In this video from The CTAD Clinic, Dr Mike Lloyd (Clinic Director) discusses the importance of understanding timing when working with or experiencing dissociation. #dissociation #therapy
In Germany we have a growing problem because DBT-PTSD is the recommended inpatient treatment approach for dissociation. It views dissociation as problem behavior that can be controlled. Patients sign a contract where they agree to abstain from this behavior. Then they are taught how to interrupt dissociation using intense sensory stimulation. But they aren't really taught how to return to the orientation response to re-evaluate the situation. It keeps patients stuck with very little tools to actually get better. And they have to write behavior analyses for every time the dissociation was too fast. Seeing it as behavior instead of an instinct moved our clinic programs into a truly awful direction. I am always glad about material I can show people to help against the shame of not getting better although they are doing everything that was asked of them. Clinics are asking for the wrong things. They don't teach mastery, only intervention.
That’s super frustrating and invalidating! I have someone in my life who told me “I know you think I’m a threat right now but look at our history. Have I ever done anything to make you feel unsafe? Okay so just change your thinking.” This is the worst thing you could say in a moment of dissociation.
I'm in Germany too. I have DID and so on and clinical treatment made it even worse (I still have nightmares from the time in the clinic!). Waiting time for ambulant therapy is 2 years. I am so thankful for CTAD videos, I depend on explanations like these. @theresadutcher4750: Have you ever tried/found a self-help group? I don't know if it's worth it - and I'm a little scared xD
So the therapists put the dissociation on extinction and once a protector headmate is front stuck they declare the patient as recovered? Sounds like exactly the same kind of treatment as is used to 'cure' homosexuality, transgender identity and autism.
@@melissaowens8817Absolutely agree. I’ve had people in the past approach me with that kind of logic around my triggers and they’d be offended when I told them that those triggers apply to them as well. In one particular instance it was a male friend that got annoyed because I’d refuse hugs and wouldn’t visit him at his house (because he’d been a really close friend for a couple years at that point), and this friend knew about my trauma history (specifically S/A by a male “friend” years ago), but his logic around it was “but I’m not that guy and I’d never do that”, which very well may be true, however… for the 100th time… You👏🏻are👏🏻not👏🏻an👏🏻exception👏🏻to👏🏻my👏🏻trauma!👏🏻
This is why we find bilateral stimulation to be such an amazing grounding technique! Taking the time to alternately squeeze our fists back and forth long enough to assess if we're actually in danger has been an absolute game changer.
Hi CTAD Clinic, long time watcher, first time commenter. You have helped me immensely so understand myself and my DID. Initially when I started therapy January 2023 I was lost. An assault in that month led me to remember so many times I’d been wronged. This past year I’ve been working closely in therapy twice weekly to process the trauma and come up with a cohesive narrative of my life. Maybe 2 months in to therapy I realized that ‘the remembering’ as I called it was actually a part of DID, as were the schnederian positive symptoms i had experienced during that time. I’d initially asked for my psychiatrist to do some testing so I could receive formal diagnosis but he declined. As time has passed and my story has come full circle, both my psych and therapist are in agreeance at my diagnosis, and I just wanted to say to you, it was hugely in part of your calm, empathetic, and highly informative demeanor that I was able to come this far. DID is very scary for us, but not anymore. I’ve come so very far, and even included 2 close friends in on my diagnosis who still love me despite it. It’s not a bad thing! And I’m not bad for having it. But for a long time I felt very bad about myself for all the ways that disassociation got in my way in life, and for all the things that happened to me. I’ve still managed to come quite far. I’m a licensed counselor in the states and have been practicing for, it will be 7 years this year. Helping others who feel alone in their life’s struggles, feels like I’ve come full circle. I’ve become the empowered woman who would have protected me as a child, and I’ve become a champion for others as well. Just wanted to drop in and let you know how deeply grateful I am for all of the amazing work you’ve done. And I’ll add, I’m about 1/3 of the way through the book the haunted self. What an apt, but somewhat, mm scary title. For a self who felt scared of herself. But, I love and accept all parts of me, even the ones that are afraid or surprised, disgusted, sad, or angry. And I’m doing all the better for it! Much love from the east coast!! Xx
What you said really resonates to me, so I’d like to ask if you could clarify something. Do you feel your DID is more of different moods or internal states than personalities? I’ve always felt a strong struggle with different parts of myself. I’m the same person, but have parts that are conflicting. For example, destructive me versus healthy me and the circumstances I’m experiencing are what makes one more “stronger?” Than the other. I don’t feel like DID is a possibility when I view it from how it’s commonly displayed. If that makes sense. After a series of traumatic events deteriorated my mental health and function, I’ve very slowly pieced together why it had such a profound impact after enduring SO many traumas consistently through out my life and always being able to brush them off and remain functional. It reactivated what occurred in childhood. Although I intellectually remembered most of my childhood trauma, I didn’t realize the disconnect I had from the actual emotions. The recent traumas resurfaced the emotions that I didn’t remember. Having a sibling witness me being extremely abused, ignoring my pleads for help, shaming and blaming me while allowing it to happen is what I realized my mother did when I was a child. Trying to determine more specifically my issues so I can seek proper support as the inner conflict is exhausting and confusing. I’ve completed lost who I was before all of this and experience immense hatred towards her.
