Your balanced perspective and wisdom, as always, is such a blessing. Your voice is powerful and changes lives. Thank you for making this resource for people seeking help.
I am so happy to see you back on youtube! thank you for walking through how you started your journey! I also love how real you are in every video(the losing your spot made me think that is so something I would do!) i really hope you keep posting again!
Mental health specialist here 👋 the "questions to consider" you mentioned are great for anyone who suspects they have any diagnosis, especially the "What exactly do I relate to?". Can really help your therapist or GP to look at your symptoms and point you in the right direction regarding assessment! And if your GP has never even heard of the condition you are referring to, always come armed with links to trusted sources (so, not tik to or youtube) @11:40 - this is fantastic advice! Now that I have properly finished the video, this is really sound advice. Thank you for sharing your experience in order to help others! And help therapists like me better understand this complex disorder
Jess, good to see you again. You are gorgeous as always! Speaking on the lived experience of DID." That is perfect Jess! And congratulations to you and Gaz on the arrival of Isabella. Eve is a big sister!
I’ve been following you on Instagram recently and have been eagerly awaiting for you to post a video! I’m over the moon for you as you are now DID free!!! SO amazing!! Once you had posted about pursuing final fusion awhile back, I knew that it was something that I wanted to pursue for our system as well in treatment. Your bravery in sharing your journey with us all has literally helped change my life! I’ve been able to share your channel and the CTAD clinic as resources for my trauma therapists to use in her practice. You have impacted so many others! A big, huge congratulations and massive well wishes to you, Gaz, and your precious daughters!!💗 From, A long time fan, wife and mother of 5 from Ohio, USA
It's lovely to see you so happy and healthy Jess! It has been a long road, and I'm just glad to have been able to be a part of it. I'm literally about to cry! I first found your channel when I was 18 and newly at college, and while I never subscribed (I don't tend to do that for a lot of reasons) I loved popping in to catch up on your journey and how you were doing. It's amazing how I can hear and see bits of the boys, but can also see how you have fused and become what you are. I'm so happy for you. Best of luck and I can't wait to pop in again!
I am afraid I can't really get a diagnosis. My therapist acknowledges it, but to be diagnosed fully, I would need to see a psychiatrist that specialises on DID and that would mean a stay in a trauma hospital with a waiting list of 1 1/2 years. My therapist knows it's real, nurses in my facility know, I know and my friends know. I can't do any better right now.
A glaring inadequacy of the “get a diagnosis” mentality is it’s refusal to acknowledge very real class and privilege barriers that exist for a huge portion of people that restrict their ability to get officially diagnosed for whatever reason. Your best is more than good enough if it’s what suits your life. Nobody has to prove their disorders to anybody.
I mentioned in the video that sometimes we start treatment before getting an “official” diagnosis (or maybe never!) and in the grand scheme of things, does it really matter if we have a diagnosis if we’re getting the treatment for it? That’s what I think a lot of people who accuse others of not having their disorder and saying “well are you diagnosed???” Are missing.
while I do agree with the other answers, I want to say; get on that waiting list (if you're able...I know not everyone has universal health care). Not for the diagnosis, but for the form of treatment. I've waited for 2 years for my last stay (thanks to the panini) and it was worth it. Getting intense specialized therapy can make a huge difference. Ofc seeking help in the meantime is important too. I wish you luck and hope you'll find the resource that helps you most
@@Hamusutaru I don't really think we want to do inpatient treatment. That is also an issue I have with that. I think we should be able to get a diagnosis and to be monitored in a day clinic or in our nursing home, where we are not ripped away from our work that we love and our support system. I was inpatient for a year and it was really hard and it was necessary at the time, but it reaaaaaally wasn't for us.
Lovely to see you making content on such an important topic! It's a delicate thing to discuss but you do it really gracefully and it's a voice of reason a lot of people really need. I went through a rollercoaster of denial and confusion when I learned about DID and things started "making sense". I was diagnosed not long after since my therapist had seen a couple cases before and spotted it early on. I remember telling myself to just consider it a "maybe", and that allowed an open mind and also a way to go back into denial if prying got too scary. It ended up being a big comfort that I relied on a lot the first couple years.
Just recently found out I have Chronic Complex Dissociative Disorders. Watching your journey through the years gives me hope that I can handle this and recover from my trauma. 💚
Thank you Jess, I really appreciate the way you have used your platform, how you carefully made the information you delivered safe for people with PTSD to access, and provide more information about Dissociative Disorders and Trauma to people who might need to know more about this in order to understand relatives, patients and loved ones. No other drama added, just very clear and precise lessons and kindly delivered valuable information. That is something that resonates with me deeply and I will be forever thankful for the way you provided valuable information so and managed to make it so accessible and also safe to access. I believe your bundle of information about Mental Health, PTSD and DID was a life saver to at least a bunch of people, and helped people to take steps towards agency and recovery one step at a time.
Oh my days! Congrats to your family, how beautiful. So lovely to see you back again - we have missed you and your gentle insights. Thank you for your words. I've found in Australia it's similar and we have very little public mental health care unless you're in absolute crisis. Fingers crossed this changes.
So pleased to see you back! We've been mainly working on internal communication with parts for almost a year now. Had DID diagnosis confirmed by our last private psychotherapist and his supervisor last summer. It's been a long journey and have had to deal with a lot of self-doubt, denial and myself feeling very conflicted and being harsh on myself. Your videos have been invaluable support for us throughout this time and really validate our experience. Hope you're all doing well xxx
We are very lucky 2 have been diagnosed with D.I.D by our NHS Consultant Psychiatrist, though it has took three years of consistent symptomatic chaos and multiple hospital admissions. We've been under services since age 10 n we're 36 now! It was only by chance we got a fantastic CPN who has stuck by us n relayed her opinions to our Dr. I do think professional help is SO important, whether u get a diagnosis or not. Great video Jess n all.👍💞🤗💖
DID is often overlooked and misdiagnosed. Many psychiatrists do not believe that DID is even possible. I have also noticed differences in acceptance based on culture. Many believe that a shattered psyche is not whole again until fully integrated. Personally, I do not believe integration is always possible. Anyhow, those who live with DID, know you are not alone. Learn to accept yourselves,regardless of what the rest of the world thinks.
This is such a helpful guide, not just for DID but for any invisible problem. I don't have DID or any known mental concerns but I have had an uphill battle with trying to get diagnosed for other things. I like the steps you lay out here just in general
One of the (many) things I love about your channel is how you tactfully speak of others who may not be as helpful as they try to be. Congrats on your expanding family, and sending so much love to you guys! 💖
You've helped me so much. I had been having symptoms of DID since...well...a long time. Friends that got actually closer to me used to even comment "why are you talking different?" I am mostly co conscious so i do remember a lot of experiences which made it harder to distinguish....but the older i got and the more trauma i kept kn experiencing....in addition to the trauma from my childhood...i began to have the scary memory lapses as well. The first time i actually learned more in depth about DID...i had a seizure...i think my brain was trying to protect me because i was going through another very traumatic experience at the time. Then one night several months later something clicked. I was able to get honest with myself. About how some of my earliest memories as a child were of me finding comfort in dissociating....me googling my symptoms that id been having for as long as i can remember...even being four years old and finding comfort in going into a dissociative state...like it was a warm blanet or hiding place. I have gotten professional help since...and had found that my alters had been there all along and were actually disagreeing about when and if they would reveal themselves. I actually kind of stumbled upon my realization and everyone had an OH SH!T moment and we had a rough time for a bit.... it was very uncomfortable at first...feeling like i wasnt in control.... But I've been working very hard and realize that each part of me developed out of love and support. Even my rough around the edges parts that front when I've been in some very very ugly situations to protect me.... We have all come to the conclusion that we all need to heal. Just wanted to share a bit of my story... And let everyone know you're not alone... And i thank you so much for sharing your story and your journey and have helped me in getting help (I'm going on almost 3 years now) . You have such a healing and gentle demeanor. keep being amazing 💕
Been diagnosed since 2020 after describing my experiences to a trauma therapist, but had related to other systems after watching Encina Severa for a little bit and realizing my experiences are similar to many systems (And having a massive breakdown after realizing).... Turns out we're polyfragmented and have survived some scary things 😬
It's been 4 years since my then Therapist suggested that I might have autonomous inner parts (he wasn't a professional in dissociation or trauma). Since then I've been in trauma focused hostpitals (once inpatient and twice outpatient) and last year after my first stay at outpatient care, I got the OSDD1-b equivalent in the ICD diagnosed. The moment the therapist said that, the system was euphoric (most of it). I've just been released from my second treatment round there and my one-on-one therapist said it's partial DID (as described in the ICD11) for sure and might be full on DID. For me and a lot of the headmates, the diagnosis was incredibly important for validation and to quench some of the self-doubts. Ofc, there are some alters that still try everything to put all of it back in its box. But I managed to finally communicate with some alters, one even went to one-on-one therapy, which was awesome and scary. Hope you're having an awesome day
It's great to see you back, Jess. Of all the videos about DID, so few if any cover the topic of approaching a professional for a diagnosis, or on how to approach in regards to getting help, so thank you so much for doing this! I hope you're doing as well as you look to be!
