i was recently diagnosed with DID. i always assumed that the initial ongoing trauma was far too minimal to give me such a complex dissociative disorder, but i'm now learning that my window of tolerance was very slim. thank you for this video
Also understand that we minimize the trauma, abuse and neglect. We make excuses for our perpetrators. As you go through your healing journey, I'm pretty confident you will find how strong and resilient you were and are, and find that what was done to you was worse than you remember. Sorry, I'm not trying to get you to create a self fulfilling prophecy. I'm just saying what most people like us find out over time. It boggles the mind how people can be so cruel to children. But then their caregivers were cruel to them. And so on. And so on.
As a 50+ yr. Old man that once was that voiceless child. I have the Worst criminal record ever because I never healed.. spent most of my Adult life in prison. Been out and strait for 9 yrs. And healing on this journey. Thank you
This is actually a really good representation of why little kids need more care, attention and support as well. They just don't have the same capacity as an adult for dealing with trauma and neglect.
@@JesusLightsYourPath unfortunately they are far more vulnerable with far less resources to deal with trauma or protect themselves from abuse. This is why DID exists as a survival mechanism for childhood abuse, it is the lengths the brain has to go to in some cases in order to protect the especially vulnerable child. While DID can present or be diagnosed much later in life, it is formed in the sensitive formative childhood years.
I always explain my DID as plants. Most people grow and develop a sense of self like a tree; they have one main trunk that eventually, with age, branches out into other interests and ideologies. With DID, my personality grew more like a shrub. From the very beginning, I branched off into many separate directions without having a main “trunk” all of my ideologies were in touch with.
I explain it like matter to the older people I know (alters can be created but cannot be destroyed) and explain it as more than one aunt and sometimes an uncle, to younger kids like My 4 year old niece who mentioned I seemed like someone else and asked about it
I like the plant analogy. Personally I'd liken it to a plant pot: Usually, there is one young plant, seedling or seed in there. They grow, branch, and sometimes even develop flowers, etc. With a trauma plant pot the little seedling already develops into several offshoot which grow and branch. It's important to keep in mind that those plants too can develop beautiful flowers.
Imagine not noticing you have osdd until 20 y o because you have no idea what normalcy is. Then escaping the primary abuser and toxic household, ctpsd happened and then being front stuck as a part who received almost all abuse in order to save other parts of psyche. I forgot everything she remembered and never noticed what she had been through while I lived with an abuser. This part activated only when I escaped the toxic household. 9 years of hell and only recently I started to understand what is wrong with me. I started to reconnect with other parts of me and finally my most traumatized part can have some rest and let others play around. She deserved some rest.
Good illustration of how trauma is still there even in adulthood. It doesn't matter at that point where trauma or stress comes from. The fact of the matter is that it needs a place to process. If the places are full then there will be problems.
All of my places were full when another huge trauma was revealed in 2017. I went to bed for five years. I couldn't reconcile why until now. Thank you ✌️❤️
I was never taught as a kid why you shouldn't give kids the full story. Kids should be held to the same performance standards as adults, right? The glass analogy finally taught me a lesson I've never understood, thank you. I'll be using this in my own family soon.
You just gave me such an important revelation - thank you!! I was suuuuuper parentified & always felt suprt competent, able to handle everything thrown at me like a grown-up. Now I understand why that's actually inappropriate.
I’ve been passionate about dissociative disorders for a while now (despite not having one) and this channel has done a lot for me. This is the best resource I’ve seen so far on the newest theories in this field and things that you just don’t find in the scant amount of resources we (the general public) have so far. Tonight, I was inspired to finally look into going back to school and formally specializing in dissociative disorders (if only I could just stop working a 9 to 5 job and do research on my own. I have like 4 thesis I want to look into lol)
I wish you every success! Things like this take time, but the field of dissociation needs champions like you. The 9 to 5 is still important though, bills have to be paid!
Do try and make sure to talk to people with the disorders you're studying, please? Someone's lived experience is always going to be more valuable than anything from a textbook, especially with something like dissociative disorders and plurality, where medical abuse is really common.
This is kind of random but lmk if you find anything on dissociative disorders and gender/sexuality because it always infuriates me that I can't find anything about it. Like I feel like systems would make a prefect test bed for figuring out how our identities form. Since we all run on the same hardware but some have varying identities.
My system and I of 230+ truly appreciate people like you who want to learn and help and even go into schooling for it. We need more understanding and caring people like you.
Actually a very useful venue. I could feel part of me saying, "Hmm, it's okay to spill water outside. Maybe it'll be okay to spill some other stuff. He didn't have to do it perfectly. Outside was a safe space." Thanks, I think I'll keep that imagery.
Wow...I am a very visual person, and this is the best way I have ever seen of trying to conceptualize how DID forms and what it is! I am currently in treatment and this really helps me to make sense of what is going on inside of me. Thank you!
WOW!!!! A simply fantastic method of making something so complex comprehended or understood. Littles were very close to the front (due to the reference to children) and were saying "Yeah, like he said. We holded that water for you." Thank you for this. Stay Safe, Be Well, and help others to move beyond the pain. Most Kindly, Cloud (Host), with a touch of our 5 littles
Five Pieces of Nine, our littles did the same thing! :) Sat near the front and listened to Dr. Mike. This really helped them to understand why I always say "thank you" and "well done" and "I'm so proud of you." Now they get it. They realize how strong and brave they have been. They also liked the part of the video where he pours the water out of the small vessels and then says that the parts get to choose what happens next, because they have thoughts and feelings, too. My littles were like, "Heck, yeah."
That was so so emotionally helpful, I’ve never been able to understand that my brain acted in my best interests to ensure my survival. “Seeing” it in the way you compassionately demonstrated gave me an “oh my god” moment of compassion for my selves. Thank you.
Thank you! From the bottom of my heart, thank you. Nobody recognises my complex trauma despite me saying it is repeated over a long time... finally I have a resource I can use to explain and justify my perspective. Trauma is not isolated but a lot of the time it is treated in this way
@ 4:37 "Apologies for the messy water handling"? While that edit/add passing banner comment shows a high degree of conscientiousness, I can't imagine who would mind, or think such an apology is due. I was actually impressed by the planning and carrying out of the task in such a perfect place, in such a clever way. The water which spills can go through the spaces on the outdoor table, and the pan was a great way to manage and represent the overflow. Also, the sounds of the birds and the lovely scene in the background is really appreciated (and helps create a bit of grounding serenity while contemplating the realities many of us have lived).
