Can dissociative identity disorder be caused without trauma?

Sweet_berries wrote:@Riccola - Thank you so much. I think I am starting to understand this more and feel less intimidated. For most people around me think that DID and Schizophrenia are one and the same. So they think having DID makes you psychotic and there's a lot of stigma about it. I'm sure you guys know more about this than anyone else as you are experiencing it firsthand. Thanks again.

@Kit. I really can't thank you enough. Thank you for taking the time to write this very informative and eell though-out post. Well I took an online test for the sake og it and I scored 64 so it's not unlikely t I might have DID but I just don't feel like I have it. I pretty much can relate to most of the points you mentioned although I don't really recall any trauma but I do space out a lot and I have a very poor short term memory. Um I was wondering if it's common for other people to tell you you have DID but you don't believe that you do. Some people keep saying I have this and they are openly labelling me as mentally ill and e en informing other people as though it's a fact despite not being diagnosrd by a professional. I don't really like this because I feel like they're doing this to demean me and spread unverified rumors about me which zI don't regard. I hope I didn't offend anyone. I mean this is an exceptionally rare disorder and not just anyone can diagnose it but oh well. I also feel like I am possessed sometimes or when I see my childhood photos I feel like it's another person that's gone now and was replaced it's a creepy and weird feeling. Something else I'd like to add, I have noticed that I avoid mirrors in fact it seems like I actively avoid and intentionally never look at myself in the mirror it's extremely extremely hard for me to do it.

You're very welcome, I wanted to make sure that I thoroughly answered your questions and I am glad that I did so. Also, I have to say I hate when people equate DID and schizophrenia, they are very different disorders with very different symptoms and people trying to say they are the same just shows how ignorant people are of what mental illness really looks like. In fact, most people wouldn't be able to pick a person with any mental illness out of a crowd because they are usually not obvious about it. Also, we well know how people can be if they know about the DID and co-ocurrant disorders that we have and so we generally do not tell people about them, the few times we've tried have had mixed results so we feel it's better not too. Thankfully though, my husband understand as he also has DID, which makes life interesting and at times difficult. As for those online tests, while they may give you information you can then use when speaking with a professional, are not meant as a diagnostic tool so I wouldn't worry about what results you got on that too much. If you do not feel you have DID then you may not, but you could and simply be unaware of it also, so it is best to speak to a professional about your symptoms, thoughts, concerns, etc. As for the symptoms you mentioned there are many disorders that have dissociative symptoms as well as an entire spectrum of dissociative disorders with DID being at the extreme end of that spectrum, so it is possible that you have something else with dissociative symptoms or that you have DID and are unaware, again it is best to speak to a professional regarding this because as you said not just anyone can give you a diagnosis.

As for whether it's common for people to tell you you have something you do not feel you have, as someone else pointed out people like to pretend to know more than they do and just because somebody thinks something doesn't make it true, only a professional can accurately diagnose you. As for their motives for doing it it could be they are out to hurt you or spread lies about you or there could be some other reason they are doing this, have you tried telling people that this bothers you? I can't speak for others, but I am personally not offended and DID is not as rare as people think current studies show that anywhere from 1-3% of the population, depending on the source you look at, have DID and an even larger number fall somewhere on the dissociative spectrum.

I often get that feeling of looking at someone else when I look at childhood photos so you are not alone in that. As for the bit about mirrors, I do not like mirrors myself they make me very uneasy and there are others inside who will not look at themselves in a mirror at all because it makes them so uncomfortable, so I get where you are coming from. My advice for you is to speak to a professional, one who believes in DID would be best since you have some questions regarding others assessment of you, and see what they have to say. Then you will have a better idea of what is going on with you and can more easily defend against others improper diagnosis.
Kit

-- Sat Jul 19, 2014 11:30 am --

I would also like to say, that like many of you have mentioned, I too have trouble making eye contact. Though, I am told this is due to having Aspergers (which, is on the autistic spectrum for anyone who doesn't know). I am the only one who has Aspergers, the others have their own diagnosis separate of the DID or have no other co-occurant disorders at all so we are all very different.
Kit

Sweet_berries wrote:@Riccola - Thank you so much. I think I am starting to understand this more and feel less intimidated. For most people around me think that DID and Schizophrenia are one and the same. So they think having DID makes you psychotic and there's a lot of stigma about it. I'm sure you guys know more about this than anyone else as you are experiencing it firsthand. Thanks again.




DID and Schizophrenia are different illnesses, but ironically many of the symptoms do overlap from a diagnostic/ clinical standpoint. Another irony is that Schizophrenia literally means "split mind". Split mind as in a disconnection from reality, however the literal definition does get mistaken for multiple personalities even though that is not the real intention of the meaning. But similarities aside DID and schiz are very different. No alternate identities or traumatic dissociation is present in schizophrenia.