I can hear and see so much Jake, Jamie and a smidge of Ed in this and it makes our collective heart soar LOL. We miss the guys but its so great you're doing so well and lovely of you to keep making new content even though you're coming out the other side of all the "DID years" (for lack of a better word) I'm at the same place in healing and it feels totally different nowadays than yrs ago when you and I were in the throws of trying to learn everything we could and our alters were everywhere all the time ahahha Great vid Jess!
THANK YOU Jess, thank you from the bottom of my heart for making this video, I was really waiting for somebody to cover this topic and you are the only one who had the guts to do it. This a very very important topic, self diagnosis can be dangerous is some instances, and your guide will surely help both those without a diagnosis and the community of people who has an actual diagnosis. You never let me down... ❤ Ps: Sorry for my language, I hope it was correct or at least decent... I'm Italian. Also, thank you for your content in general, it really helped me after I got my diagnosis of DID.
Thank you for the reminder of the DSM’s putting people in checked boxes thing. And the condition(s) someone could have and the idea of self dx I have mixed feelings about now and ones involving identity and dissociation, and politely urging anyone doing that to do so with serious amounts of critical thinking, ruling other things out, and take time discerning and allowing the possibility of not being accurate. Also, there’s the denial that could lead someone away from this being accurate too. This was a good one thank you very much :)
I subscribed during the seemingly hiatus hoping that one day you would pop up in my feed and I'm so happy! Welcome back to your system, you've all taught me a whole lot about DID although I don't know anyone with it, just in case I ever get to know someone with it!
Not the point of the video or anywhere near the most important thing, but you are SO pretty! Your makeup is stunning, you’ve curated such a lovely image for the video - and then there’s the courage and vulnerability and hard-won wisdom you’re displaying, which is a whole other level of beautiful ❤️ Glad to see you back!
You helped us to realise what we were dealing with, and now we have gone from 15 alters to 4! I had to keep pushing when I was on the nhs mental health team, and then after 5 years of mental health services I received my diagnosis of DID. I kept thinking that I was putting it on, or making it up, but I was proven wrong every time. Even though I’m not one person yet, I was discharged from services and told I have to live with it, despite people like Jess have made a full recovery from it. I’m still having trauma responses, so I don’t know if I was meant to be discharged or not. Anyhow, we’re happy for you! 😁
Hi Jess!! I’ve been following your Instagram so it’s not like I haven’t seen you but it’s so nice to have you back on TH-cam. Thank you for the video 💕
As someone who has been left without treatment, I can say that research has saved my life. CDS don’t require you to live near by, they find the appropriate therapist and send them to you so anyone in the UK could ask their GP the refer them there. The Dissociative Experiences Scale questionnaire is helpful to take to your GP/MH team. I personally believe diagnosis is important, it gives us language to explain our experiences, it also allows us to access other services. Without it they can’t access funding.
For me, a diagnosis was important so that other people would treat me right. I know, that's "just" ableism, but it still exists. If I had said "hey, I'd prefer if you used plural pronouns, because I suspect I might have DID", almost no one would've taken me seriously. That's why, when I just suspected it, I only told my boyfriend and no one else... I knew people would not accept my experience. Now that I have a diagnosis, people are much more willing to treat us like we're a system and not like we're a singlet, which made a huge difference with acceptance (in ourselves). Before I got the diagnosis for dissociative amnesia I would always say "I'm sorry, my memory is really bad, I will probably not remember x / I do not remember x" and people would treat me like I was just not trying hard enough. Now that I can say "I'm sorry, I don't remember this. I have amnesia", people take me much more seriously. Which is sad. I know it's sad and should be different, but it doesn't change the fact that it's reality. I was extremly lucky that when I started to suspect I had DID, I was already in therapy with a psychologist that happened to work with systems. He even had it as a suspected diagnosis himself, just hadn't told me yet. That's why between me suspecting it and me getting diagnosed where only... three months? Something like that. So really not a lot of time where I would have wanted to tell people. But some people have to wait years. (Or they will never be in a situation where they will be able to get diagnosed.) And yeah, in theory just saying "I suspect I might have DID" and getting treatment for that suspected DID and just keeping the option open that it could be wrong... in theory that's not a big deal. But since we live in an ableist society, it suddenly becomes one if you want to get accommodations for literally anything. Okay, some of those you might also get with "just" a diagnosis of PTSD or Depression or something that's easier to identify. But definitely not all of them. And if you need them, than you really have no other choice than to self diagnose. So what I think should be happening is (okay, a: people should stop being ableist, but that won't happen anytime soon). TRY to seek out a professional. And if that's not possible, think really long and hard about what aspects of your life would be improved by saying "I have DID" over "I suspect I might have DID" and if those are worth self-diagnosing for. And if the answer is yes and you cannot see a professional (anytime soon), then self-diagnose, but only then. Or move to germany and enjoy our phantastic health care system, where money is not a problem (well, at least not in that aspect) and you're basically guaranteed to get to see a specialist (it just might take a few years!). #NotSponsered (I know you can't just suddenly move to germany.)
Hello, fellow (possible?) German system here. I've suspected it for years now but never really figured it out, mainly because I was scared of the truth. Would you be so kind to let me know how and where you got your diagnosis? (I totally understand if you guys are not comfortable with that!)
@@Jo-yk4fd So, we where in therapy (for ptsd) with this random therapist in NRW. He once mentioned that he suspected we have amnesia and we were like "no!!!! never!!", so he didn't mention it again. Then a friend of ours got diagnosed with DID and we watched a few videos about it because we didn't really know what it was. And the whole time we felt like those systems were describing our own experiences. So we told our therapist that and he went "yeah, I was suspecting you have that too". We did some questionaires on DID and I told my boyfriend, which let to some alters actually introducing themselves to him. After that it was clear that we had in fact DID and he diagnosed us. I don't know if the name would help, it was near Münster. Aside from that I know two therapists in Hamburg that work with systems and also the UKE (Uniklinikum Eppendorf) does DID diagnosis, if I'm not mistaken. (We once went there but didn't like the therapist.) (Didn't know if I should write german now, so I stuck with english. :D)
OHMYGOSH! Congratulations to you all and Hello Isabelle, welcome to the World! That's so awesome, so so happy for you! Another great amazing video, thank you So so much Jess and team for everything you all do! Love ya all and missed you so much! - Daxx
Having known my own experiences and how I've come to understand them through my time growing up and now as an adult, I'm finally seeking out a specialist due to being able to afford it somewhat now. Honestly it's such a scary thing to try and handle completely on your own so having any amount of guidance is gonna be amazing. I've done my research in order to better understand my own symptoms and issues I've had, and I've definitely seen both accurate and inaccurate sources. When I was still a teenager I had my suspicions and did self diagnose, and at first I was terrified at the thought. As more years passed and more things surfaced I began to understand myself a bit better too. Now I've been seeing a specialist and confirmed a lot of my suspicions and worries. I can definitely say this, no matter what you think you may have going on, the right counselor/therapist/specialist can be incredibly helpful and fulfilling.
I was a bit apprehensive with the avoiding self-diagnosis and I do agree that people do need to keep an open mind and get help when possible (sometimes it's not possible because of living situations or financial trouble). I do see where your points are coming from and I was pleasantly surprised at your stance because the thumbnail did seem like you were totally against people looking too deep into things that might explain their experiences. It also is good to keep in mind that there are those who are living in countries who do not have free healthcare and are unable to see a professional. They should try to see a professional as soon as they can if they are able to and, like you said, keep an open mind. I hope this makes sense. Edit: spelling errors
This is great to see! Especially since I actually got diagnosed just a year ago, suspected I had it two years ago. At the time I had a psychiatrist that wouldn't even try to understand and seemed to think I was faking it. I got new help and researched for people that specialized in DID/OSDD. I was willing to still hear I didn't have it, but turns out I did. Just so you know this is a US experience and in the US therapists can diagnose. UK and US are different in that way.