This was a great visual on how my parts formed. There was just too much, lots of overflow, for my little body and mind to handle. I'm still struggling to accept this all, but this helped me understand. Thanks.
This is a wonderfully perfect example of what I've been trying to explain to not only my parents and friends but my therapists and doctors my whole life. It's all scary and confusing, but this explanation really helped put into words what I've been trying to explain.
My stepson sent me this. I just learned yesterday of his alters, etc. (He’s done a lot of research into this topic.) This video is excellent in the way it illustrates DID/OCDD, how and why they occur, and what the next step is (therapy). Thank you.
This video is an excellent visual. I carry a diagnosis of DID. I have fully differentiated parts, and my therapist and I are working on communication within the system, so everyone can work together rather than against each other and keep my safe. Recently. I’ve noticed more undifferentiated parts as well. Is that something you see among others individuals with DID? I’m working on understanding each alters trauma, but I’m scared to find out what they went through that I’m unaware of. Thank you for taking the time to make this video. DID seems to be glorified on social media, and it does such a disservice to those living with this devastating disorder. My background is in social work - I got my MSW many moons ago 😉 In my Assessment and Diagnosis class, we spent only 10’mins on DID and our professor said”it’s rare, you likely won’t see it in your career. It’s as common as Schizophrenia. I don’t think DID is rare, it’s just rarely diagnosed bc so many don’t know what to look for. Again, thank you. I look forward to seeing more of your videos.
I appreciate you also casually but importantly noting that sharing traumas with another person doesn't make it go away. That person then also must process what they've taken, even willingly. Sharing is quite literal.
Great video ! I was diagnosed with DID about 4 years ago. I don’t tell many people but when I do decide to tell someone I find it hard to explain. This representation is very helpful.
This is such a great analogy and visual representation. I've had a trauma filled life from childhood to adulthood, and when severe chronic pain manifested right after leaving my first long term relationship with an abusive person, it just felt like I was 'too full'. I couldn't hold anymore. There was just no more room. There had already been too much. For the last 8 years I have been working on solutions and building resilience alongside more traumatic experiences. I know I am much more resilient now, but my cup is still being filled as fast as I can empty it. I will never give up though as long as there is still a chance for healing and I have a daughter to support to be resilient and not go through what I have. Thank you so much for this.
Thank you for this. This helps me a lot. I discovered my OSDD on Feb 21, 2023. This is the first explanation I heard to explain where my one other consciousness came from and how she’s protected me from repeat trauma in my life.
This is a really effective way of putting it. My name is Quinn. I am the protector and caretaker of this system. In our case, host is autistic, and to survive, we had to learn how to endear people to us to receive the closest thing we could to “love”. I believe that is partially why I was formed as what I have come to call a “social alter”. I am the alter that comes out whenever we need to socialize, whether it be a gathering or our cashiering job. I am charming and witty, and I pick up on social cues host does not, mainly through pattern recognition which can be faulty. This also means I know how to play those subversive social games better than host. I can be passive aggressive and overtly blunt about defending us if the need arises. Host has realized that this noticeably startles people because it is such a flip from her passive personality. The glass of water analogy translated to my existence would be that I have a lid on my cup with a small hole poked in it. I do not absorb emotion or trauma as easily, and this is so I can concentrate on social interactions and defensive actions to protect the system. That said, there is still potential for my cup to fill over a longer period of time…
"host is autistic" its impossible for only one alter to have a mental diaorder. they may hold more autistic traits than other alters, but you are all autistic, because you share the same brain :)
At 4:41, no apologies necessary, Dr. Mike. We think you did a great job. It's a very clear and easy to follow explanation. Our system liked this, especially the littles. :) Much appreciation for your work.
This is such a fantastic representation of DID/OSDD and I thank you for taking the time to make this information so accessible. This is such a misunderstood area of psychiatry and living with it is terrifying and exhausting not least because so is the process of sharing the experience and finding adequate support. This is an invaluable link I will most definitely be saving and sharing.
I genuinely love how this is explained! We're a plural system and we haven't found a good way to explain it. Also i want to add some alters that form may not hold trauma, this can help process trauma later on and handle big tasks. Really only 3 of us hold trauma while the others dont. They help us function and heal, especially from how often the traumas repeated at the moment. Also thank you so much for not saying the end gole is to integrate and instead the systems choice. I got so scared that would be said that I stopped breathing lol. - Rio ☕
Excellent. Thank you so much. We've been struggling to kind of verbalize how we're all kind of clumped together and what things looked like early on. With this in mind, I was able to map it out in a way that left so accurate to my experience. This is great. Might send this to my therapist
One of the best done videos on mental health. My criteria in judging such videos is not based on how much information is presented but how much the presenter gets right. Your analogy of water works very well. You did a great job. We all agree.
That was very helpful as always. Seeing this visually like this is a very powerful way to help make sense of it all. Having disorganized attachments or lack of attachments adds to the lack of resilience building. Even now my resilience is sometimes still so low, but therapy is helping to empty those glasses out some what. Thank you.
I cried watching this. Brilliant and heartbreaking explanation. Apparently, I started suffering from DID since this body was 7 months old. Diagnosed in 2018 and we are 33 alters at the last count. Before, I could hear 2 or 3 alters in very specific moments but ignored we were an actual system. Thank you so much for the video and don't worry about the mess with the water. It needed to be messy. -Carlota.
@@thectadclinic These days I feel the alters quiet and its a priceless sensation. I am enjoying it as much as possible and feel my essence as Carlota because this doesnt happen often and doesn't last long. We usually live in multiplicity and work as a team :) Thank you, doctor ❤
Thank you for this great explanation. I have DID with hundreds of alters. Much of my system is suppressed, so I have no idea how many alters there are. This is the first explanation I have seen that makes sense.