@Kit. I really can't thank you enough. Thank you for taking the time to write this very informative and eell though-out post. Well I took an online test for the sake og it and I scored 64 so it's not unlikely t I might have DID but I just don't feel like I have it. I pretty much can relate to most of the points you mentioned although I don't really recall any trauma but I do space out a lot and I have a very poor short term memory. Um I was wondering if it's common for other people to tell you you have DID but you don't believe that you do.



If the DID is florid someone may point it out. But, remember, average people and internet surveys aren't always accurate.



Some people keep saying I have this and they are openly labelling me as mentally ill and e en informing other people as though it's a fact despite not being diagnosrd by a professional. I don't really like this because I feel like they're doing this to demean me and spread unverified rumors about me which zI don't regard.


Its not right, but I know from personal experience people say what ever they want with no regards to truth or who it hurts. Rumors do a lot of harm real or not. Only an expert can diagnose for sure, and, even if she or he does give you a diagnosis you have the right to keep that a secret. Sometimes its best not for everyone to know about an issue you are working on. Mental illness still has a lot of stigma, and some people aren't so friendly about it.

I hope I didn't offend anyone.

NO, none here I can relate.

I mean this is an exceptionally rare disorder and not just anyone can diagnose it but oh well.


I don't think its rare. Ive met to many and this forum has so many people for it being so rare. Experts in Dissociative disorders say that DID is as common as Schizophrenia, Bipolar. That would amount to about 1 in every 150 people.


I also feel like I am possessed sometimes or when I see my childhood photos I feel like it's another person that's gone now and was replaced it's a creepy and weird feeling. Something else I'd like to add, I have noticed that I avoid mirrors in fact it seems like I actively avoid and intentionally never look at myself in the mirror it's extremely extremely hard for me to do it.

Mirrors are a classic sign. Often a person with DID may not recognize themselves in a mirror. Not wanting to/ having difficulty with them is another common trait.

IMO, certainly worth seeing an expert in DDs to see what is going on.

Sweet_berries wrote:I was wondering if it's common for other people to tell you you have DID but you don't believe that you do. Some people keep saying I have this and they are openly labelling me as mentally ill and e en informing other people as though it's a fact despite not being diagnosrd by a professional. I don't really like this because I feel like they're doing this to demean me and spread unverified rumors about me which zI don't regard.

It is not common for others to tell someone this but it does happen and when it does, it merits paying attention. It is very common for someone with DID, who is told this, to be unaware or in denial and thus disbelieve it. One of my therapists who specializes in treating DID says a large number of his DID patients were first "diagnosed" by a lay (= non expert) acquaintance, friend, or family member. Someone noticed both the condition and the distress and/or dysfunction it was causing, and knew the condition was treatable, and cared enough to try to help the patient get competent help. Often the patient rejected the information and for years denied the problem until finally seeking help and coming to the therapist. Who knows how many others are given the same information but never seek help?

These people who say you have DID may be right! If they are, some day you may feel deep gratitude toward them rather than resentment.

No one ever suggested to me that I have DID, but after I found out and began coming out, a few of my acquaintances (health care professionals) told me they already knew that about me. I wish someone had told me! And I know someone with DID who apparently was unaware; he knows now, because I have told him.

I have also selectively told others I think this person has DID. I do this to help him, to build around him a community of people who understand what they see and are accepting. Many people think he is very weird, creepy, scary, etc. and they dislike him for it. I know this because they freely tell me so! He switches a lot. It is remarkable how well he has done in life, considering how florid his system is. When I tell others he has DID, I always tell them I have DID myself. They usually say "but you aren't weird like he is", at which I explain I am aware of having DID, my symptoms are mostly covert not florid, and I've been in treatment for several years, but in fact there are times when I am weird exactly like he is.

I hope this helps you in your process of self discovery.

Here's why I feel it is dangerous for "lay people" to diagnose someone. Without the proper training to differentiate one disorder from another with similar symptoms, you may be giving this person a diagnosis that they don't really have and end up derailing their healing because the techniques for dealing with and managing different disorders are often very different and handling a mental illness improperly can cause a lot of harm. Now of course even professionals can give an improper diagnosis, but you always have the ability to seek a second opinion and the diagnosis of professionals are confidential. However, when "lay people" give diagnosis there is no recourse for seeking a second opinion, other than seeing a professional, and even if the professional gives a different diagnosis the "lay people" may be unwilling to accept a diagnosis other than the one they came up with and will continue to believe that the individual has something they do not have and treat them as though they have that diagnosis even if it's untrue, which can be harmful to them. Also, the diagnosis from a "lay person" will usually not be kept confidential and so now information, whether true or not, that the person may want to keep private is public knowledge. This leads to people forming opinions about someone based on what they think they know about their mental illness, even if all they know about the diagnosis is what they've seen on TV or heard in the media. Basically, it should always be up to an individual whether they share their diagnosis or not and with whom, not up to someone else who has decided they have one diagnosis or another.
Kit

fox13 wrote:Here's why I feel it is dangerous for "lay people" to diagnose someone.