I've had my diagnosis for 7 years now and it took almost 11 year prior to that for them to figure out what was wrong on top of my ctpsd, add, and bpd. Total mess but it's been so nice to know what up and finally be able to get treatment to the best of my financial ability and we have basically no heath care
its so good to see you back !! do you think in the future, you could make a video about did in children and teenagers ? people never really talk about how it presents in non-adults so it would be really interesting to learn about :D
It starts to manifest in early childhood or teenage years but making a DID diagnosis takes time. It could take several years as an active participant in the mental health system to receive an accurate diagnosis.
That’s a good idea, but it’d be very difficult to have a full video on since most cases don’t present until adulthood. The exceptions to that aren’t enough to have reliable data. Jess takes a very researched approach, and there’s just very little research on how it affects people under 18 because it’s so covert, especially in teens and children.
This is so late bruh but I remembered your channel and rewatched the DID actor videos and they make me like, cry. Bro idk it’s such a strange and visceral reaction to seeing all the alters like, be themselves. And be comfortable as themselves (even tho they are actors) and to really like, meet meet them because I can see their own physical way in communicating other than through words. It’s really cool idk just thought I’d share that those videos make me cry not from sadness but just extreme emotion
Welcome back! Jess you look amazing. I’ve learned so much about DID from your system. It’s been one of the most informative and amazing experience watching y’all. Thank you so much for all your videos and even uploading this one. I’ve definitely missed y’all. 🤍
In the US doctors dont like when you write down your symptoms. They view that as doing their job for them and self diagnosing especially if you say "low blood pressure" instead of "dizzy" - the question you'll get would be "did you use a blood pressure cuff for that conclusion?" Its sooo pompous
Your channel has been a wonderful resource for us! And I am so blessed to have gotten to see how much you have grown over these years. You really are a valuable voice on TH-cam and it was so exciting to see you come up in my notifications today. Tree and I don't know if this is DID that we have but we have learned how to work together so much better in this body since finding you as a resource. ❤️
In the US giving a diagnosis of something is more common because that is what therapists use to bill the client's insurance. However, getting someone who specializes in DID or even being able to afford therapy in the first place is not possible for many. Those are just the differences for the US that I see. I found an IFS therapist, and after recurving many emails saying that they couldn't help me, I finally was able to talk to one therapist. I told her this is what I feel is going on, I don't have a diagnosis, I don't care if you diagnose me or not, I just need someone to help me, and then we started to work together. I ended up with OSDD and have recently gone through a final fusion that I'm still figuring out how all of that feels and works, but that's what happened for me.
I don’t have DID, but I do love this channel because I come from a family with a history of mental health issues and I watch a fair few mental health channels because it’s my version of group therapy (lol, I know). Multiple members of my family have hypochondria, and you talking about ‘transference’ made me really happy. Growing up in that environment, I see a lot of people who actively partake in self-diagnosis and it makes me super nervous, and I rarely see mental health TH-camrs talk about not getting away with diagnosing yourself. Thank you for doing that.
I’m so glad to see you back! If it weren’t for your wonderful channel, I likely wouldn’t’ve learned so much about these complex topics. You’re always so genuine and honest with your experience, which is hard to find on TH-cam. Thank you for talking about these things.
One thing I do want to point out that in the US, many health insurance companies will give a low rate for therapy ($25-40/session), but almost no psychiatrists take insurance. They are normally $200-500 an hour in some cities. Even with insurance, if you can find a doctor who takes your private insurance it’s still $150+, so many people in America I know work with a therapist who suspects a diagnosis but it isn’t certified to legally diagnose. It’s frustrating, so many people who are “self-diagnosed” actually have mental health professionals that agree but can’t put it on paper for their client. How much does it cost to go the private route in the NHS? How much under the NHS?
@@KatieM786 oh ok! So in the US if you have insurance, and if that insurance plan covers mental health, therapy sessions are typically $25-40, without it each session would be $100-200 depending on what the therapist charges. So even your private pay in the UK is what we pay if we also buy insurance.
That is a great point. Even some conditions cannot legally be diagnosed by psychologists or psychiatrists. For ADHD, for example, there is a comprehensive evaluation that you need to have and it costs $1,000-2,000. It is also required to retake it every 5 years to keep your diagnosis official. Many schools, hospitals, and businesses maintain that you don't need to redo an ADHD evaluation within 5 years to maintain it, but others that follow official guidelines (like universities) make you retake the evaluation to get support. Thankfully, my university offered the test for free, but that can be quite expensive or impossible for people seeking diagnosis for some conditions if they are in a location that both follows the 5 year rule and doesn't offer free testing. Insurance might cover it. So the situation definitely differs based on what you are trying to diagnose and who can diagnose it, for sure. For my experience it was worth it, but I've had it diagnosed for 22 years and have only been tested twice, clearly most people don't enforce the 5 year rule. Since different countries have different rules, I still think this brings up important questions to ask for the diagnosis of any condition.
Amazing to see you back, Jess! I'm in the grey area at the moment. The only thing on the NHS I have access to is psychoananlytic therapy and that's not doing much good by way of safety or stabilisation as it's just so cold. I have a dissociative disorder, although it hasn't been said what it is. I don't know if I want to know exactly what it is. All I know is that I depersonalise and derealise a lot, and I seem to have a few different parts that are me, but at different ages. My partner has seen blending and shifting and I don't really know what to do. Anyway, seeing this is so refreshing. Psychogenic illness is no joke and TikTok has so much to answer for. I love how compassionate you are. And baba is beautiful x
Fantastic video! I feel like I'm in a grey area you're talking about here. One therapist suspected DID, we couldn't find someone else to give a diagnosis, a few therapists later I met one who steered me away from anything to do with DID, but she's a trauma therapist who's knowledgeable about trauma and dissociation, and I'm seeing her currently. The BEST thing she did was (politely) scrap any mention of DID and make me describe everything from scratch. At first I hated it and was worried that she wouldn't actually be able to help, but the value in having to really reflect on exactly what's going on was so important. Not only can we more easily get to the issues, but I'm discovering a lot about myself and I feel far more confident in my ability to handle dissociation and trust the various parts of myself, now that I have a more genuine understanding of what's going on for me. It's almost like any diagnosis of DID or OSDD would just get in the way at this point, if I'd even meet the criteria, considering my dissociation has improved so much since I started with her. There are some lovely people in the DID community who have helpful information and great insight and advice though, so I still stay tuned to what they have to say! Hope you have a lovely day and thanks for making this video!
So glad you are back! I missed the uploads, your videos help our system out SO MUCH! Honestly we’re professionally recognized and that’s all the validation we need :)
So nice to see you. Thank you for taking time for us. You must be extremely busy working mom & wife. Wow, isn't it amazing. You have helped me immensely. Btw in the states, if you are fortunate to live near a teaching university sometimes one can seek treatment there. Its free to very low cost. Its students that are supervised by drs/ professors. In my case they wanted to film the sessions, after all, it is a teaching University. I had good luck there. Once a professor interviewed me, he suspected a dissociative disorder. He sent me to a trauma specialist. The specialist was willing to work with my budget. Actually for a time. It felt like i had a team, the student therapist, the professor & trauma specialist. It was hard work, yet overall a good experience. And the student was very interested. She even got a job in the local area. It's just a possible option.