Thank you so much for this video I’m French and I am so thankful to be able now to explain clearly to my family what DID is because of the visual image thank you 🙏🏼🙏🏼
Thank you for this visual representation of DID/OSDD. I have just been diagnosed with OSDD. I am confused because a psychologist has diagnosed me DID someone from USA. But I have found a psychologist here in Adelaide South Australia that specialises in complex trauma. I don’t understand why I have different diagnosis? It’s very hard to grasp this and trust people with the things that have happened to you. Not many people have the understanding of this. I am apprehensive to talk about my past as I don’t think I will be believed, or getting into trouble for talking about it.
Thank you so much for this explanation. I've been doing EMDR for almost a year now and my therapist has been very good at working with me explaining the formation of my parts due to trauma but I find it very hard to explain to my partner so hopefully this will help us both.
This is such an interesting way to explain it. I already have a pretty good understanding of how it works, but I know a lot of people don’t even with explanations. You did a great job explaining it and I’m sure it will really help a lot of people to have a visual example to help them understand.
Thank you so very much Dr. Lloyd. You have given the most superior explanation of DID I have ever found, anywhere, in all my research for many sources. I just wanted to let you know. ❤️🙏 Vrinda
Absolutely loved this video! I even shared it because we're so sick of people not understanding we are not crazy for having this condition. People, including psychologists, are just so ignorant about this disorder. We are doing our own therapy. It is just better and easier. Looking forward to watching more content from your channel.
I am so glad this helps. It was fun to do, and really seems to have worked well for many people. There is still so much to do with raising knowledge, though.
@@thectadclinic we just found out a little over a month ago and have dealt with a lot of people calling us crazy, attempting to isolate us themselves out of fear and ignorance, as well as abusing other systems regularly since that time. The irony, is we didn't believe in the condition ourselves, despite that we "knew" we had it, and so did everyone else in our life. It's really deplorable to see how many people will go out of their way to abuse someone with this disorder. You wouldn't do that to someone with depression, but more than happy to with a person who has a condition caused by trauma and abuse. So, we want to help. We are a very well fortified system and possibly the largest and most sophisticated which has ever existed. We may have tens of thousands of alters in totality. So we have a new goal now... to raise awareness and education, and to aid research as much as possible. We're nearly at 300 named alters in a little over a month, have mapped 74, and made decades of therapy progress all on our own. We're excited to see what we can learn from your clinic and the ways in which we may be able to reverse and dispell some of these archaic stigmas surrounding the condition.
Still working with my mental health team to figure things out/ get me in for new diagnostics.... Currently diagnosed with BPD and Bipolar type 1.... Past diagnosis of ADHD/ depression.... Possibly autistic ( son is diagnosed ADHD/ autistic) feels like , when I was unconsciously trying to fit in... I kept throwing the parts/ mannerisms/ wants that seemed to cause me to be perceived badly or treated badly.... Into a hole... More and more mirroring whoever I most wanted to feel acceptance from ..... At 17 I pulled some of those out to consciously make a mask to try and protect myself from a bad boyfriend, that later felt more and more like it's own separate being doing things "I" didn't want... While "I" was just saying " no, no,no" in my head. Now , idk, but it's like all those things that I tried to push down ... Some of em mixed up into some cohesion and are now trying to come out
This helped so much!! I think deep down I always had a feeling but didn’t know just how much my alters were doing for me. Thank you for the visuals!! I learn better this way.
Ahh I’ve been trying so hard to figure out if it’s just my imagination or it’s DID and,, between the hours and hours of research I’ve done and this visualisation of how alters form, I think it’s time to have a conversation with my psychiatrist and therapist ;w; I’ve been battling with myself over this for years. Hopefully reaching out will help me learn to communicate with my potential system, as I’ve pushed them so far away that I struggle to consciously understand them, though they do influence my behaviours at times and those amnesiac barriers can get in the way of everyday life. It’s difficult explaining what’s happening in my mind, as it has always been for me, so I hope this will help me accept myself and move forward to stop feeling guilty for my brain just trying to help. 💖
@@Brian-lk4bh It hasn’t really gone anywhere yet unfortunately ;; I have a fair few diagnoses so it makes it more difficult to determine if these are just symptoms of those things, or if it’s DID/OSDD. It’s super frustrating, but all I can do is just share my experiences more and make it clear that it _is_ distressing and I’d like to be screened for it even if it turns out it isn’t DID/OSDD. I’m willing to be wrong, but someone has to take my concerns seriously first.
@@agent__berry yea that’s tough, but i totally understand you, i have quite a long story but it’s basically the same thing you’re going through, the differing between what’s real and what’s not, i had this huge mental crisis thing happen last year and it lasted like 5 months, but i was fortunate to “snap” out of it. it was like i was finally at peace with myself and knew my purpose in life, ig my mind noticed that, that i started to “regain” memories, they were like flashbacks, deja vus, dreams in a way of things i apparently did but don’t really remember doing, deja vu is really the best way i can describe it. it also kinda opened my eyes and made me realize that the two friends i had were never real to begin with, ig at some point in my life i created them and they just fit into my memories, everything i remember doing with them, the sleepovers the conversations they were all in my head, idk it’s kinda a lot but i haven’t really gone out to talk to anyone about it yet cuz i just don’t know.
I find your videos so informative and calming during what is a very frightening and stressful time for me, so thank you for providing such easy-to-understand and helpful information.
This video has been so amazing for helping up explain our system to others. Thank you for this (and the whole channel really) 🖤💙 Have you thought about doing an applied DID crash course video for supportive friends and family? This one does a great job of showing what happened and why, but some baseline advice for people who want to help but don't know how would really fill a gap in the resources we've found. - Orin's Pack
Hi Dr Mike thank you very much again for all your videos. They are very helpful, informative and encouraging for myself with DID & considering a family member who may be as well. That sounds like it’s all fine and easy but it isn’t as you would know. It’s hard work and painful and difficult but like you say it’s worth the effort. I need to remind myself if that. Please continue with your work and uploading videos it is very much appreciated 💫
This is quite helpful. I had a strange experience with this as a good example, but instead of a new part forming to take on more, one that already exists relinquished its job to someone on the outside. Another human being outside of us, who can be trusted, has been adopted into the system as part of the community in the effort to heal/integrate the system. I never hear any talk about these kinds of things, I am curious about others' experience in healing and changing as a dissociate system.
if youre saying that somebody from your outside life seemed to have appeared within your system, this is called an introject. your brain decided that this person would be helpful in dealing with trauma/stressors, so the brain copied that person's traits, possibly even their appearance/voice/name/age.