You couldnt of detailed this any better. Well explained and simplified for those working on it. Your work is so vital to help take out the misinformation on DID itself. Thank you sir for doing what you do!😊 I would at some point love to do an interview with you on DID professionally on the tiny details so many dont understand.
I completely relate to the denial aspect that dominates my whole life. I am gradually accepting the trauma I suffered wasn't my fault and no child could ever be to blame for the abuse and torture put on them. Only through specialist therapy has it been possible for me to begin to process the years of abuse and suffering and start to understand how denial only protects the abusers. I've been programmed to deny the abuse and blame myself for not being good enough a😅so deserve to be abused? Thanks for the videos as they help consolidate the therapy.
I have BPD and i dissociate a lot from emotions that are too much too handle. I didnt realize i did this even as a kid when i looked back to some remembered elementary times. It became stronger during my 30s and happened a lotmore as i was in a workplace that felt like elementary.. I learned on my own how to recognize when it was coming on and been able to at least slow it down and not happen (with a lot of brain muscle movement) headache or i have been able to not let it last as long. I may not have DID, but im thankful for these vids cuz some stuff feels familiar anyhow along with not alters, but emotional parts and yes even adolescent emotional parts.
Yes I can see how this can work and that’s reassuring. I have a feeling it’s going to take a lot of practice. Sometimes I’m aware of someone coming nearer to the front, sometimes with some I can try things. However there are others that I have no idea at all what the trigger was or any memory of it starting which is the really scary times. Thank you Dr Mike I look forward to your videos. I’m amazed at how much I can get out of 8 - 10 minutes but you know any longer wouldn’t work! 🌻
Your videos have helped me understand so much about myself. Can you please talk more about adult mutism as it relates to D.I.D/O.S.D.D? Particularly in the therapy setting? Every time I try to talk about what's going on, I end up going mute and then the alter who never talks shows up. This hinders therapy so much. Do you have any recommendations to help? So far, I've been practicing on video just for myself or to show my therapist later and journaling but once tbe mutism and dissociation happens it's hard to even write things down without feeling like it will hurt me to do so.
Your timing is perfect. Watching this what we thought of is how with our upcoming court case we need to be able to switch to the Parts/Alters that the (event - not the right word but don't want to trigger people) happened to while on the witness stand. We have spoken to our crown prosecutor about this, and how we would need some time to be able to switch or have co-consciousness strongly happen. Our worry was when the defence rapidly fires questions, we need a moment to not feel like we have to immediately respond. What your video shows us is that it will happen in seconds so we don't need to be so worried about how we will appear to the jury with needing a moment (this has been on our mind a lot). All part of learning to trust ourselves, which is very hard to do, but vital. Thank you as always these videos are life-changing.
Absolutely, you have every right to take some time and prepare a thoughtful answer. It’s ok to say you are doing this, like “can I take a moment to consider?” type thing!
We can lower our level of neurological arousal using physical techniques that have nothing to do with talking, or even thinking. Without sufficient internal dialogue, parts will still be on the watch and interpret events, environments, and interactions incorrectly. The midbrain defensive responses don't change fast at all with talking or thinking.
Can you speak on programming within DID/OSDD? My system is a programmed system and I see very little content on this and how treatment differs with these systems. Thank you. 💗
I asked my therapist once. She thinks I grew up in a cult-like family. Maybe. Her response was that there is a ton more resistance due to the effects of programming, usually more parts to deal with, and progress is far slower overall even with lots of work. But she said that the standard phased DID protocol and treatment methods do work.