Lovely to see you on here again! You look great and seem very grounded. And your voice has changed as well, thats so interesting! And what you are sharing is beyond importand for those who are struggling to find the right way and people to help them with what they're going through❤️
I stumbled across the topic of DID by total accident and just like you said, it all suddenly made sense. The only thing I was lacking were amnesia barriers, for the most part, so at first I wasa little bummed out but then oh wonder, I came across the word "OSDD" and the world made sense again. I had one therapist in the past who actually took me serious, talked to each of my headmate and gave all of us the feeling we are valid and important. Then she left. Sadly, I do not trust our current therapist enough to tell her about the others or hint at my/our suspicions, I did tell her that I have other people in my head (something along the lines of that, don't quite remember) but she doesn't understand and often says things like "Just call another one to help you if XY happens.", so I am stuck in this loop of wanting a diagnosis but being too ashamed/afraid of doing so. I do not claim to have OSDD, all I know is that I'm not alone in my head and I want to know why I feel this way. It's exhausting. Sorry for the rant.
thank you for this video! currently waiting on getting therapy (thank you NHS waiting times), where i mentioned my dissociation and general trauma history in the screening so im really hoping that'll take me somewhere. im still debating on whether i want a written, confirmed diagnosis, or just a mental health professional to say 'hey, i think you have this thing but you're being treated for it anyway'. there's pros and cons in my mind to both but im just going to see where life takes me XD your information is presented as very clear and concise, and as someone who is in the process of seeking treatment i found your tips and input surrounding such to be useful :D
I'm so happy your back, I love your videos. Their always so calming and clear. This video especially is what this generation needs to hear! And you said it so well!
Thank you for discussion the self diagnosis topic so differenciated instead of just saying: "Self diagnosis is valid and whoever disagrees is ableist and don't know you at all." A lot of symptoms overlap and it's very difficult, even for professionals to find the right diagnosis and the right treatment for the right person. Relating to certain people with certain illnesses is one thing, but it's another thing whether you actually have the same illnesses or whether the things you relate with can be part of neurotypical experience. E.g. a lot of autistics like to repeatedly watching the same shows, but that doesn't only acquire to autism. Some neurotypicals also find comfort repeatedly watching shows, or it could be something different like ADHD. So, in each case, it's important to view the topic in a nuanced way instead of immediately putting on a self diagnosis. It's our common desire to search for explanations and a sense of community and often, it takes a very long time to get diagnosed and find your explanations, but correctly diagnosing yourself isn't very easy and can often be misleading
OMG I WAS JUST THINKING ABOUT YALL LAST NIGHT OR TWO NIGHTS AGO!!! I was really hoping for an update but I was starting to think you weren't coming back 😭 Edit: it might just be me, but I feel like I can hear a bit of everyone's voice. Baby Isabelle is so cuteee!!!!
I feel like getting the official DID diagnosis actually helps me to accept that I have it and I'm not left wondering if I have to "prove" something to the next professional I might see. It especially on the days where I don't believe it myself, and my alters are playing havoc in the background because I'm pretending they don't exist.
I'm so happy to see you again! I'm so glad someone trustworthy also found out about their disorder around 15 and started seeking help after that! That happened to me! Your journey hit home a lot, and I hear a lot of people saying that you can't know what you are until you're around 30 years old or something. This is such an important topic to talk about! A lot of people have been spreading misinformation online lately about DID/OSDD or teaching others about it without the intervention of a professional and sometimes it can be problematic. I've had people tell me about their undiagnosed DID without knowing I also had *diagnosed DID, but all of their symptoms were extremely overt and matched every single symptom DID Tik Tok talks about. Some of it was problematic, and could make others demonize people with DID. *My doctor focuses on symptoms more than a diagnoses. He told me he didn't want to put it on official paperwork do it didn't hendir me in the future. He validated my experience and is treating me for it, but I asked for a diagnoses and he made me ask myself why I wanted it so bad. I came to the conclusion that I wanted it to prove it to myself so I wasn't so filled with doubt. He told me that a piece of paper won't fix my need for validation. If I doubt myself now, I will always have that grain of doubt. Most people do. He told me that the only validation that matters is mine and his, because he's treating me. (And my psychiatrist, but she can't necessarily treat me for it like my psychologist can). His view on it has changed my mind on an official diagnoses. He made me realize that a piece of paper may not fix all my problems, but cause some for me in the future. He told me, "A diagnoses from me doesn't matter as much as the treatment. I can treat you for anything without an official piece of paper saying I can or can't. You need a diagnoses from your psychiatrist for medicine reasons, but I can treat you for anything we need to." He made me realize I don't really need it! It lifted a weight off my shoulders! I worked so hard to find a doctor that believed me, and I found one, and he made my life easier in a way I didn't even realize would be easier. I love the points you made! They really hit home and made sense to me! I wish a lot more people would be careful with the information they spread without research or fact checking. At some times, it has ruined my support from others because of the misinformation others spread, but luckily I was able to clear things up with sources and research. Love you all!!! Hope to see another video from you soon! And I hope the kids are doing well!!! ❤️ from all of us here at the Dizzy System!
We've been wanting to get an official diagnosis for a while. We discovered our system a few months ago (and have been realizing since then the dozens of signs from our childhood that most of us were here back then) and we're pretty sure we have OSDD1 and not DID, since we don't forget what happens with the body when someone else is fronting. The main barrier we face with getting a diagnosis is being able to afford it (USA healthcare system, yay /s), followed by the fear of judgement and being ostracized from our family
Welcome back I absolutely love your videos and just wanted to say glad to see your still posting and hope you all have a great day or night.💖💖❤️✌️👌😁👍🙋.
My partner and I live in the US, and we also had to be clear about what he wanted and needed for mental health care when we suspected he had depression. He doesn't have DID but it seems to be a pretty universal thing that sometimes doctors just assume the type of treatment you want, or try to push you in a certain direction, especially if you're not sure what you need. For example, our family doctor wanted to increase the dose of his anti-depressant when we both thought his condition was fairly well-controlled. He was ready to just go along with it, but I asked him in front of the doctor, "Do you think you need more medication? Or are you happy where you're at?" And only once he said he was happy did she clarify and say that he didn't have to take the medication if he was doing good; it was only there if he needed it.
So glad to see you back! Don't let people on Twitter tear you down. So much of Twitter is childish these days. Keep on keeping on, your videos are always great ❤️
Happy with what you’ve spoken but I will need to disagree. It’s far easier for the non POC community to get any form of diagnosis. At that a proper one. We have the world against us for many many things. Personally it’s great that YOU got a diagnosis. And got finial fusion, but it’s easier said than done for those of us with low income, who can’t even get a “on paper” diagnosis for sometbing we know we have.
Perfect timing lol, I live in Australia so things are a bit different here but this video really helps give me an idea of what I should start looking into at least, which is great because I was starting to get extremely stressed about what to do. This video was very reassuring
Your balanced perspective and wisdom, as always, is such a blessing. Your voice is powerful and changes lives. Thank you for making this resource for people seeking help.
Thank you lovelies xx we miss you all xx
I am so happy to see you back on youtube! thank you for walking through how you started your journey! I also love how real you are in every video(the losing your spot made me think that is so something I would do!) i really hope you keep posting again!
To tell you i cried a little bit when i saw they posted..
@@FixMeThisTime i may or may not have
Mental health specialist here 👋 the "questions to consider" you mentioned are great for anyone who suspects they have any diagnosis, especially the "What exactly do I relate to?". Can really help your therapist or GP to look at your symptoms and point you in the right direction regarding assessment! And if your GP has never even heard of the condition you are referring to, always come armed with links to trusted sources (so, not tik to or youtube)
@11:40 - this is fantastic advice!
Now that I have properly finished the video, this is really sound advice. Thank you for sharing your experience in order to help others! And help therapists like me better understand this complex disorder
Do you know the ETA of getting diagnosed with DID after already securing a board certified psychiatrist who can diagnose you
Jess, good to see you again. You are gorgeous as always!
Speaking on the lived experience of DID." That is perfect Jess!
And congratulations to you and Gaz on the arrival of Isabella. Eve is a big sister!
It's nice to see you guys again. You're the voice of reason in the DID community, we need you guys so bad. Sending love
You guys?
..Only Jess was fronting though
@@danculbert6349 So what?
@@danculbert6349 I know, I was referring to all of them
@@diddiaries6068 but you said "its nice to see you guys again" ..but you only saw one of them
@@danculbert6349 I think Jess posted on IG that she is not considered to have DID anymore, which is wonderful news since final fusion was her goal!
I feel like this advice fits every diagnostic path for mental and physical health.
Ohh I suppose that’s true 😄
Welcome back! I do not have DID but I found it interesting watching your videos in the past.
Same
Same welcome back.✌️👌💖❤️😁👍.
I’ve been following you on Instagram recently and have been eagerly awaiting for you to post a video! I’m over the moon for you as you are now DID free!!! SO amazing!! Once you had posted about pursuing final fusion awhile back, I knew that it was something that I wanted to pursue for our system as well in treatment. Your bravery in sharing your journey with us all has literally helped change my life! I’ve been able to share your channel and the CTAD clinic as resources for my trauma therapists to use in her practice. You have impacted so many others!