@coomingduck that is quite interesting, and I'm jot sure that's what happened. This person only appears in my dreams as far as "on the inside" but otherwise it was basically as if my alter trusted an outsider to do an insiders job. I'm sure it probably is introject but there is so much static and chatter that it's hard to tell. My alters tend to evade communication with the host. Thank you for the info, that is very helpful!
I learn visually and this is actually a way someone has explained things to me before- Im autistic, ADD and Depression- though I cant remember my childhood so I have no idea what happend. Been dissociative still do it but I just been told its bc of me being Autistic and getting overwhelmed- I have met systems and been friends with the hosts of two different systems. So I did alot of research of these but this is one of the best ways I have been told that makes sense too.
"It does a better job than i have here" spills water everywhere 🥲 Dude ive not seen any dissociation case that isnt messy lol This was a really good visual and video! 😊
That's what it kind of feels like sloshing around in the brain : tension builds up behind the eyes, other areas fill up offering no place to think, other areas build up with other events trying to link them to a present situation in which only paranoia is the only thing that fits. Left to continue , all the sloshing water can do is bump into another compartment spilling and filling untill finally the spill gates can let a little out. Of course untill something is done , understood or modified , the cycle will continue with another sinario. Yep. That's a fantastic illustration.
Movies depict this disorder as a lightbulb that can only be turned on or off. In fact, it is more of a spectrum of symptoms with a spectrum of manifestations as well. Us as a system still have memory of lifetime, we loose some information about how we felt in a certain situation in the past. - Gregory.
I always thought my trama wasnt that extreme and that it wasn't possible for me to have DID, but I have learned is that it was just sustained over such long peroids of time (and wasn't as little as I assumed I was just used it) but this has more than helped us understand
The only problem I see as one with DID is that those glasses of water representing the alters with trauma don’t actually empty. They are there for life. That trauma does not go away. It’s there. Processing it is one thing but it doesn’t “empty” as depicted in the imagery.
Thank you for this clever illustration, which will be very useful to show to others who can’t see the glasses and therefore expect me to be just like them and when I let people down with broken promises they take offence because they are not interested in taking the time to investigate my challenges. When I meet someone with some medical diagnosis, I always investigate it so that I can be a better friend and help with some solutions as I have a lot of experience healing myself holistically. This has led me to completely cure my friend with schizophrenia with a gluten-free diet and niacin and NAC. He has come off 47 years of horrible drugs. I wish the cure for DID was as simple as diet though obviously the diet helps a lot with the emotions. Unfortunately for me when my mother died, I was 40 years old and had nursed her for a year and was just left with my very evil father and I had run out of glasses as I had filled the over 300 that were available. I completely lost my mind and the lunatics took over the Asylum. This may explain why I am always buying glasses and mugs in Charity shops and I am very particular about which ones are use, 😂😂Namaste 🙏💜🙏
Thank you for this video... I've been questioning having DID or just partial DID. I've been reading lots of stuff from medical sites, proper medical guides and more this has all been very confusing for me (I know there is a chance it's not DID and could be another dissociative disorder). I have a lot more obviously I have not talked about here but yeah this video has helped me understand DID a bit more. I'm hoping to get to a proffesional soon
i´m so impressed by your demonstration and explatation, it is a deep emotional game changer for me - thank you from the botton of my heart and mind 🌷☀️ -- I would like to share your words, demonstration and knowledge with the german youtube community and want you to ask, if it is ok, to use your content of these video? lovely sunny greetings from the north of germany 🌼
i was recently diagnosed with DID. i always assumed that the initial ongoing trauma was far too minimal to give me such a complex dissociative disorder, but i'm now learning that my window of tolerance was very slim. thank you for this video
You are most welcome. I hope all goes well for you!
Also understand that we minimize the trauma, abuse and neglect. We make excuses for our perpetrators. As you go through your healing journey, I'm pretty confident you will find how strong and resilient you were and are, and find that what was done to you was worse than you remember.
Sorry, I'm not trying to get you to create a self fulfilling prophecy. I'm just saying what most people like us find out over time. It boggles the mind how people can be so cruel to children. But then their caregivers were cruel to them. And so on. And so on.
As a 50+ yr. Old man that once was that voiceless child. I have the Worst criminal record ever because I never healed.. spent most of my Adult life in prison. Been out and strait for 9 yrs. And healing on this journey. Thank you
thanks for sharing this ❤
Good for you, brother. Keep on upwards and onwards ✌
I hope you're finding you are more than you thought you were
Me too, been out since 2017. Good luck to you.
The proudness I feel you for committing to yourself and living good 💎💙I hope you and your family are doing well
This is actually a really good representation of why little kids need more care, attention and support as well. They just don't have the same capacity as an adult for dealing with trauma and neglect.
children are more resilient than adults
@@JesusLightsYourPathnot true
@@Cryptiddartfrog Well that's what a professional psychologist told me when I spoke about my abuse with him.
@@JesusLightsYourPath he’s gaslighting you. Find a new therapist
@@JesusLightsYourPath unfortunately they are far more vulnerable with far less resources to deal with trauma or protect themselves from abuse. This is why DID exists as a survival mechanism for childhood abuse, it is the lengths the brain has to go to in some cases in order to protect the especially vulnerable child. While DID can present or be diagnosed much later in life, it is formed in the sensitive formative childhood years.
I always explain my DID as plants. Most people grow and develop a sense of self like a tree; they have one main trunk that eventually, with age, branches out into other interests and ideologies. With DID, my personality grew more like a shrub. From the very beginning, I branched off into many separate directions without having a main “trunk” all of my ideologies were in touch with.
I explain it like matter to the older people I know (alters can be created but cannot be destroyed) and explain it as more than one aunt and sometimes an uncle, to younger kids like My 4 year old niece who mentioned I seemed like someone else and asked about it
I like the plant analogy.
Personally I'd liken it to a plant pot:
Usually, there is one young plant, seedling or seed in there. They grow, branch, and sometimes even develop flowers, etc.
With a trauma plant pot the little seedling already develops into several offshoot which grow and branch.
It's important to keep in mind that those plants too can develop beautiful flowers.