Thanks for the video. We are interested to understand your view and community views about something - when the dissociation is in the form of a switch if that part is the best one to manage that situation then is the ‘goal’ still deemed to be to avoid the switching? An example of this is when there is a ‘trigger event’ eg we hear a door banging or people’s muffled voices another self automatically gets almost thrown to the front. Similarly (albeit v rare for us) another younger part is out at home (we are not co-con) and say the doorbell rang (trigger event) they would metaphorically scarper and ‘I’ would be thrown to the front. I’m just wondering whether as someone who only began having symptoms in our late 40’s whether it’s actually possible now to rewire / master this and also back to my point whether it’s a desirable goal? As always we very much appreciate you taking time to record the videos and it always gives us food for thought Dr Mike
In my humbled opinion, I think that everything our body does is in our good: to survive. Therefore, switching maybe exhausting and also preventing us to live a normal/well-going life but it assures us of survival. E.g. if we hadn‘t switched during the last days, we would have been dead because another alter is highly suicidal. I‘m not, I feel good and going to bake a cake now ☺️ : for me and the little ones 🥰 Several years earlier I didn‘t understand what was going on, then I wanted to get rid of it. Now I‘m thankful for the ability of my brain to having developed the ability to dissociate. Not sure if I really want to get rid of it. In my actual opinion I prefer a good communication and no amnesia. Under these conditions switches are fantastic: being more character and having more abilities mean to be able to handle situations stronger than most people can. When one alter is tired the other makes the work 😁 -well, sometimes not 😆 But fair to say, it was hell during the last 40 years. We were all enemies, didn‘t get along with each other and therefore also not with life and it was a constant fight and threatening. My/our whole life has gotten destroyed, in every single aspect. Now we have cancer, but are for the first time in our life very happy: because since last year we are a whole family. I‘m alone from the outside, but I have my inner family that allows us to go throw hell of a cancer treatment. Try to embrace your alters and your switching. Reflecting/analysing the situation where a switch happend was very helpful for me to learn more about myself and my alters. You‘ll make it. Go for it! Best of luck, strength and support 🥰
@@luticia yeah you’ve understood me well. So whilst we want to reduce the startle response / deep impact of what may cause us to switch and we definitely would like to be able to regulate our nervous system etc etc and also we definitely need to have more co-consciousness so we can have communication & cooperation, I’m not sure that we want to have a pathway which means we will never ‘dissociate’ (when the form of dissociation is switching) because it maybe so wired in and in our collective best efforts to retain that ability and we may not have any choice - we just don’t know yet and you are further along than us. So say for example once we have processed (integrated experiences etc) more trauma and got more communication going then I’m really not convinced that’ I’ will ever be able to do what some of us can do. I do want to be free from flashbacks, body memories, intensity / tip toeing around triggers, be able to overcome fears and phobias etc but to stop switching (which is a form of dissociation as we know) in its tracks I’m not sure. Oh and to add I guess really I’m saying in particular rid/ heal ourselves of c-PTSD and DPDR but not necessarily ‘identity alteration’
@@amandaball7116 I totally understand you in all your desires, motivation and anxieties at the same time. I don‘t know you, your alters and the way your system is build up and works at all. Therefore at this point I don‘t want to be intrusive by intervening in your system. But I do want to answer you by showing you something from us and maybe it there is something in my words that could help you in a way. Our highly functioning alter had no trigger. She was able to work through things the way a lawyer does. She refused getting involved in trauma therapy because she didn‘t want to know, she didn‘t want to „earn“ triggers and lose her ability to function on a very high level. She had fear that she would collapse. She agreed that I, myself go to a clinic to do a intense trauma therapy. But she made it clear to the therapists that she wouldn’t take part in it. I did 5 months intensive therapy and she didn‘t take part in it. Some other alters did. In the end, although she didn‘t take part actively in therapy we all (!) have changed. We alters have changed in ourselves and also the way we look at other alters. Our system has changed and how it works. A system is not a static thing, it‘s highly dynamic. How you get to know your system today is not how it will be tomorrow. And of course, also our highly functioning alter has changed, although she didn‘t take part in therapy. But things spilled over to her, too. Now, she knows more or less. Now she also has some triggers and is more conscious about her anxieties. Of course she isn‘t that highly functioning anymore she used to be. But it‘s a chance for her to grow. To get to know herself better, to explore. And most of all to feel herself and life. Sometimes she can‘t handle her feelings, her past and being functional at the same time and she collapses or gets suicidal (like atm). It‘s tough but super okay. It‘s her possibility to grow in order to be able to live. There‘s a huge difference between surviving and living a day. We all don‘t want to just survive any longer; we want to live. We don‘t want to feel the whole world as an enemy against us as a system any longer. We want to be a part of the world, of life. That‘s only possible if we grow. Growing means losing, changing and earning at the same time. But in the end, it‘s more livable. Just think about the definition of life: Life means feeling yourself and feeling life. Therefore life is equal to feelings. A high functioning alter without any contact to its own feelings and due to its hyper arsousal without any contact to life itself, is actually dead and not alive. Therefore, knowing and feeling our past is hurtful and at the same time we feel ourselves and life. Hope, it‘s possible to understand what I tried to say. I‘m not a native English speaker. Wishing you all the courage to feel, grow and live. Courage is when something becomes more important for us than our fear.