A big, huge congratulations and massive well wishes to you, Gaz, and your precious daughters!!💗
From, A long time fan, wife and mother of 5 from Ohio, USA
It's lovely to see you so happy and healthy Jess! It has been a long road, and I'm just glad to have been able to be a part of it. I'm literally about to cry! I first found your channel when I was 18 and newly at college, and while I never subscribed (I don't tend to do that for a lot of reasons) I loved popping in to catch up on your journey and how you were doing. It's amazing how I can hear and see bits of the boys, but can also see how you have fused and become what you are. I'm so happy for you. Best of luck and I can't wait to pop in again!
I am afraid I can't really get a diagnosis.
My therapist acknowledges it, but to be diagnosed fully, I would need to see a psychiatrist that specialises on DID and that would mean a stay in a trauma hospital with a waiting list of 1 1/2 years.
My therapist knows it's real, nurses in my facility know, I know and my friends know. I can't do any better right now.
A glaring inadequacy of the “get a diagnosis” mentality is it’s refusal to acknowledge very real class and privilege barriers that exist for a huge portion of people that restrict their ability to get officially diagnosed for whatever reason. Your best is more than good enough if it’s what suits your life. Nobody has to prove their disorders to anybody.
I mentioned in the video that sometimes we start treatment before getting an “official” diagnosis (or maybe never!) and in the grand scheme of things, does it really matter if we have a diagnosis if we’re getting the treatment for it?
That’s what I think a lot of people who accuse others of not having their disorder and saying “well are you diagnosed???” Are missing.
while I do agree with the other answers, I want to say; get on that waiting list (if you're able...I know not everyone has universal health care). Not for the diagnosis, but for the form of treatment. I've waited for 2 years for my last stay (thanks to the panini) and it was worth it. Getting intense specialized therapy can make a huge difference. Ofc seeking help in the meantime is important too. I wish you luck and hope you'll find the resource that helps you most
@@MultiplicityAndMe True, thanks ❤️
@@Hamusutaru I don't really think we want to do inpatient treatment. That is also an issue I have with that. I think we should be able to get a diagnosis and to be monitored in a day clinic or in our nursing home, where we are not ripped away from our work that we love and our support system.
I was inpatient for a year and it was really hard and it was necessary at the time, but it reaaaaaally wasn't for us.
Gaz’s “Bye!” was so adorable. All such great advice Jess, I love to see you happy and thriving 🖤
Lovely to see you making content on such an important topic! It's a delicate thing to discuss but you do it really gracefully and it's a voice of reason a lot of people really need. I went through a rollercoaster of denial and confusion when I learned about DID and things started "making sense". I was diagnosed not long after since my therapist had seen a couple cases before and spotted it early on. I remember telling myself to just consider it a "maybe", and that allowed an open mind and also a way to go back into denial if prying got too scary. It ended up being a big comfort that I relied on a lot the first couple years.
Just recently found out I have Chronic Complex Dissociative Disorders. Watching your journey through the years gives me hope that I can handle this and recover from my trauma. 💚
you sould so excited about having a mental illness. whats wrong with you. oh wait...
ur look in this vid is giving major courtney love vibes and im here for it
Thank you Jess, I really appreciate the way you have used your platform, how you carefully made the information you delivered safe for people with PTSD to access, and provide more information about Dissociative Disorders and Trauma to people who might need to know more about this in order to understand relatives, patients and loved ones. No other drama added, just very clear and precise lessons and kindly delivered valuable information. That is something that resonates with me deeply and I will be forever thankful for the way you provided valuable information so and managed to make it so accessible and also safe to access. I believe your bundle of information about Mental Health, PTSD and DID was a life saver to at least a bunch of people, and helped people to take steps towards agency and recovery one step at a time.
Oh my days! Congrats to your family, how beautiful. So lovely to see you back again - we have missed you and your gentle insights. Thank you for your words. I've found in Australia it's similar and we have very little public mental health care unless you're in absolute crisis. Fingers crossed this changes.
So pleased to see you back! We've been mainly working on internal communication with parts for almost a year now. Had DID diagnosis confirmed by our last private psychotherapist and his supervisor last summer. It's been a long journey and have had to deal with a lot of self-doubt, denial and myself feeling very conflicted and being harsh on myself.
Your videos have been invaluable support for us throughout this time and really validate our experience. Hope you're all doing well xxx
We are very lucky 2 have been diagnosed with D.I.D by our NHS Consultant Psychiatrist, though it has took three years of consistent symptomatic chaos and multiple hospital admissions. We've been under services since age 10 n we're 36 now! It was only by chance we got a fantastic CPN who has stuck by us n relayed her opinions to our Dr. I do think professional help is SO important, whether u get a diagnosis or not. Great video Jess n all.👍💞🤗💖
DID is often overlooked and misdiagnosed. Many psychiatrists do not believe that DID is even possible. I have also noticed differences in acceptance based on culture. Many believe that a shattered psyche is not whole again until fully integrated. Personally, I do not believe integration is always possible. Anyhow, those who live with DID, know you are not alone. Learn to accept yourselves,regardless of what the rest of the world thinks.
Yes and also each alter could have other diagnosis such as anxiety, ADHD, and depression. So it’s definitely overlooked from what I’ve seen.
@@mitsuko6274 extremely difficult when pharmaceuticals get involved.
Hey, are you guys ok? I know it's only been 3 months since this video but I'm worried about you. Just know that we (your viewers) are here for you.
This is such a helpful guide, not just for DID but for any invisible problem. I don't have DID or any known mental concerns but I have had an uphill battle with trying to get diagnosed for other things. I like the steps you lay out here just in general
One of the (many) things I love about your channel is how you tactfully speak of others who may not be as helpful as they try to be. Congrats on your expanding family, and sending so much love to you guys! 💖
You've helped me so much. I had been having symptoms of DID since...well...a long time. Friends that got actually closer to me used to even comment "why are you talking different?" I am mostly co conscious so i do remember a lot of experiences which made it harder to distinguish....but the older i got and the more trauma i kept kn experiencing....in addition to the trauma from my childhood...i began to have the scary memory lapses as well. The first time i actually learned more in depth about DID...i had a seizure...i think my brain was trying to protect me because i was going through another very traumatic experience at the time. Then one night several months later something clicked. I was able to get honest with myself. About how some of my earliest memories as a child were of me finding comfort in dissociating....me googling my symptoms that id been having for as long as i can remember...even being four years old and finding comfort in going into a dissociative state...like it was a warm blanet or hiding place. I have gotten professional help since...and had found that my alters had been there all along and were actually disagreeing about when and if they would reveal themselves. I actually kind of stumbled upon my realization and everyone had an OH SH!T moment and we had a rough time for a bit.... it was very uncomfortable at first...feeling like i wasnt in control.... But I've been working very hard and realize that each part of me developed out of love and support. Even my rough around the edges parts that front when I've been in some very very ugly situations to protect me.... We have all come to the conclusion that we all need to heal. Just wanted to share a bit of my story... And let everyone know you're not alone... And i thank you so much for sharing your story and your journey and have helped me in getting help (I'm going on almost 3 years now) . You have such a healing and gentle demeanor. keep being amazing 💕
Hiya! Any updates? 😊
Been diagnosed since 2020 after describing my experiences to a trauma therapist, but had related to other systems after watching Encina Severa for a little bit and realizing my experiences are similar to many systems (And having a massive breakdown after realizing).... Turns out we're polyfragmented and have survived some scary things 😬
hello from a fellow polyfragmented system :]
@@theNoctifloralParacosm Us too!
It's been 4 years since my then Therapist suggested that I might have autonomous inner parts (he wasn't a professional in dissociation or trauma). Since then I've been in trauma focused hostpitals (once inpatient and twice outpatient) and last year after my first stay at outpatient care, I got the OSDD1-b equivalent in the ICD diagnosed. The moment the therapist said that, the system was euphoric (most of it). I've just been released from my second treatment round there and my one-on-one therapist said it's partial DID (as described in the ICD11) for sure and might be full on DID. For me and a lot of the headmates, the diagnosis was incredibly important for validation and to quench some of the self-doubts. Ofc, there are some alters that still try everything to put all of it back in its box. But I managed to finally communicate with some alters, one even went to one-on-one therapy, which was awesome and scary.