Imagine not noticing you have osdd until 20 y o because you have no idea what normalcy is. Then escaping the primary abuser and toxic household, ctpsd happened and then being front stuck as a part who received almost all abuse in order to save other parts of psyche. I forgot everything she remembered and never noticed what she had been through while I lived with an abuser. This part activated only when I escaped the toxic household.
9 years of hell and only recently I started to understand what is wrong with me. I started to reconnect with other parts of me and finally my most traumatized part can have some rest and let others play around. She deserved some rest.
So sorry for what you have been through and are going through. It was never your fault and you don't deserve it. I wish you the best in healing.
@KellyPosey thank you, sweet person!
Sending you hugs and I hope you're doing better as well.
Good illustration of how trauma is
still there even in adulthood. It doesn't matter at that point where
trauma or stress comes from. The fact
of the matter is that it needs a place to
process. If the places are full then there will be problems.
Thank you, very good point. The nature of the trauma has to be understood by impact and consequence as much as the type.
All of my places were full when another huge trauma was revealed in 2017. I went to bed for five years. I couldn't reconcile why until now. Thank you ✌️❤️
I was never taught as a kid why you shouldn't give kids the full story. Kids should be held to the same performance standards as adults, right? The glass analogy finally taught me a lesson I've never understood, thank you. I'll be using this in my own family soon.
Glad it has helped!
You just gave me such an important revelation - thank you!! I was suuuuuper parentified & always felt suprt competent, able to handle everything thrown at me like a grown-up. Now I understand why that's actually inappropriate.
I’ve been passionate about dissociative disorders for a while now (despite not having one) and this channel has done a lot for me. This is the best resource I’ve seen so far on the newest theories in this field and things that you just don’t find in the scant amount of resources we (the general public) have so far. Tonight, I was inspired to finally look into going back to school and formally specializing in dissociative disorders (if only I could just stop working a 9 to 5 job and do research on my own. I have like 4 thesis I want to look into lol)
I wish you every success! Things like this take time, but the field of dissociation needs champions like you. The 9 to 5 is still important though, bills have to be paid!
Do try and make sure to talk to people with the disorders you're studying, please? Someone's lived experience is always going to be more valuable than anything from a textbook, especially with something like dissociative disorders and plurality, where medical abuse is really common.
This is kind of random but lmk if you find anything on dissociative disorders and gender/sexuality because it always infuriates me that I can't find anything about it. Like I feel like systems would make a prefect test bed for figuring out how our identities form. Since we all run on the same hardware but some have varying identities.
I would love to be included on your list as well.
My system and I of 230+ truly appreciate people like you who want to learn and help and even go into schooling for it. We need more understanding and caring people like you.
Actually a very useful venue. I could feel part of me saying, "Hmm, it's okay to spill water outside. Maybe it'll be okay to spill some other stuff. He didn't have to do it perfectly. Outside was a safe space." Thanks, I think I'll keep that imagery.
Wow...I am a very visual person, and this is the best way I have ever seen of trying to conceptualize how DID forms and what it is! I am currently in treatment and this really helps me to make sense of what is going on inside of me. Thank you!
Love your description of parts forming. I wish trauma just went away when our cup overflowed! That would have made life a lot easier.
It really would, hopefully you find a way of managing it!
WOW!!!! A simply fantastic method of making something so complex comprehended or understood.
Littles were very close to the front (due to the reference to children) and were saying "Yeah, like he said. We holded that water for you."
Thank you for this. Stay Safe, Be Well, and help others to move beyond the pain.
Most Kindly, Cloud (Host), with a touch of our 5 littles
Thank you to you all!
Five Pieces of Nine, our littles did the same thing! :) Sat near the front and listened to Dr. Mike. This really helped them to understand why I always say "thank you" and "well done" and "I'm so proud of you." Now they get it. They realize how strong and brave they have been. They also liked the part of the video where he pours the water out of the small vessels and then says that the parts get to choose what happens next, because they have thoughts and feelings, too. My littles were like, "Heck, yeah."
@@nunyabizness3890 Right?!! :- P
@@nunyabizness3890 Thank you, your comment helps.
That was so so emotionally helpful, I’ve never been able to understand that my brain acted in my best interests to ensure my survival. “Seeing” it in the way you compassionately demonstrated gave me an “oh my god” moment of compassion for my selves. Thank you.
Yes very helpfull, I might 1 day copy it in dutch
Thank you! From the bottom of my heart, thank you. Nobody recognises my complex trauma despite me saying it is repeated over a long time... finally I have a resource I can use to explain and justify my perspective. Trauma is not isolated but a lot of the time it is treated in this way
Lovely to see resilience described as something other than "strength" (high resilience) Vs "weakness" (low resilience).
I’ve been diagnosed with CPTSD and DID. I’m scared and I’m happy that this video exists. Thank you
Thank you, I hope it helps.
What were your symptoms?
@ 4:37 "Apologies for the messy water handling"? While that edit/add passing banner comment shows a high degree of conscientiousness, I can't imagine who would mind, or think such an apology is due.
I was actually impressed by the planning and carrying out of the task in such a perfect place, in such a clever way. The water which spills can go through the spaces on the outdoor table, and the pan was a great way to manage and represent the overflow. Also, the sounds of the birds and the lovely scene in the background is really appreciated (and helps create a bit of grounding serenity while contemplating the realities many of us have lived).
Thank you!
This was a great visual on how my parts formed. There was just too much, lots of overflow, for my little body and mind to handle. I'm still struggling to accept this all, but this helped me understand. Thanks.
This is brilliant, as always-and the accompanying birdsong was so calming! Thanks very much for this ❤️
The birds are ever present, I may do a mindful walk video to accompany them!
This is a wonderfully perfect example of what I've been trying to explain to not only my parents and friends but my therapists and doctors my whole life.
It's all scary and confusing, but this explanation really helped put into words what I've been trying to explain.
I truly wish this had been around 30 yrs ago...glad that people are finally speaking out about what causes all of this
At 0:25 -- WE LOVE the birdsong! Love it! Thank you! Much better than music.
My stepson sent me this. I just learned yesterday of his alters, etc. (He’s done a lot of research into this topic.) This video is excellent in the way it illustrates DID/OCDD, how and why they occur, and what the next step is (therapy). Thank you.
I appreciate you sharing this because I am going to use it for my son. Wish I didn't have to.