I've spent a few years working on this spacing out and slowing down of reactions, creating space for new responses... In most settings I have a lot more space/time to pause, respond and act from a different set of resources now, which is great. In case it helps anyone here: I found it helped me to learn that the threat response starts in the brainstem, or the vagus nerve in the neck - and with practice (on things that are a only a tiny bit activating, while safe enough) you can feel your neck buzzing before anywhere else in the body reacts... and use that as a cue to re-orient to your surroundings or whatever thoughts that might have set it off. Eventually I could talk to this as a 'part' that felt 'present' sometimes, before getting overwhelmed. I initially figured it out from PVT info and a video by Deirdre Fay interviewing Dr Corrigan about the micro-steps in nervous system threat responses and 'Deep Brain Reorienting' ( for some kind of structural dissociation. Not sure how similar the healing process is, but I wonder if the same thing could be felt just before switching?)
Very nice. Makes sense. Seems like adrenaline gets the jump on me and it’s more of containment process. Still affects my mental processing. I’m aware of effect and can moderate response accordingly. Most of time.
Mastering dissociation. It is a choice. A decision made between alters. I find grounding and breathing techniques are also helpful. Do you have other copeing skills I can add to my toolbox to use instead of dissociation?
I prefer to working with physical reactions. At the moment the threats are real, we are being threatened with war again, our leaders are letting us know we are in a pre war stage. If war hits in our region it will be disasterous for the whole world. I prefer to work with reactions to make sure they are healthy and very natural responses. I prefer to work with processing the emotions to make sure they are healthy. The problem with the thoughts responding, its causing imbalance and processing problems, because people need to get off their behinds and deal with what needs to be dealt with. In other words, its time for actions and thoughts need to come to rest, because its over done. Why people are having so much trouble its the inaction to the inevitable. Had people just deal with things while these things remain a threat, we would all be better off until its too late. So while the world focuses on themselves and the middle east and Ukraine and Russia, our focus is China and the south. So for us its a time, to get fit, healthy and well and make sure we are functioning. What we have to deal with is the world's constant messages we don't care about you.
Thank you Dr Mike, I staring to realize that time in did is not linear and the reaction to a trigger as you explained so well it’s in less than a second and that means that the cognitive function is going to start after the reaction , isn’t that to late?
Im... this popped up and i was like "omg let me watch that!!!!" N then i forgot. I saw it again just now and thought it had been maybe a day since it was reccomended.. it has been nine days... haha :')
This is what i try explaining to people-the switch or brain’s push to dissociate is so quick. I am curious how one works eith perceiving threat in a safe environment… cause it has to feel rral for our system ir it will not work. Inwould almost have to be surprised on purpose…Nd never know, which is horrible to say
I would call it, making a concious decision, rather than letting your brain make an subconcious decision, as opposed to a "biological reaction". I think it happens subconciously unless you make a concious effort to head off the subconcious reaction. But I'm splitting hairs, I suppose. Or is there a chemical reaction that takes place that you're referring to with "biological"?
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In Germany we have a growing problem because DBT-PTSD is the recommended inpatient treatment approach for dissociation. It views dissociation as problem behavior that can be controlled. Patients sign a contract where they agree to abstain from this behavior. Then they are taught how to interrupt dissociation using intense sensory stimulation. But they aren't really taught how to return to the orientation response to re-evaluate the situation. It keeps patients stuck with very little tools to actually get better. And they have to write behavior analyses for every time the dissociation was too fast. Seeing it as behavior instead of an instinct moved our clinic programs into a truly awful direction. I am always glad about material I can show people to help against the shame of not getting better although they are doing everything that was asked of them. Clinics are asking for the wrong things. They don't teach mastery, only intervention.
