Lived Experience Forum

[Clowncar]

Hey, just found this forum, and I just wanted to try and reach out and see if anyone else has DID/OSDD, and has tips for just kinda. Living with it. I've known about the system since I was a little kid when the trauma was happening, but have only really realised it and started to heal a bit in the last couple years. It's just kinda weird, and it sucks (obviously), and I have tried to talk to my therapist about it when I first started communication with the others, and she just brushed it off and told me I was just making up things to be stressed about, but it's been a solid year and a half since then, and they're still here, and fronting, and helping. This has become a ramble, but I just would like any help/tips that you all have to offer in terms of dealing with trauma, DID, getting support, idk. Thank you<3

[The-red-centaur]

Hey @Clowncar 

Nice to speak with you. 

I am a system as they call it. I like to refer to myself more as a ccollective though (I like that word better). 

I'm sorry you're having trouble with this too. It can be so hard to get professionals to diagnose and acknowledge us. 

My advice is be gentle with yourself. Recovery take a hell of time to do and trauma sucks to process. 

I have found having a good network around you helpful. People who get you and want to help you. Friends to love you. Etc. People who accept you as you are and accept all of you. 

Take care. Happy to chat anytime 

[NatureLover]

Hi and welcome, @Clowncar , it's good to have you here 🙂

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@Clowncar wrote:

I have tried to talk to my therapist about it when I first started communication with the others, and she just brushed it off and told me I was just making up things to be stressed about

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I'm shocked at what your therapist said! 😮 A more appropriate response might be if they didn't know much about DID to go and research it in order to support you! (Well, at least, that's what my therapist did with my Hoarding Disorder)

I'm wondering if you could ring around /research any other therapists in your area who might be more helpful? 

A handy forum tip is if you type @ and then click on a name in the drop-down box, that person will get a notification and won't miss your reply.

[Clowncar]

Thank you sm @NatureLover , I am considering looking for a new therapist after I move out, I've been seeing my current therapist for years, and she's also my mother's therapist, so there isn't much I can do until I'm in charge of my appointments and NDIS money. I've been looking for therapists in my area that work with trauma/DID, but there aren't many. 

I'm also not too sure what to even look for in a therapist bc I've only ever gone to headspace (which was. insane) and my current therapist. 

But thank you so much for the comment + tip for the forum. ❤️

[Clowncar]

Thank you @The-red-centaur , and yeah, I use collective and system kind of interchangeably. I do have a small support network of friends and some other people who are systems. I guess it's just kind of working through all of it one step at a time!

Thank you for the comment<3

[The-red-centaur]

If you are currently on the ndis they should be able to help get you a new therapist @Clowncar even if your mother is in charge. Have you tried to tell your mother that your current therapist isn't working. 

[Clowncar]

@The-red-centaur I can't access any of my NDIS stuff without having permission from my mother, which sucks. I have tried to talk to her about my therapist not working, but she ignores it simply because it would be harder to find a new one.

[NatureLover]

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@Clowncar wrote:

@The-red-centaur I can't access any of my NDIS stuff without having permission from my mother, which sucks. I have tried to talk to her about my therapist not working, but she ignores it simply because it would be harder to find a new one.

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Oh no, @Clowncar  😞

I really hope that you can find a trauma and DID-informed therapist soon, and that your mother lets you change to them. Maybe if you did the work in finding them, your mother would permit it?

[Clowncar]

@NatureLover  Probably not 😕

I'm planning on doing all the research ect. and getting appointments when I've moved out/have sole access to my finances + NDIS.

[Ocean-Blue]

Hey @Clowncar, I hear you. I've only just been diagnosed and it is doing my head in. In the past I've noticed that having awareness without any strategies - yet (my psychologist's favourite word!) is a very hard place to be. I can't advise anything but wanted you to know that I hear you and do understand that it is hard. Good luck.