This video is an excellent visual. I carry a diagnosis of DID. I have fully differentiated parts, and my therapist and I are working on communication within the system, so everyone can work together rather than against each other and keep my safe. Recently. I’ve noticed more undifferentiated parts as well. Is that something you see among others individuals with DID? I’m working on understanding each alters trauma, but I’m scared to find out what they went through that I’m unaware of. Thank you for taking the time to make this video. DID seems to be glorified on social media, and it does such a disservice to those living with this devastating disorder. My background is in social work - I got my MSW many moons ago 😉 In my Assessment and Diagnosis class, we spent only 10’mins on DID and our professor said”it’s rare, you likely won’t see it in your career. It’s as common as Schizophrenia. I don’t think DID is rare, it’s just rarely diagnosed bc so many don’t know what to look for. Again, thank you. I look forward to seeing more of your videos.
Yea I think I have did but was diagnosed with shizophrenia
I appreciate you also casually but importantly noting that sharing traumas with another person doesn't make it go away. That person then also must process what they've taken, even willingly. Sharing is quite literal.
Great video ! I was diagnosed with DID about 4 years ago. I don’t tell many people but when I do decide to tell someone I find it hard to explain. This representation is very helpful.
This is such a great analogy and visual representation. I've had a trauma filled life from childhood to adulthood, and when severe chronic pain manifested right after leaving my first long term relationship with an abusive person, it just felt like I was 'too full'. I couldn't hold anymore. There was just no more room. There had already been too much. For the last 8 years I have been working on solutions and building resilience alongside more traumatic experiences. I know I am much more resilient now, but my cup is still being filled as fast as I can empty it. I will never give up though as long as there is still a chance for healing and I have a daughter to support to be resilient and not go through what I have. Thank you so much for this.
Lovely lovely, always look forward to your uploads ☺️
Thank you very much, so great to have your support!
Thank you for this. This helps me a lot. I discovered my OSDD on Feb 21, 2023. This is the first explanation I heard to explain where my one other consciousness came from and how she’s protected me from repeat trauma in my life.
This is a really effective way of putting it. My name is Quinn. I am the protector and caretaker of this system. In our case, host is autistic, and to survive, we had to learn how to endear people to us to receive the closest thing we could to “love”. I believe that is partially why I was formed as what I have come to call a “social alter”.
I am the alter that comes out whenever we need to socialize, whether it be a gathering or our cashiering job. I am charming and witty, and I pick up on social cues host does not, mainly through pattern recognition which can be faulty.
This also means I know how to play those subversive social games better than host. I can be passive aggressive and overtly blunt about defending us if the need arises. Host has realized that this noticeably startles people because it is such a flip from her passive personality.
The glass of water analogy translated to my existence would be that I have a lid on my cup with a small hole poked in it. I do not absorb emotion or trauma as easily, and this is so I can concentrate on social interactions and defensive actions to protect the system. That said, there is still potential for my cup to fill over a longer period of time…
"host is autistic" its impossible for only one alter to have a mental diaorder. they may hold more autistic traits than other alters, but you are all autistic, because you share the same brain :)
At 4:41, no apologies necessary, Dr. Mike. We think you did a great job. It's a very clear and easy to follow explanation. Our system liked this, especially the littles. :) Much appreciation for your work.
This is such a fantastic representation of DID/OSDD and I thank you for taking the time to make this information so accessible. This is such a misunderstood area of psychiatry and living with it is terrifying and exhausting not least because so is the process of sharing the experience and finding adequate support. This is an invaluable link I will most definitely be saving and sharing.
I genuinely love how this is explained! We're a plural system and we haven't found a good way to explain it.
Also i want to add some alters that form may not hold trauma, this can help process trauma later on and handle big tasks. Really only 3 of us hold trauma while the others dont. They help us function and heal, especially from how often the traumas repeated at the moment.
Also thank you so much for not saying the end gole is to integrate and instead the systems choice. I got so scared that would be said that I stopped breathing lol.
- Rio ☕
This is an amazing visual. I think we will likely use it in the future.
- Samuel
Excellent. Thank you so much. We've been struggling to kind of verbalize how we're all kind of clumped together and what things looked like early on. With this in mind, I was able to map it out in a way that left so accurate to my experience. This is great. Might send this to my therapist
Space doesn't always get mentioned but this video really clarifies the importance of it for managing or recovering from trauma.
This is an amazing and thoughtful way to demonstrate a complex concept in an easy to grasp manner - thank you so much
Thank you for this beautiful video. Like all your videos, you make us feel seen and understood.
Dissociation is a coping strategy. Your mind takes you away to forget the distress for a while.
One of the best done videos on mental health.
My criteria in judging such videos is not based on how much information is presented but how much the presenter gets right. Your analogy of water works very well. You did a great job. We all agree.
Thank you so much, that’s a very kind thing to say!!
That was very helpful as always. Seeing this visually like this is a very powerful way to help make sense of it all. Having disorganized attachments or lack of attachments adds to the lack of resilience building. Even now my resilience is sometimes still so low, but therapy is helping to empty those glasses out some what. Thank you.
I cried watching this.
Brilliant and heartbreaking explanation.
Apparently, I started suffering from DID since this body was 7 months old.
Diagnosed in 2018 and we are 33 alters at the last count.
Before, I could hear 2 or 3 alters in very specific moments but ignored we were an actual system.
Thank you so much for the video and don't worry about the mess with the water.
It needed to be messy.
-Carlota.
Thank you, Carlota. I hope you have good help in this journey!
@@thectadclinic These days I feel the alters quiet and its a priceless sensation. I am enjoying it as much as possible and feel my essence as Carlota because this doesnt happen often and doesn't last long. We usually live in multiplicity and work as a team :)
Thank you, doctor ❤
Love the birdsong. Good teaching.
This is the best explanation ever. I am really crying. That's so accurate. Thanks a lot! -Protector of a System
Thank you for this great explanation. I have DID with hundreds of alters. Much of my system is suppressed, so I have no idea how many alters there are. This is the first explanation I have seen that makes sense.
Thank you so much for this video I’m French and I am so thankful to be able now to explain clearly to my family what DID is because of the visual image thank you 🙏🏼🙏🏼
Thank you for this visual representation of DID/OSDD.