People will think what they like. I would much rather they say what they think than keep it a "secret". Such secrets are often very toxic.

The more time I spend with others known to have DID, the more I observe their signs and symptoms and experience my own system responding to theirs, the more confident I am in my ability to identify DID in others.

I'm really confused , do I have DID? and if I do, then who am I? if I'm not really me. I feel empty and like a void vessel . But I guess I may or may not have it.

Sweet_berries wrote:I'm really confused , do I have DID? and if I do, then who am I? if I'm not really me. I feel empty and like a void vessel . But I guess I may or may not have it.

Only a professional trained to work with people with DiD can diagnose you. Also, your alters are you, just fragmented parts of a whole person. You are whomever you want to be and if you have DID, they will work on integration to make the alters, or fragmented parts, whole. I would go to your personal physician and talk to him or her about your concern that you have DID.

Having a mental health disorder does not make someone qualified to diagnose said disorder in others. Just like having a medical condition does not make someone qualified to diagnose someone else's condition. That is why we have professionals in the first place. We can not say for sure what you may or may not have, we can only give you opinions and guesses. Only a professional is qualified to tell you for certain if you have DID or not, we can't say because we do not know your unique history and symptomology and do not have the knowledge necessary to asses the meaning of those symptoms. If you want to know for sure seek a professional opinion, when and if you feel ready to do so, we can only give you guesses based on what you have said here and our own experiences, we can't tell you for sure. Also we wanted to mention that many professionals no longer push integration as the end goal to healing in relation to DID, to integrate or not is a very personal decision, and one that has to be based on what is best for the individual in question. Integration is not the best solution for everyone with DID and there are other options such as full co-consciousness and co-operation. Furthermore, in some people integration will not be successful in the long term even when it is desired. Everyone is different and there is no right way to heal. We felt it necessary to mention this as we personally feel it is imperative that people be aware of the fact that there are options other than integration. We feel this is necessary because we know many individuals who would not have sought therapy if they though that integration would be forced upon them. We hope this is helpful and if you would like links to sources that corroborate these statements we would be happy to provide them, so feel free to ask.
Finally, these are our opinions based on reading and personal experiences as well as talks with our therapist. All members of a "system" including the host, original, what have you, are a "part" of what was once a whole so we disagree with the idea that "alters" are you but instead view it that you are all equal individuals and are all connected. The real you is you and if you do have DID then everyone, including you, is their own individual and this does not detract from who you are in any way. It only means that as a group you are diverse and all equally important. We hope this helps provide another perspective for you to consider and we encourage you to do your own research and form your own opinions for yourself about what feels right, we recommend not just taking our word or anyone else's as the final word.
Kit and family(we use family instead of system

Diagnosis is a formal procedure. Saying to someone "I think you have DID" is not a formal diagnosis. It is akin to having learned about the signs of choking or drowning or stroke or a heart attack and taking quick action to save a life.

Someone who takes a basic first aid class on a weekend is not thereby a medical professional but is qualified to recognize and give appropriate initial care in the case of a simple emergency.

I certainly am qualified to recognize DID when the signs and symptoms are apparent, and I think it would be inhumane for me to keep such information to myself. Just as it would be inhumane to see someone choking and do nothing while they suffocate and die. But that's just me. Because I do take appropriate action I have saved lives in the past and I expect I will do so in the future.

Una+ wrote:Diagnosis is a formal procedure. Saying to someone "I think you have DID" is not a formal diagnosis. It is akin to having learned about the signs of choking or drowning or stroke or a heart attack and taking quick action to save a life.

Someone who takes a basic first aid class on a weekend is not thereby a medical professional but is qualified to recognize and give appropriate initial care in the case of a simple emergency.

I certainly am qualified to recognize DID when the signs and symptoms are apparent, and I think it would be inhumane for me to keep such information to myself. Just as it would be inhumane to see someone choking and do nothing while they suffocate and die. But that's just me. Because I do take appropriate action I have saved lives in the past and I expect I will do so in the future.

I agree. It certainly would be inhumane not to help or guide someone to seek proffessioanal therapy. Your doing the right thing by guiding them toward therapy. You are more than qualified, you have to give the best advice on this forum