Is this a sign of switching?

My eyelids feel really heavy and droopy. I also get a little dizzy. I am noticing that I feel this way when I get triggered by something or feel really nervous about something.

My therapist is still trying to figure out if I have DID or OSDD, but she knows it's one of the two. I have just started meeting and learning about a few of my parts in the last month or so. And I have found this all very confusing and scary.

hey there
welcome to the forum

I don't know. switching seems to be slightly different for many people. for us there is even a difference depending on who is fronting...
keep paying attention to it.
this could also be a sign of hypoarousal, mild dissociation that is not a shutdown yet. and some people get really tired when they are stressed, so a form of narcolepsy could be another option.
sorry for not giving a yes/no answer, but often symptoms can mean all kinds of things. it doesnt mean your experience is wrong, it can just have many reasons.

Hi OceanWaves

Birdsong it right it is different for different people and experiences can never be wrong because they are experiences. With dissociation it is very easy to feel invalidated. I doubt there is anybody on here who has never felt either scared or confused either so know we are hearing you!

This is some of our experience, during our journey.

The very nature of dissociative states means that we often look for straightforward answers for things when they aren't always available. It is often easier for somebody on the outside to see what is going on. Because of the diagnosis and what is often seen in the media/films etc relating particularly to DID- I spent a lot of time thinking I can't have this thing because my experience (thankfully) is not like that.
The media often sensationalises and the film industry provides entertainment, but for many people (including those diagnosed) that is the extent of their prior knowledge regarding DID and it is not helpful. Not making assumptions here just talking from own experience.

Over the years I have discovered that what I initially thought was switching- which included many physical symptoms - sometimes head would move to right and eyes fixed on a spot - struggle to keep consciousness in the room etc was actually straightforward dissociating or; physical anxiety - sudden sweating feeling like am going to loose consciousness etc.

More aware of actual switching now and it does vary. Sometimes it feels like a really clunky internal gear gear change which we resist doing because it feels awkward- sometimes not aware of a switch until I open my mouth and am surprised by what comes out. Having said all that feeling anxious and having a period of straightforward dissociating (ie no personality change) can be proceeded by a switch.

Don't know if that is any help but you will find very supportive people on here.

Hi OceanWaves,

Welcome to the forum! I've only just started to become aware of switching over the past couple of months. Before that, it was only in retrospect that I could see that someone else must have been in front. Whichever part is suddenly fronting identifies as "me"--they don't think of themselves in the third person--and they suddenly feel like they are the one looking out through my (our) eyes and being there in the room, or wherever. Sometimes there will be a kind of orienting thought or looking around (like, "ok, here I am at the vet's with the cat" or "look at those papers taped up on the wall in her [my] office"), like a sense of waking up somewhere and seeing it differently than I was a moment ago. In those situations I didn't really notice any physical symptoms, although today I've been very aware that when a little is more in front, my eyesight improves and it's harder to see out through my contact lenses.

I'm glad to hear you have a therapist that knows about dissociative disorders. The treatment of both DID and OSDD is pretty much the same, so some therapists don't feel like it's very important to pin down which one it is--and the diagnosis can change as you get to know your system better. But for many people there is an urge to have a precise diagnosis--I know that I really wanted to know which one I "officially" have.