I have just been diagnosed with OSDD. I am confused because a psychologist has diagnosed me DID someone from USA. But I have found a psychologist here in Adelaide South Australia that specialises in complex trauma. I don’t understand why I have different diagnosis? It’s very hard to grasp this and trust people with the things that have happened to you. Not many people have the understanding of this. I am apprehensive to talk about my past as I don’t think I will be believed, or getting into trouble for talking about it.
Thank you so much for this explanation. I've been doing EMDR for almost a year now and my therapist has been very good at working with me explaining the formation of my parts due to trauma but I find it very hard to explain to my partner so hopefully this will help us both.
Very good, thank you for this great example.
This is such an interesting way to explain it. I already have a pretty good understanding of how it works, but I know a lot of people don’t even with explanations. You did a great job explaining it and I’m sure it will really help a lot of people to have a visual example to help them understand.
I like word pictures to describe concepts. Thanks!
This was so helpful. Thank you.
Thank you so very much Dr. Lloyd. You have given the most superior explanation of DID I have ever found, anywhere, in all my research for many sources. I just wanted to let you know.
❤️🙏 Vrinda
That is a lovely comment! I am so pleased it was useful for you, Vrinda, thank you for taking the time to share this positivity!
You’re most welcome Dr Lloyd. I’m happy you like my comment. Thank you
This is one of the best explanations I've ever seen! Thank you very much for your effort!
Thank you so much for your kind words. We’re really pleased you found it useful.
Absolutely loved this video! I even shared it because we're so sick of people not understanding we are not crazy for having this condition. People, including psychologists, are just so ignorant about this disorder. We are doing our own therapy. It is just better and easier. Looking forward to watching more content from your channel.
I am so glad this helps. It was fun to do, and really seems to have worked well for many people. There is still so much to do with raising knowledge, though.
@@thectadclinic we just found out a little over a month ago and have dealt with a lot of people calling us crazy, attempting to isolate us themselves out of fear and ignorance, as well as abusing other systems regularly since that time.
The irony, is we didn't believe in the condition ourselves, despite that we "knew" we had it, and so did everyone else in our life. It's really deplorable to see how many people will go out of their way to abuse someone with this disorder. You wouldn't do that to someone with depression, but more than happy to with a person who has a condition caused by trauma and abuse.
So, we want to help. We are a very well fortified system and possibly the largest and most sophisticated which has ever existed. We may have tens of thousands of alters in totality. So we have a new goal now... to raise awareness and education, and to aid research as much as possible.
We're nearly at 300 named alters in a little over a month, have mapped 74, and made decades of therapy progress all on our own. We're excited to see what we can learn from your clinic and the ways in which we may be able to reverse and dispell some of these archaic stigmas surrounding the condition.
Love this format!! The birds in the background and the sunny day make this very soothing
Brilliant simple visual! Thank you so much for this demonstration 💜
This is extremely helpful, thank you
I resented learned that 3 people I know are plural, and I’ve been trying to understand. This was helpful :)
Thank you so much for making videos
you are so welcome!
Still working with my mental health team to figure things out/ get me in for new diagnostics.... Currently diagnosed with BPD and Bipolar type 1.... Past diagnosis of ADHD/ depression.... Possibly autistic ( son is diagnosed ADHD/ autistic) feels like , when I was unconsciously trying to fit in... I kept throwing the parts/ mannerisms/ wants that seemed to cause me to be perceived badly or treated badly.... Into a hole... More and more mirroring whoever I most wanted to feel acceptance from ..... At 17 I pulled some of those out to consciously make a mask to try and protect myself from a bad boyfriend, that later felt more and more like it's own separate being doing things "I" didn't want... While "I" was just saying " no, no,no" in my head. Now , idk, but it's like all those things that I tried to push down ... Some of em mixed up into some cohesion and are now trying to come out
Beautiful video thank you this was very informative.
Thank you Dr Lloyd. This is very helpful and I will share your video with my friends :)
Thank you for helping me understand my diagnosis from another angle. ✌️❤️
What a way to think of it. this might be the most useful vid I've seen to show f and f.
Thank you, really glad it helped!
Thank you so much Dr. Lloyd! This was so helpful for me and for my family!
Very helpful visual!!
This helped so much!! I think deep down I always had a feeling but didn’t know just how much my alters were doing for me. Thank you for the visuals!! I learn better this way.
What a brilliant yet simple way of explaining all this. We appreciated it. Thank you 🙂
Thank you for this and your other videos. I was so excited to find these resources.
I really like how you explained this. It’s helped me understand my system better- thank you!
Thank you for this video! Very helpful
Ahh I’ve been trying so hard to figure out if it’s just my imagination or it’s DID and,, between the hours and hours of research I’ve done and this visualisation of how alters form, I think it’s time to have a conversation with my psychiatrist and therapist ;w;
I’ve been battling with myself over this for years. Hopefully reaching out will help me learn to communicate with my potential system, as I’ve pushed them so far away that I struggle to consciously understand them, though they do influence my behaviours at times and those amnesiac barriers can get in the way of everyday life.
It’s difficult explaining what’s happening in my mind, as it has always been for me, so I hope this will help me accept myself and move forward to stop feeling guilty for my brain just trying to help. 💖
how’d it go ?
@@Brian-lk4bh It hasn’t really gone anywhere yet unfortunately ;;
I have a fair few diagnoses so it makes it more difficult to determine if these are just symptoms of those things, or if it’s DID/OSDD. It’s super frustrating, but all I can do is just share my experiences more and make it clear that it _is_ distressing and I’d like to be screened for it even if it turns out it isn’t DID/OSDD. I’m willing to be wrong, but someone has to take my concerns seriously first.
@@agent__berry yea that’s tough, but i totally understand you, i have quite a long story but it’s basically the same thing you’re going through, the differing between what’s real and what’s not, i had this huge mental crisis thing happen last year and it lasted like 5 months, but i was fortunate to “snap” out of it. it was like i was finally at peace with myself and knew my purpose in life, ig my mind noticed that, that i started to “regain” memories, they were like flashbacks, deja vus, dreams in a way of things i apparently did but don’t really remember doing, deja vu is really the best way i can describe it. it also kinda opened my eyes and made me realize that the two friends i had were never real to begin with, ig at some point in my life i created them and they just fit into my memories, everything i remember doing with them, the sleepovers the conversations they were all in my head, idk it’s kinda a lot but i haven’t really gone out to talk to anyone about it yet cuz i just don’t know.