Hope you're having an awesome day
It's great to see you back, Jess. Of all the videos about DID, so few if any cover the topic of approaching a professional for a diagnosis, or on how to approach in regards to getting help, so thank you so much for doing this! I hope you're doing as well as you look to be!
I can hear and see so much Jake, Jamie and a smidge of Ed in this and it makes our collective heart soar LOL. We miss the guys but its so great you're doing so well and lovely of you to keep making new content even though you're coming out the other side of all the "DID years" (for lack of a better word) I'm at the same place in healing and it feels totally different nowadays than yrs ago when you and I were in the throws of trying to learn everything we could and our alters were everywhere all the time ahahha Great vid Jess!
THANK YOU Jess, thank you from the bottom of my heart for making this video, I was really waiting for somebody to cover this topic and you are the only one who had the guts to do it. This a very very important topic, self diagnosis can be dangerous is some instances, and your guide will surely help both those without a diagnosis and the community of people who has an actual diagnosis.
You never let me down... ❤
Ps: Sorry for my language, I hope it was correct or at least decent... I'm Italian. Also, thank you for your content in general, it really helped me after I got my diagnosis of DID.
Thank you for the reminder of the DSM’s putting people in checked boxes thing. And the condition(s) someone could have and the idea of self dx I have mixed feelings about now and ones involving identity and dissociation, and politely urging anyone doing that to do so with serious amounts of critical thinking, ruling other things out, and take time discerning and allowing the possibility of not being accurate. Also, there’s the denial that could lead someone away from this being accurate too. This was a good one thank you very much :)
I subscribed during the seemingly hiatus hoping that one day you would pop up in my feed and I'm so happy! Welcome back to your system, you've all taught me a whole lot about DID although I don't know anyone with it, just in case I ever get to know someone with it!
Not the point of the video or anywhere near the most important thing, but you are SO pretty! Your makeup is stunning, you’ve curated such a lovely image for the video - and then there’s the courage and vulnerability and hard-won wisdom you’re displaying, which is a whole other level of beautiful ❤️ Glad to see you back!
You helped us to realise what we were dealing with, and now we have gone from 15 alters to 4!
I had to keep pushing when I was on the nhs mental health team, and then after 5 years of mental health services I received my diagnosis of DID.
I kept thinking that I was putting it on, or making it up, but I was proven wrong every time.
Even though I’m not one person yet, I was discharged from services and told I have to live with it, despite people like Jess have made a full recovery from it.
I’m still having trauma responses, so I don’t know if I was meant to be discharged or not.
Anyhow, we’re happy for you! 😁
Lovely to see you again! Congratulations on your growing family ❤️
Hi Jess!! I’ve been following your Instagram so it’s not like I haven’t seen you but it’s so nice to have you back on TH-cam. Thank you for the video 💕
As someone who has been left without treatment, I can say that research has saved my life. CDS don’t require you to live near by, they find the appropriate therapist and send them to you so anyone in the UK could ask their GP the refer them there. The Dissociative Experiences Scale questionnaire is helpful to take to your GP/MH team. I personally believe diagnosis is important, it gives us language to explain our experiences, it also allows us to access other services. Without it they can’t access funding.
YAAAAAAAS! You’re back! I missed seeing you on YT! 💖💖💖💖💖💖
Same Welcome back.✌️👌💖❤️😁👍🙋.
For me, a diagnosis was important so that other people would treat me right. I know, that's "just" ableism, but it still exists. If I had said "hey, I'd prefer if you used plural pronouns, because I suspect I might have DID", almost no one would've taken me seriously. That's why, when I just suspected it, I only told my boyfriend and no one else... I knew people would not accept my experience. Now that I have a diagnosis, people are much more willing to treat us like we're a system and not like we're a singlet, which made a huge difference with acceptance (in ourselves). Before I got the diagnosis for dissociative amnesia I would always say "I'm sorry, my memory is really bad, I will probably not remember x / I do not remember x" and people would treat me like I was just not trying hard enough. Now that I can say "I'm sorry, I don't remember this. I have amnesia", people take me much more seriously.
Which is sad. I know it's sad and should be different, but it doesn't change the fact that it's reality.
I was extremly lucky that when I started to suspect I had DID, I was already in therapy with a psychologist that happened to work with systems. He even had it as a suspected diagnosis himself, just hadn't told me yet. That's why between me suspecting it and me getting diagnosed where only... three months? Something like that. So really not a lot of time where I would have wanted to tell people. But some people have to wait years. (Or they will never be in a situation where they will be able to get diagnosed.)
And yeah, in theory just saying "I suspect I might have DID" and getting treatment for that suspected DID and just keeping the option open that it could be wrong... in theory that's not a big deal.
But since we live in an ableist society, it suddenly becomes one if you want to get accommodations for literally anything. Okay, some of those you might also get with "just" a diagnosis of PTSD or Depression or something that's easier to identify. But definitely not all of them. And if you need them, than you really have no other choice than to self diagnose.
So what I think should be happening is (okay, a: people should stop being ableist, but that won't happen anytime soon).
TRY to seek out a professional.
And if that's not possible, think really long and hard about what aspects of your life would be improved by saying "I have DID" over "I suspect I might have DID" and if those are worth self-diagnosing for. And if the answer is yes and you cannot see a professional (anytime soon), then self-diagnose, but only then.
Or move to germany and enjoy our phantastic health care system, where money is not a problem (well, at least not in that aspect) and you're basically guaranteed to get to see a specialist (it just might take a few years!). #NotSponsered
(I know you can't just suddenly move to germany.)
Hello, fellow (possible?) German system here. I've suspected it for years now but never really figured it out, mainly because I was scared of the truth. Would you be so kind to let me know how and where you got your diagnosis?
(I totally understand if you guys are not comfortable with that!)
@@Jo-yk4fd So, we where in therapy (for ptsd) with this random therapist in NRW. He once mentioned that he suspected we have amnesia and we were like "no!!!! never!!", so he didn't mention it again. Then a friend of ours got diagnosed with DID and we watched a few videos about it because we didn't really know what it was. And the whole time we felt like those systems were describing our own experiences. So we told our therapist that and he went "yeah, I was suspecting you have that too". We did some questionaires on DID and I told my boyfriend, which let to some alters actually introducing themselves to him. After that it was clear that we had in fact DID and he diagnosed us. I don't know if the name would help, it was near Münster. Aside from that I know two therapists in Hamburg that work with systems and also the UKE (Uniklinikum Eppendorf) does DID diagnosis, if I'm not mistaken. (We once went there but didn't like the therapist.) (Didn't know if I should write german now, so I stuck with english. :D)
OHMYGOSH! Congratulations to you all and Hello Isabelle, welcome to the World! That's so awesome, so so happy for you! Another great amazing video, thank you So so much Jess and team for everything you all do! Love ya all and missed you so much! - Daxx
Having known my own experiences and how I've come to understand them through my time growing up and now as an adult, I'm finally seeking out a specialist due to being able to afford it somewhat now. Honestly it's such a scary thing to try and handle completely on your own so having any amount of guidance is gonna be amazing. I've done my research in order to better understand my own symptoms and issues I've had, and I've definitely seen both accurate and inaccurate sources. When I was still a teenager I had my suspicions and did self diagnose, and at first I was terrified at the thought. As more years passed and more things surfaced I began to understand myself a bit better too. Now I've been seeing a specialist and confirmed a lot of my suspicions and worries.
I can definitely say this, no matter what you think you may have going on, the right counselor/therapist/specialist can be incredibly helpful and fulfilling.
I was a bit apprehensive with the avoiding self-diagnosis and I do agree that people do need to keep an open mind and get help when possible (sometimes it's not possible because of living situations or financial trouble). I do see where your points are coming from and I was pleasantly surprised at your stance because the thumbnail did seem like you were totally against people looking too deep into things that might explain their experiences. It also is good to keep in mind that there are those who are living in countries who do not have free healthcare and are unable to see a professional. They should try to see a professional as soon as they can if they are able to and, like you said, keep an open mind. I hope this makes sense.
Edit: spelling errors
Hi guys!👋 So great to see u back! Love to u all.😊💖
Hi jess! welcome back! i've missed you so much!! you look amazing!!
I have been looking out for your new video and its finally here!
This is great to see! Especially since I actually got diagnosed just a year ago, suspected I had it two years ago. At the time I had a psychiatrist that wouldn't even try to understand and seemed to think I was faking it. I got new help and researched for people that specialized in DID/OSDD. I was willing to still hear I didn't have it, but turns out I did. Just so you know this is a US experience and in the US therapists can diagnose. UK and US are different in that way.