That’s super frustrating and invalidating! I have someone in my life who told me “I know you think I’m a threat right now but look at our history. Have I ever done anything to make you feel unsafe? Okay so just change your thinking.” This is the worst thing you could say in a moment of dissociation.
I'm in Germany too. I have DID and so on and clinical treatment made it even worse (I still have nightmares from the time in the clinic!). Waiting time for ambulant therapy is 2 years. I am so thankful for CTAD videos, I depend on explanations like these. @theresadutcher4750: Have you ever tried/found a self-help group? I don't know if it's worth it - and I'm a little scared xD
Deutschland ist sowas von hinterher wenn es um Traumatherapie geht.
Vergebe eine volle Note 5, manchmal Note 6.
So the therapists put the dissociation on extinction and once a protector headmate is front stuck they declare the patient as recovered? Sounds like exactly the same kind of treatment as is used to 'cure' homosexuality, transgender identity and autism.
@@melissaowens8817Absolutely agree. I’ve had people in the past approach me with that kind of logic around my triggers and they’d be offended when I told them that those triggers apply to them as well. In one particular instance it was a male friend that got annoyed because I’d refuse hugs and wouldn’t visit him at his house (because he’d been a really close friend for a couple years at that point), and this friend knew about my trauma history (specifically S/A by a male “friend” years ago), but his logic around it was “but I’m not that guy and I’d never do that”, which very well may be true, however… for the 100th time… You👏🏻are👏🏻not👏🏻an👏🏻exception👏🏻to👏🏻my👏🏻trauma!👏🏻
This is why we find bilateral stimulation to be such an amazing grounding technique! Taking the time to alternately squeeze our fists back and forth long enough to assess if we're actually in danger has been an absolute game changer.
Good idea, using physical sensation to make time.
Hi CTAD Clinic, long time watcher, first time commenter. You have helped me immensely so understand myself and my DID. Initially when I started therapy January 2023 I was lost. An assault in that month led me to remember so many times I’d been wronged. This past year I’ve been working closely in therapy twice weekly to process the trauma and come up with a cohesive narrative of my life. Maybe 2 months in to therapy I realized that ‘the remembering’ as I called it was actually a part of DID, as were the schnederian positive symptoms i had experienced during that time. I’d initially asked for my psychiatrist to do some testing so I could receive formal diagnosis but he declined. As time has passed and my story has come full circle, both my psych and therapist are in agreeance at my diagnosis, and I just wanted to say to you, it was hugely in part of your calm, empathetic, and highly informative demeanor that I was able to come this far. DID is very scary for us, but not anymore. I’ve come so very far, and even included 2 close friends in on my diagnosis who still love me despite it. It’s not a bad thing! And I’m not bad for having it. But for a long time I felt very bad about myself for all the ways that disassociation got in my way in life, and for all the things that happened to me. I’ve still managed to come quite far. I’m a licensed counselor in the states and have been practicing for, it will be 7 years this year. Helping others who feel alone in their life’s struggles, feels like I’ve come full circle. I’ve become the empowered woman who would have protected me as a child, and I’ve become a champion for others as well. Just wanted to drop in and let you know how deeply grateful I am for all of the amazing work you’ve done. And I’ll add, I’m about 1/3 of the way through the book the haunted self. What an apt, but somewhat, mm scary title. For a self who felt scared of herself. But, I love and accept all parts of me, even the ones that are afraid or surprised, disgusted, sad, or angry. And I’m doing all the better for it! Much love from the east coast!! Xx
Thank you for such a lovely message!!
What you said really resonates to me, so I’d like to ask if you could clarify something. Do you feel your DID is more of different moods or internal states than personalities? I’ve always felt a strong struggle with different parts of myself. I’m the same person, but have parts that are conflicting. For example, destructive me versus healthy me and the circumstances I’m experiencing are what makes one more “stronger?” Than the other. I don’t feel like DID is a possibility when I view it from how it’s commonly displayed. If that makes sense.
After a series of traumatic events deteriorated my mental health and function, I’ve very slowly pieced together why it had such a profound impact after enduring SO many traumas consistently through out my life and always being able to brush them off and remain functional. It reactivated what occurred in childhood. Although I intellectually remembered most of my childhood trauma, I didn’t realize the disconnect I had from the actual emotions. The recent traumas resurfaced the emotions that I didn’t remember. Having a sibling witness me being extremely abused, ignoring my pleads for help, shaming and blaming me while allowing it to happen is what I realized my mother did when I was a child.
