Diagnosis help

My therapist has suggested I get my gp to get myself tesed for DID, something that didn't really supprise me as such but I was in denial for a good while. Now I have gotten my head around this, after much time passed, I can't make myself go the doctors. The one thing that scares me is all I have is my kids. What is the process of a single parent of 3 kids and being diagnosed with DID. what will happen? Will I end up with a social worker? Are there any risks or intrusions to expect? I'm terrified I'm Gina end up worth them being taken away from me and proded an poked and asked alsorts of questions. What is the protocol anyone? Really need my mine putting to ease here.

I guess the question is "Will a diagnosis of DID mean my kids get taken away from me?" The answer is a clear "No".

Social workers get assigned, and kids get taken away, only if the children are being neglected or abused. As a parent myself, facing my own diagnosis of DID, my view was if my kids were being harmed I would want social workers and child protective services involved. Do you think your kids are being harmed or are in danger of being harmed?

If you are in the United States, you need to learn about the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA). ADA protects you, but only after you get a formal diagnosis and disclose that you have a formal diagnosis. Generally, you do not have to disclose the diagnosis itself and the disclosure needs to be made to very few people. There are services to help you learn about ADA and apply it to your own situation; a local crisis and/or referral service can help you locate support services in your area.

But really, it is your therapist who should be doing the work to figure out where to refer you for diagnostic services!

The diagnosis of dissociative disorders involves asking questions about current symptoms, not any trauma history. If someone doing diagnostics with you tries to explore your trauma history they are badly trained. To keep yourself safe you can simply stop the interview, even get up and walk out, but usually it is enough to say you are not prepared to talk about your trauma history at that time.

You can get started on your own by doing the Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES); we have a thread about that.

Social workers get assigned, and kids get taken away, only if the children are being neglected or abused. As a parent myself, facing my own diagnosis of DID, my view was if my kids were being harmed I would want social workers and child protective services involved. Do you think your kids are being harmed or are in danger of being harmed?

This. Kids aren't yours to own. If they need help, because your not stable enough, you need to let people help them. That's an act of love. Where I live, taking children into custody is the last option for a family with good intentions but lack of resources. CPS gives those resources, because everyone's interest is to keep children home. But only if they are safe in there.

I'm a kid who should've been taken into custody several times, but no-one knew. So it's really triggering to me to see parents who believe CPS is an enemy. They are there to protect children. If your children needs protection, it's great that someone cares enough. You have same goal, to keep your kids safe, so why should you be intimated by them? They make sure all is good also if you are in too deep denial or unable to control yourselves, and that's a right thing to do.

Diagnosis is not a reason for CPC to get involved, they deal with realities, like what actually happens in those children's lives and home.

If I'd need to be a child again, I would choose a DID parent in therapy over DID parent in denial any time. Being in denial doesn't take your dx away, you do know that do you? It's just hidden from you then.

Floralie wrote:I would choose a DID parent in therapy over DID parent in denial any time.

So would I.

If someone, anyone, says they think you have DID, and you haven't already been in therapy, please get in therapy.

Thank you.
My kids r my everything. Spoilt but respectful. They r the only reason I'm still alive. My kids r definitely not in danger of any kind.
I just want to keep my diagnosis when (if) I get one. The thought of having an assigned social worker invading our lives and home really makes me want to throw up. I have no luck. This in mind, if I got assigned one I'd get the cranky bitch on a period who is in a right horrible mood an I'd get a bad report. Over thinking, maybe. Logical, theoretically, very possible.
I guess what I'm asking is, how interrupted will my life be afterwards? WILL I definitely have workers coming and going? And do u think I will be able to keep my diagnosis under wraps in that sense?

FaYe87 wrote:WILL I definitely have workers coming and going?

No, absolutely not.

You already see a therapist and this has not resulted in involvement of child protective services. So you are in no danger of that happening now. Getting a diagnosis does not trigger CPS or any other social service to get involved. Usually, getting a diagnosis is a benefit: it may make you eligible for services and financial supports that you may want to receive, but you still have to do the work of applying for them.

Please talk with your therapist about this, to explore where your fear is coming from and work on resolving it.