I've had my diagnosis for 7 years now and it took almost 11 year prior to that for them to figure out what was wrong on top of my ctpsd, add, and bpd. Total mess but it's been so nice to know what up and finally be able to get treatment to the best of my financial ability and we have basically no heath care
its so good to see you back !! do you think in the future, you could make a video about did in children and teenagers ? people never really talk about how it presents in non-adults so it would be really interesting to learn about :D
It starts to manifest in early childhood or teenage years but making a DID diagnosis takes time. It could take several years as an active participant in the mental health system to receive an accurate diagnosis.
From what I've read most people do not become aware that they have DID or OSDD until adulthood, so I'm not sure there would be any literature on that.
That’s a good idea, but it’d be very difficult to have a full video on since most cases don’t present until adulthood. The exceptions to that aren’t enough to have reliable data. Jess takes a very researched approach, and there’s just very little research on how it affects people under 18 because it’s so covert, especially in teens and children.
This is so late bruh but I remembered your channel and rewatched the DID actor videos and they make me like, cry. Bro idk it’s such a strange and visceral reaction to seeing all the alters like, be themselves. And be comfortable as themselves (even tho they are actors) and to really like, meet meet them because I can see their own physical way in communicating other than through words. It’s really cool idk just thought I’d share that those videos make me cry not from sadness but just extreme emotion
Oh wow!😍 Just watched the end of the video. Baby Isabelle is beautiful! Congratulations!😊💖
So happy to see you again. Just got off work and saw you released a new video. I ALWAYS learn so much. You are deeply appreciated 💖
Welcome back! Jess you look amazing. I’ve learned so much about DID from your system. It’s been one of the most informative and amazing experience watching y’all. Thank you so much for all your videos and even uploading this one.
I’ve definitely missed y’all. 🤍
Thank you 🥺💗🙏🥰
In the US doctors dont like when you write down your symptoms. They view that as doing their job for them and self diagnosing especially if you say "low blood pressure" instead of "dizzy" - the question you'll get would be "did you use a blood pressure cuff for that conclusion?" Its sooo pompous
Your channel has been a wonderful resource for us! And I am so blessed to have gotten to see how much you have grown over these years. You really are a valuable voice on TH-cam and it was so exciting to see you come up in my notifications today.
Tree and I don't know if this is DID that we have but we have learned how to work together so much better in this body since finding you as a resource. ❤️
In the US giving a diagnosis of something is more common because that is what therapists use to bill the client's insurance. However, getting someone who specializes in DID or even being able to afford therapy in the first place is not possible for many. Those are just the differences for the US that I see.
I found an IFS therapist, and after recurving many emails saying that they couldn't help me, I finally was able to talk to one therapist. I told her this is what I feel is going on, I don't have a diagnosis, I don't care if you diagnose me or not, I just need someone to help me, and then we started to work together. I ended up with OSDD and have recently gone through a final fusion that I'm still figuring out how all of that feels and works, but that's what happened for me.
So happy to see you again and unrelated but I love how your dress matches those gorgeous roses in the background! ❤️
Super happy to see you back! Congratz on the family addition, really happy for all of you and looking forward for future videos!
So nice to have you back! Thanks for all you fascinating and informative videos!
I don’t have DID, but I do love this channel because I come from a family with a history of mental health issues and I watch a fair few mental health channels because it’s my version of group therapy (lol, I know). Multiple members of my family have hypochondria, and you talking about ‘transference’ made me really happy. Growing up in that environment, I see a lot of people who actively partake in self-diagnosis and it makes me super nervous, and I rarely see mental health TH-camrs talk about not getting away with diagnosing yourself. Thank you for doing that.
I've been waiting for this! Thank you for making it!!!
Unbelievably pleased to see a new video from you 💜
We legit cried when we saw this video in our notifications! Welcome back! Hope y'all are doing well genuinely good to see you again ☺️
-DJC System
I’m so glad to see you back! If it weren’t for your wonderful channel, I likely wouldn’t’ve learned so much about these complex topics. You’re always so genuine and honest with your experience, which is hard to find on TH-cam. Thank you for talking about these things.
One thing I do want to point out that in the US, many health insurance companies will give a low rate for therapy ($25-40/session), but almost no psychiatrists take insurance. They are normally $200-500 an hour in some cities. Even with insurance, if you can find a doctor who takes your private insurance it’s still $150+, so many people in America I know work with a therapist who suspects a diagnosis but it isn’t certified to legally diagnose. It’s frustrating, so many people who are “self-diagnosed” actually have mental health professionals that agree but can’t put it on paper for their client.
How much does it cost to go the private route in the NHS? How much under the NHS?
NHS will cost ZERO! My therapist I see privately through a charity is £40 for 50mins. My friend's shrink in Harley Street was considerably more.
@@KatieM786 oh ok! So in the US if you have insurance, and if that insurance plan covers mental health, therapy sessions are typically $25-40, without it each session would be $100-200 depending on what the therapist charges. So even your private pay in the UK is what we pay if we also buy insurance.
That is a great point. Even some conditions cannot legally be diagnosed by psychologists or psychiatrists. For ADHD, for example, there is a comprehensive evaluation that you need to have and it costs $1,000-2,000. It is also required to retake it every 5 years to keep your diagnosis official. Many schools, hospitals, and businesses maintain that you don't need to redo an ADHD evaluation within 5 years to maintain it, but others that follow official guidelines (like universities) make you retake the evaluation to get support. Thankfully, my university offered the test for free, but that can be quite expensive or impossible for people seeking diagnosis for some conditions if they are in a location that both follows the 5 year rule and doesn't offer free testing. Insurance might cover it. So the situation definitely differs based on what you are trying to diagnose and who can diagnose it, for sure. For my experience it was worth it, but I've had it diagnosed for 22 years and have only been tested twice, clearly most people don't enforce the 5 year rule. Since different countries have different rules, I still think this brings up important questions to ask for the diagnosis of any condition.
Amazing to see you back, Jess! I'm in the grey area at the moment. The only thing on the NHS I have access to is psychoananlytic therapy and that's not doing much good by way of safety or stabilisation as it's just so cold.
I have a dissociative disorder, although it hasn't been said what it is. I don't know if I want to know exactly what it is. All I know is that I depersonalise and derealise a lot, and I seem to have a few different parts that are me, but at different ages. My partner has seen blending and shifting and I don't really know what to do.
Anyway, seeing this is so refreshing. Psychogenic illness is no joke and TikTok has so much to answer for. I love how compassionate you are. And baba is beautiful x
Fantastic video! I feel like I'm in a grey area you're talking about here. One therapist suspected DID, we couldn't find someone else to give a diagnosis, a few therapists later I met one who steered me away from anything to do with DID, but she's a trauma therapist who's knowledgeable about trauma and dissociation, and I'm seeing her currently. The BEST thing she did was (politely) scrap any mention of DID and make me describe everything from scratch. At first I hated it and was worried that she wouldn't actually be able to help, but the value in having to really reflect on exactly what's going on was so important. Not only can we more easily get to the issues, but I'm discovering a lot about myself and I feel far more confident in my ability to handle dissociation and trust the various parts of myself, now that I have a more genuine understanding of what's going on for me. It's almost like any diagnosis of DID or OSDD would just get in the way at this point, if I'd even meet the criteria, considering my dissociation has improved so much since I started with her. There are some lovely people in the DID community who have helpful information and great insight and advice though, so I still stay tuned to what they have to say!
Hope you have a lovely day and thanks for making this video!
So glad you are back! I missed the uploads, your videos help our system out SO MUCH! Honestly we’re professionally recognized and that’s all the validation we need :)
Yesss we missed you!!
So nice to see you. Thank you for taking time for us. You must be extremely busy working mom & wife. Wow, isn't it amazing. You have helped me immensely.
Btw in the states, if you are fortunate to live near a teaching university sometimes one can seek treatment there. Its free to very low cost. Its students that are supervised by drs/ professors. In my case they wanted to film the sessions, after all, it is a teaching University. I had good luck there. Once a professor interviewed me, he suspected a dissociative disorder. He sent me to a trauma specialist. The specialist was willing to work with my budget. Actually for a time. It felt like i had a team, the student therapist, the professor & trauma specialist. It was hard work, yet overall a good experience. And the student was very interested. She even got a job in the local area. It's just a possible option.