Trying to determine more specifically my issues so I can seek proper support as the inner conflict is exhausting and confusing. I’ve completed lost who I was before all of this and experience immense hatred towards her.
Most underrated and informative channel on TH-cam, amazing job man.
Thank you so much!!
You couldnt of detailed this any better. Well explained and simplified for those working on it. Your work is so vital to help take out the misinformation on DID itself. Thank you sir for doing what you do!😊 I would at some point love to do an interview with you on DID professionally on the tiny details so many dont understand.
Much appreciated! You can make contact via the website.
I completely relate to the denial aspect that dominates my whole life. I am gradually accepting the trauma I suffered wasn't my fault and no child could ever be to blame for the abuse and torture put on them.
Only through specialist therapy has it been possible for me to begin to process the years of abuse and suffering and start to understand how denial only protects the abusers.
I've been programmed to deny the abuse and blame myself for not being good enough a😅so deserve to be abused?
Thanks for the videos as they help consolidate the therapy.
I have BPD and i dissociate a lot from emotions that are too much too handle. I didnt realize i did this even as a kid when i looked back to some remembered elementary times.
It became stronger during my 30s and happened a lotmore as i was in a workplace that felt like elementary.. I learned on my own how to recognize when it was coming on and been able to at least slow it down and not happen (with a lot of brain muscle movement) headache or i have been able to not let it last as long. I may not have DID, but im thankful for these vids cuz some stuff feels familiar anyhow along with not alters, but emotional parts and yes even adolescent emotional parts.
Yes I can see how this can work and that’s reassuring. I have a feeling it’s going to take a lot of practice. Sometimes I’m aware of someone coming nearer to the front, sometimes with some I can try things. However there are others that I have no idea at all what the trigger was or any memory of it starting which is the really scary times. Thank you Dr Mike I look forward to your videos. I’m amazed at how much I can get out of 8 - 10 minutes but you know any longer wouldn’t work! 🌻
Your videos have helped me understand so much about myself. Can you please talk more about adult mutism as it relates to D.I.D/O.S.D.D? Particularly in the therapy setting?
Every time I try to talk about what's going on, I end up going mute and then the alter who never talks shows up. This hinders therapy so much. Do you have any recommendations to help?
So far, I've been practicing on video just for myself or to show my therapist later and journaling but once tbe mutism and dissociation happens it's hard to even write things down without feeling like it will hurt me to do so.
Sounds like a good idea for the next video!
Wow, relate ….
@@thectadclinic yes please!
THIS MAKES SO MUCH SENSE
Your timing is perfect. Watching this what we thought of is how with our upcoming court case we need to be able to switch to the Parts/Alters that the (event - not the right word but don't want to trigger people) happened to while on the witness stand. We have spoken to our crown prosecutor about this, and how we would need some time to be able to switch or have co-consciousness strongly happen. Our worry was when the defence rapidly fires questions, we need a moment to not feel like we have to immediately respond. What your video shows us is that it will happen in seconds so we don't need to be so worried about how we will appear to the jury with needing a moment (this has been on our mind a lot). All part of learning to trust ourselves, which is very hard to do, but vital. Thank you as always these videos are life-changing.
Absolutely, you have every right to take some time and prepare a thoughtful answer. It’s ok to say you are doing this, like “can I take a moment to consider?” type thing!
It is difficult when I realize I do not master the situation if I manage to not dissociate...life becomes more real, but I/we become so vulnerable...
We can lower our level of neurological arousal using physical techniques that have nothing to do with talking, or even thinking. Without sufficient internal dialogue, parts will still be on the watch and interpret events, environments, and interactions incorrectly. The midbrain defensive responses don't change fast at all with talking or thinking.
Can you speak on programming within DID/OSDD? My system is a programmed system and I see very little content on this and how treatment differs with these systems. Thank you. 💗
I asked my therapist once. She thinks I grew up in a cult-like family. Maybe. Her response was that there is a ton more resistance due to the effects of programming, usually more parts to deal with, and progress is far slower overall even with lots of work. But she said that the standard phased DID protocol and treatment methods do work.
I’d love to see more videos on this for us as well.