@ Berry : Dissociating is a coping stategy/ mechanism of your mind to help you to stay alive & allows you to forget the traumatic stuff for a while.
I world love to visit this clinic
I find your videos so informative and calming during what is a very frightening and stressful time for me, so thank you for providing such easy-to-understand and helpful information.
Thank you. This really helped me understand dissociation , trauma and how parts develop.
This video has been so amazing for helping up explain our system to others. Thank you for this (and the whole channel really) 🖤💙
Have you thought about doing an applied DID crash course video for supportive friends and family? This one does a great job of showing what happened and why, but some baseline advice for people who want to help but don't know how would really fill a gap in the resources we've found.
- Orin's Pack
Great to watch and learn. Just wish staff would be more willing to learn in these psychiatric hospitals. X
Hi Dr Mike thank you very much again for all your videos. They are very helpful, informative and encouraging for myself with DID & considering a family member who may be as well. That sounds like it’s all fine and easy but it isn’t as you would know. It’s hard work and painful and difficult but like you say it’s worth the effort. I need to remind myself if that. Please continue with your work and uploading videos it is very much appreciated 💫
Thank you!
Thank you for explaining this again. It helps with the imposter type thoughts flare up for me.
Glad it was helpful!
Wow, I really appreciate this!!
Best explanation !
This is quite helpful. I had a strange experience with this as a good example, but instead of a new part forming to take on more, one that already exists relinquished its job to someone on the outside. Another human being outside of us, who can be trusted, has been adopted into the system as part of the community in the effort to heal/integrate the system. I never hear any talk about these kinds of things, I am curious about others' experience in healing and changing as a dissociate system.
if youre saying that somebody from your outside life seemed to have appeared within your system, this is called an introject. your brain decided that this person would be helpful in dealing with trauma/stressors, so the brain copied that person's traits, possibly even their appearance/voice/name/age.
@coomingduck that is quite interesting, and I'm jot sure that's what happened. This person only appears in my dreams as far as "on the inside" but otherwise it was basically as if my alter trusted an outsider to do an insiders job. I'm sure it probably is introject but there is so much static and chatter that it's hard to tell. My alters tend to evade communication with the host.
Thank you for the info, that is very helpful!
@@enoch4499 of course!
I learn visually and this is actually a way someone has explained things to me before- Im autistic, ADD and Depression- though I cant remember my childhood so I have no idea what happend. Been dissociative still do it but I just been told its bc of me being Autistic and getting overwhelmed-
I have met systems and been friends with the hosts of two different systems.
So I did alot of research of these but this is one of the best ways I have been told that makes sense too.
the rates of DID in autistic communities is very high. a lot of comorbidity
Very helpful
"It does a better job than i have here" spills water everywhere 🥲
Dude ive not seen any dissociation case that isnt messy lol
This was a really good visual and video! 😊
Thank you, that really made me laugh!
That's what it kind of feels like sloshing
around in the brain : tension builds up
behind the eyes, other areas fill up offering no place to think, other areas
build up with other events trying to
link them to a present situation in which only paranoia is the only thing
that fits. Left to continue , all the sloshing water can do is bump into
another compartment spilling and
filling untill finally the spill gates can
let a little out. Of course untill something is done , understood or
modified , the cycle will continue with
another sinario. Yep. That's a
fantastic illustration.
Very very helpful x Thankyou
Movies depict this disorder as a lightbulb that can only be turned on or off. In fact, it is more of a spectrum of symptoms with a spectrum of manifestations as well. Us as a system still have memory of lifetime, we loose some information about how we felt in a certain situation in the past. - Gregory.
This is a great visual thank you 🖤🐺
Thank you, too!
I always thought my trama wasnt that extreme and that it wasn't possible for me to have DID, but I have learned is that it was just sustained over such long peroids of time (and wasn't as little as I assumed I was just used it) but this has more than helped us understand
Glad this helped you!
Great example
Thank you!!
that is genius, the best analogy i've encountered, alll of it including how messy the affair of redestributing is!
The only problem I see as one with DID is that those glasses of water representing the alters with trauma don’t actually empty. They are there for life. That trauma does not go away. It’s there. Processing it is one thing but it doesn’t “empty” as depicted in the imagery.
The experience that caused the trauma nevers changes, but the impact of it definitely can.
Thank you for this clever illustration, which will be very useful to show to others who can’t see the glasses and therefore expect me to be just like them and when I let people down with broken promises they take offence because they are not interested in taking the time to investigate my challenges.
When I meet someone with some medical diagnosis, I always investigate it so that I can be a better friend and help with some solutions as I have a lot of experience healing myself holistically. This has led me to completely cure my friend with schizophrenia with a gluten-free diet and niacin and NAC. He has come off 47 years of horrible drugs. I wish the cure for DID was as simple as diet though obviously the diet helps a lot with the emotions.
Unfortunately for me when my mother died, I was 40 years old and had nursed her for a year and was just left with my very evil father and I had run out of glasses as I had filled the over 300 that were available. I completely lost my mind and the lunatics took over the Asylum. This may explain why I am always buying glasses and mugs in Charity shops and I am very particular about which ones are use, 😂😂Namaste 🙏💜🙏
Thank you for this video... I've been questioning having DID or just partial DID. I've been reading lots of stuff from medical sites, proper medical guides and more this has all been very confusing for me (I know there is a chance it's not DID and could be another dissociative disorder). I have a lot more obviously I have not talked about here but yeah this video has helped me understand DID a bit more. I'm hoping to get to a proffesional soon
Thanks!
Thank you so much! Birds sound beautiful 😁
Thank you
i´m so impressed by your demonstration and explatation, it is a deep emotional game changer for me - thank you from the botton of my heart and mind 🌷☀️ -- I would like to share your words, demonstration and knowledge with the german youtube community and want you to ask, if it is ok, to use your content of these video? lovely sunny greetings from the north of germany 🌼
Hi, thank you for your kind words, and yes, it is free for you to share with others. If you can add subtitles, that is also fine!
4:44 i thought u handled the water very expertly 💜
@@sjahope A bit of mess seems to go along with the subject matter, nothing clean and tidy about this work!