Lovely to see you on here again! You look great and seem very grounded. And your voice has changed as well, thats so interesting! And what you are sharing is beyond importand for those who are struggling to find the right way and people to help them with what they're going through❤️
I stumbled across the topic of DID by total accident and just like you said, it all suddenly made sense. The only thing I was lacking were amnesia barriers, for the most part, so at first I wasa little bummed out but then oh wonder, I came across the word "OSDD" and the world made sense again.
I had one therapist in the past who actually took me serious, talked to each of my headmate and gave all of us the feeling we are valid and important. Then she left.
Sadly, I do not trust our current therapist enough to tell her about the others or hint at my/our suspicions, I did tell her that I have other people in my head (something along the lines of that, don't quite remember) but she doesn't understand and often says things like "Just call another one to help you if XY happens.", so I am stuck in this loop of wanting a diagnosis but being too ashamed/afraid of doing so.
I do not claim to have OSDD, all I know is that I'm not alone in my head and I want to know why I feel this way. It's exhausting. Sorry for the rant.
thank you for this video! currently waiting on getting therapy (thank you NHS waiting times), where i mentioned my dissociation and general trauma history in the screening so im really hoping that'll take me somewhere. im still debating on whether i want a written, confirmed diagnosis, or just a mental health professional to say 'hey, i think you have this thing but you're being treated for it anyway'. there's pros and cons in my mind to both but im just going to see where life takes me XD
your information is presented as very clear and concise, and as someone who is in the process of seeking treatment i found your tips and input surrounding such to be useful :D
So glad you are back! Welcome back! I love all of you and I am glad to see you seem to be doing very well! Good for you!
So good to see you back! 🥰
I'm so happy your back, I love your videos. Their always so calming and clear. This video especially is what this generation needs to hear! And you said it so well!
I'm so glad to see you back! I hope you're doing well, and I look forward to seeing more videos!
I love the color of your lipstick! It’s a perfect shade for you!
Welcome back Jess!! You look great and it's lovely to hear from you again!
Glad to see you're doing well, I've missed you!
Great to see you doing a new video! We've missed these!
Thank you for discussion the self diagnosis topic so differenciated instead of just saying: "Self diagnosis is valid and whoever disagrees is ableist and don't know you at all." A lot of symptoms overlap and it's very difficult, even for professionals to find the right diagnosis and the right treatment for the right person. Relating to certain people with certain illnesses is one thing, but it's another thing whether you actually have the same illnesses or whether the things you relate with can be part of neurotypical experience. E.g. a lot of autistics like to repeatedly watching the same shows, but that doesn't only acquire to autism. Some neurotypicals also find comfort repeatedly watching shows, or it could be something different like ADHD. So, in each case, it's important to view the topic in a nuanced way instead of immediately putting on a self diagnosis. It's our common desire to search for explanations and a sense of community and often, it takes a very long time to get diagnosed and find your explanations, but correctly diagnosing yourself isn't very easy and can often be misleading
So precious to see you and your family again. Thanks
So happy to see you guys again here.... I was missing you...
OMG I WAS JUST THINKING ABOUT YALL LAST NIGHT OR TWO NIGHTS AGO!!! I was really hoping for an update but I was starting to think you weren't coming back 😭
Edit: it might just be me, but I feel like I can hear a bit of everyone's voice. Baby Isabelle is so cuteee!!!!
I heard a little of everyone’s voice too!
I feel like getting the official DID diagnosis actually helps me to accept that I have it and I'm not left wondering if I have to "prove" something to the next professional I might see. It especially on the days where I don't believe it myself, and my alters are playing havoc in the background because I'm pretending they don't exist.
I'm so happy to see you again! I'm so glad someone trustworthy also found out about their disorder around 15 and started seeking help after that! That happened to me! Your journey hit home a lot, and I hear a lot of people saying that you can't know what you are until you're around 30 years old or something. This is such an important topic to talk about! A lot of people have been spreading misinformation online lately about DID/OSDD or teaching others about it without the intervention of a professional and sometimes it can be problematic. I've had people tell me about their undiagnosed DID without knowing I also had *diagnosed DID, but all of their symptoms were extremely overt and matched every single symptom DID Tik Tok talks about. Some of it was problematic, and could make others demonize people with DID.
*My doctor focuses on symptoms more than a diagnoses. He told me he didn't want to put it on official paperwork do it didn't hendir me in the future. He validated my experience and is treating me for it, but I asked for a diagnoses and he made me ask myself why I wanted it so bad. I came to the conclusion that I wanted it to prove it to myself so I wasn't so filled with doubt. He told me that a piece of paper won't fix my need for validation. If I doubt myself now, I will always have that grain of doubt. Most people do. He told me that the only validation that matters is mine and his, because he's treating me. (And my psychiatrist, but she can't necessarily treat me for it like my psychologist can). His view on it has changed my mind on an official diagnoses. He made me realize that a piece of paper may not fix all my problems, but cause some for me in the future. He told me, "A diagnoses from me doesn't matter as much as the treatment. I can treat you for anything without an official piece of paper saying I can or can't. You need a diagnoses from your psychiatrist for medicine reasons, but I can treat you for anything we need to." He made me realize I don't really need it! It lifted a weight off my shoulders! I worked so hard to find a doctor that believed me, and I found one, and he made my life easier in a way I didn't even realize would be easier.
I love the points you made! They really hit home and made sense to me! I wish a lot more people would be careful with the information they spread without research or fact checking. At some times, it has ruined my support from others because of the misinformation others spread, but luckily I was able to clear things up with sources and research.
Love you all!!! Hope to see another video from you soon! And I hope the kids are doing well!!! ❤️ from all of us here at the Dizzy System!
WELCOME BACK!! I'm so excited for this video!
thank you so much for all your videos! as someone suspecting DID, this video came at the perfect time. your insight is so valuable to have!
So happy to see a new video of yours😍😍 just last week I was wondering if and when something new is gonna come😊
We've been wanting to get an official diagnosis for a while. We discovered our system a few months ago (and have been realizing since then the dozens of signs from our childhood that most of us were here back then) and we're pretty sure we have OSDD1 and not DID, since we don't forget what happens with the body when someone else is fronting. The main barrier we face with getting a diagnosis is being able to afford it (USA healthcare system, yay /s), followed by the fear of judgement and being ostracized from our family
Welcome back Jess! This video was lovely as always and Isabelle is just the sweetest!
Welcome back I absolutely love your videos and just wanted to say glad to see your still posting and hope you all have a great day or night.💖💖❤️✌️👌😁👍🙋.
It's so nice to see you back on TH-cam!
Even if it's only for a short time, it is lovely to see you again!❤
It’s so lovely to see you back on YT Jess! Isabelle is adorable 💕
My partner and I live in the US, and we also had to be clear about what he wanted and needed for mental health care when we suspected he had depression. He doesn't have DID but it seems to be a pretty universal thing that sometimes doctors just assume the type of treatment you want, or try to push you in a certain direction, especially if you're not sure what you need. For example, our family doctor wanted to increase the dose of his anti-depressant when we both thought his condition was fairly well-controlled. He was ready to just go along with it, but I asked him in front of the doctor, "Do you think you need more medication? Or are you happy where you're at?" And only once he said he was happy did she clarify and say that he didn't have to take the medication if he was doing good; it was only there if he needed it.
welcome back jess! thank u for this insightful video ❤️
Welcome back! I'm super happy to watch this video!😊
How wonderful to see you again!
So glad to see you back! Don't let people on Twitter tear you down. So much of Twitter is childish these days. Keep on keeping on, your videos are always great ❤️
Happy with what you’ve spoken but I will need to disagree. It’s far easier for the non POC community to get any form of diagnosis. At that a proper one. We have the world against us for many many things. Personally it’s great that YOU got a diagnosis. And got finial fusion, but it’s easier said than done for those of us with low income, who can’t even get a “on paper” diagnosis for sometbing we know we have.
Totally agree, diagnosis is 100% a privilege in so many ways
Perfect timing lol, I live in Australia so things are a bit different here but this video really helps give me an idea of what I should start looking into at least, which is great because I was starting to get extremely stressed about what to do. This video was very reassuring
Australian gang
So glad to see you again! You are looking so lovely, I love your hair! I am so looking forward to anything else you'd like to share ❤️