply more pronounced and profound. DID is an incredibly creative solution by an individual’s brain to coping with what seems to be an unlivable situation.

I have learned so much from working with DID clients. I have learned how much of what I learned in grad school was wrong, how much more common it is than we like to acknowledge, and how there is still quite a stigma even within the mental health community. That is why it is so important that individuals with DID or a strong dissociative process find someone who is well versed and well trained in dealing with these issues. I personally have been working with DID individuals for a number of years, have done extensive reading, extensive training and on-going consultation to ensure that my clients get the best possible care from me that they can.