Thanks for the video. We are interested to understand your view and community views about something - when the dissociation is in the form of a switch if that part is the best one to manage that situation then is the ‘goal’ still deemed to be to avoid the switching? An example of this is when there is a ‘trigger event’ eg we hear a door banging or people’s muffled voices another self automatically gets almost thrown to the front. Similarly (albeit v rare for us) another younger part is out at home (we are not co-con) and say the doorbell rang (trigger event) they would metaphorically scarper and ‘I’ would be thrown to the front. I’m just wondering whether as someone who only began having symptoms in our late 40’s whether it’s actually possible now to rewire / master this and also back to my point whether it’s a desirable goal? As always we very much appreciate you taking time to record the videos and it always gives us food for thought Dr Mike
Thanks, Amanda, the situation you described can be changed and improved, certainly!
In my humbled opinion, I think that everything our body does is in our good: to survive.
Therefore, switching maybe exhausting and also preventing us to live a normal/well-going life but it assures us of survival. E.g. if we hadn‘t switched during the last days, we would have been dead because another alter is highly suicidal. I‘m not, I feel good and going to bake a cake now ☺️ : for me and the little ones 🥰
Several years earlier I didn‘t understand what was going on, then I wanted to get rid of it. Now I‘m thankful for the ability of my brain to having developed the ability to dissociate. Not sure if I really want to get rid of it. In my actual opinion I prefer a good communication and no amnesia. Under these conditions switches are fantastic: being more character and having more abilities mean to be able to handle situations stronger than most people can. When one alter is tired the other makes the work 😁 -well, sometimes not 😆 But fair to say, it was hell during the last 40 years. We were all enemies, didn‘t get along with each other and therefore also not with life and it was a constant fight and threatening. My/our whole life has gotten destroyed, in every single aspect. Now we have cancer, but are for the first time in our life very happy: because since last year we are a whole family. I‘m alone from the outside, but I have my inner family that allows us to go throw hell of a cancer treatment.
Try to embrace your alters and your switching. Reflecting/analysing the situation where a switch happend was very helpful for me to learn more about myself and my alters.
You‘ll make it. Go for it! Best of luck, strength and support 🥰
@@luticia yeah you’ve understood me well. So whilst we want to reduce the startle response / deep impact of what may cause us to switch and we definitely would like to be able to regulate our nervous system etc etc and also we definitely need to have more co-consciousness so we can have communication & cooperation, I’m not sure that we want to have a pathway which means we will never ‘dissociate’ (when the form of dissociation is switching) because it maybe so wired in and in our collective best efforts to retain that ability and we may not have any choice - we just don’t know yet and you are further along than us. So say for example once we have processed (integrated experiences etc) more trauma and got more communication going then I’m really not convinced that’ I’ will ever be able to do what some of us can do. I do want to be free from flashbacks, body memories, intensity / tip toeing around triggers, be able to overcome fears and phobias etc but to stop switching (which is a form of dissociation as we know) in its tracks I’m not sure.
Oh and to add I guess really I’m saying in particular rid/
heal ourselves of c-PTSD and DPDR but not necessarily ‘identity alteration’
@@amandaball7116 I totally understand you in all your desires, motivation and anxieties at the same time.
I don‘t know you, your alters and the way your system is build up and works at all. Therefore at this point I don‘t want to be intrusive by intervening in your system. But I do want to answer you by showing you something from us and maybe it there is something in my words that could help you in a way.
Our highly functioning alter had no trigger. She was able to work through things the way a lawyer does. She refused getting involved in trauma therapy because she didn‘t want to know, she didn‘t want to „earn“ triggers and lose her ability to function on a very high level. She had fear that she would collapse. She agreed that I, myself go to a clinic to do a intense trauma therapy. But she made it clear to the therapists that she wouldn’t take part in it. I did 5 months intensive therapy and she didn‘t take part in it. Some other alters did.
In the end, although she didn‘t take part actively in therapy we all (!) have changed. We alters have changed in ourselves and also the way we look at other alters. Our system has changed and how it works. A system is not a static thing, it‘s highly dynamic. How you get to know your system today is not how it will be tomorrow. And of course, also our highly functioning alter has changed, although she didn‘t take part in therapy. But things spilled over to her, too. Now, she knows more or less. Now she also has some triggers and is more conscious about her anxieties. Of course she isn‘t that highly functioning anymore she used to be. But it‘s a chance for her to grow. To get to know herself better, to explore. And most of all to feel herself and life. Sometimes she can‘t handle her feelings, her past and being functional at the same time and she collapses or gets suicidal (like atm). It‘s tough but super okay. It‘s her possibility to grow in order to be able to live. There‘s a huge difference between surviving and living a day. We all don‘t want to just survive any longer; we want to live. We don‘t want to feel the whole world as an enemy against us as a system any longer. We want to be a part of the world, of life. That‘s only possible if we grow. Growing means losing, changing and earning at the same time. But in the end, it‘s more livable.
Just think about the definition of life: Life means feeling yourself and feeling life. Therefore life is equal to feelings. A high functioning alter without any contact to its own feelings and due to its hyper arsousal without any contact to life itself, is actually dead and not alive. Therefore, knowing and feeling our past is hurtful and at the same time we feel ourselves and life.
Hope, it‘s possible to understand what I tried to say. I‘m not a native English speaker.
Wishing you all the courage to feel, grow and live.
Courage is when something becomes more important for us than our fear.
I've spent a few years working on this spacing out and slowing down of reactions, creating space for new responses... In most settings I have a lot more space/time to pause, respond and act from a different set of resources now, which is great.
In case it helps anyone here: I found it helped me to learn that the threat response starts in the brainstem, or the vagus nerve in the neck - and with practice (on things that are a only a tiny bit activating, while safe enough) you can feel your neck buzzing before anywhere else in the body reacts... and use that as a cue to re-orient to your surroundings or whatever thoughts that might have set it off. Eventually I could talk to this as a 'part' that felt 'present' sometimes, before getting overwhelmed. I initially figured it out from PVT info and a video by Deirdre Fay interviewing Dr Corrigan about the micro-steps in nervous system threat responses and 'Deep Brain Reorienting'
( for some kind of structural dissociation. Not sure how similar the healing process is, but I wonder if the same thing could be felt just before switching?)
Thank you for sharing.
@lilyl5492 . Thanks a lot for that additional info on nano-second response process 🎉
Thank you.
Very nice. Makes sense. Seems like adrenaline gets the jump on me and it’s more of containment process. Still affects my mental processing. I’m aware of effect and can moderate response accordingly. Most of time.
Another great and informative video-thanks so much!
Mastering dissociation. It is a choice. A decision made between alters. I find grounding and breathing techniques are also helpful. Do you have other copeing skills I can add to my toolbox to use instead of dissociation?
Your channel changed my life
Goodness, that is quite something! Thank you!
I feel a long way off mastering this one 🤣 but it's interesting to know that it's a thing 😉
It certainly is!
Thank you Dr. Lloyd - timely ;O) Insightful, straightforward and useful immediately as always - cheers, g (seans)
Glad it was helpful!
I prefer to working with physical reactions. At the moment the threats are real, we are being threatened with war again, our leaders are letting us know we are in a pre war stage. If war hits in our region it will be disasterous for the whole world. I prefer to work with reactions to make sure they are healthy and very natural responses. I prefer to work with processing the emotions to make sure they are healthy. The problem with the thoughts responding, its causing imbalance and processing problems, because people need to get off their behinds and deal with what needs to be dealt with. In other words, its time for actions and thoughts need to come to rest, because its over done. Why people are having so much trouble its the inaction to the inevitable. Had people just deal with things while these things remain a threat, we would all be better off until its too late. So while the world focuses on themselves and the middle east and Ukraine and Russia, our focus is China and the south. So for us its a time, to get fit, healthy and well and make sure we are functioning. What we have to deal with is the world's constant messages we don't care about you.
I kept going in and out throughout the video 😢
Hope you manage to get through eventually!
Thank you Dr Mike, I staring to realize that time in did is not linear and the reaction to a trigger as you explained so well it’s in less than a second and that means that the cognitive function is going to start after the reaction , isn’t that to late?
It is initially, that’s the point, to relocate the cognitive ability from after the dissociation to before it.
Im... this popped up and i was like "omg let me watch that!!!!" N then i forgot. I saw it again just now and thought it had been maybe a day since it was reccomended.. it has been nine days... haha :')
You explained this perfectly. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it does not. Practice makes progress?
Indeed!
Thanks
This is what i try explaining to people-the switch or brain’s push to dissociate is so quick. I am curious how one works eith perceiving threat in a safe environment… cause it has to feel rral for our system ir it will not work. Inwould almost have to be surprised on purpose…Nd never know, which is horrible to say
wow,
I would call it, making a concious decision, rather than letting your brain make an subconcious decision, as opposed to a "biological reaction". I think it happens subconciously unless you make a concious effort to head off the subconcious reaction. But I'm splitting hairs, I suppose. Or is there a chemical reaction that takes place that you're referring to with "biological"?