Dissociative Identity Disorders and Trauma: GRCC Psychology Lecture

10:25 - Talk starts 31:00 - BPD v. DID 45:35 - Schizophrenia v. DID 1:19:00 - Q: So what are we even treating? A: To get a better answer, we should be thinking more about childhood trauma. 1:27:29 - Errors of Logic and Scholarship Concerning DID 2:04:44 - What might cause these errors? 2:09:55 - Audience Questions

I noticed about 80% or more of the clients I worked with who had severe mental illness were survivors of abuse. Wouldn't it be nice if society could know this and de- stigmatize mental illness and stop filling our prisons and jails with these crime victims.

The “a child’s memory is different, and may experience and categorize a traumatic event in a different way” thing helped so much, it finally clicked. I knew I’d never been sexually abused (as a child anyway) by my parental abuser, but I still always had a part of me that felt sexually violated and still can’t hug my dad. But then I realized, just because no molestation ever happened…I still was having my “private areas” (butt) being abused being hit with hand or belt in a highly ritualistic manner and being told that was love…like yes, I wasn’t sexually abused thank god my parents never got off on it, but no I’m not crazy just because a part of me still feels extremely sexually violated, because I was.

Children who grow up suffering from abuse, neglect, violence do not develop a sense of inner self. This leads to BPD and DID. As a sufferer, I can say that I received treatment for depression early in my 20's. It lasted till my 30's. My 30's and 40's were a hellish roller coaster ride. Today, having just turned 60, I have learned to cope so I can function and Antidepressants keep the ideations away. I remain hollowed out on the inside and have to re-invent myself on a regular basis. It is exhausting. But never boring.

It’s great to hear someone talk about the biased focus of medicating people with mental illness and the lack of focus on psychotherapy!

Colin Ross is knowledgeable because he is the author of the first textbook on the diagnosis and treatment on dissociative identity disorder, published in 1989. There are still many misinformed professionals today regarding DID. It is alarming. All mental health professionals should listen to this lecture and take notes. this should be a compulsory lecture for medical students. I am speaking as a retired psychiatrist of over 40 years of experience.

I got DID diagnosed three years ago (I am 44 years old). (If I make mistakes, please ignore them - English is not my mother language. I am from Germany) Back to my diagnosis: I am 'highly funktional', as my therapist often mentions, got no time losses (maybe minutes, but not more), always 'in the backseat', as I describe it, when an other part of me is driving the car, that looks like my name. Until a few years ago, I didn't know, that this is DID. I got severe depressions sometimes, anxiety as well, but no wonder, with a highly manipulating, gaslighting, narcissist mother (I am the familys black sheep). I always thought, that this is normal, that you got a few persons living inside you, with their own feelings, desires, different ages and sexes. I thought that this is only my fantasy (I am a talented painter, I write books and so on ...). I would never fear to be alone, because I got always someone to talk to. And I also got no memorys except for a few in the age of seven to 15 years. Before 7 years, I don't remember anything. My therapist suggests, that I have been severly emotional neglected and abused (no physical or sexual abuse, as we can say - or I don't remember anything). In my case, the thought, that my other parts will integrate or otherwise disapear, frightens me. We are a well functional and most of the times a happy family - all of me. And so, I think, I am one of the very few 'lucky ones' with DID, that are doing well with all their persons inside. But it is still sad, that here in Germany (and I am sure also in other countrys), when you tell someone about DID (I told it 3 persons since I knew it), that they ask at first: "And which one is the bad one?" Or "Is there a murderer?" and other bullsh### . There is lots of educational work left to do. (Spoiler alert: THERE IS NO 'BAD ONE')

Just watching this alone has cleared so much up for me and the more I feel validated the more I get on a healing path

Maybe... Like.. stop abusing kids? This is a horrific outcome and many families are causing this to their own family members.

Well this was validating. I had a DID diagnosis and it shook my world. 20 years of trying to deal with my mental health has culminated in this, so far. I have an ACE score of 10/10. Despite this, I’ve accomplished everything I’ve wanted to (so far) and can manage most days. But disassociation is a plague and makes it unbelievably difficult. It is such a complex and confusing thing to experience. But childhood trauma does not have to ultimately define you.

Thank you. I feel affirmed at 67 years old. I experienced both confirmation & illumination. I have tears & gratitude for the doctor's research, instruction, critical thinking, & empathy.

I was in a psych ward at one point, it was the trauma unit he spoke of that specialized in DID among other things, and we had a group with this dude over video conference. Honestly, it was one of my best stays in a psych ward. This guy knows his shit and the few conversations I had with him were enlightening.

as someone who has DID i really appreciate the level of knowledge this professor shows. DID is often misrepresented and misunderstood by many many professionals. anyway thank you for the positive representation of DID

I suffer from schizophrenia, bipolar1, DID, and a laundry list of other conditions. I was diagnosed in 1997. The amazing amount of misinformation in the especially in movies etc make these conditions seem frightening. We need more critical thinking and people to watch information like this presented here so we can dispell the myth and mystery around these conditions so not I don't have to hear "why would you admit something like that,". When I openly speak about my conditions . Knowledge is golden and this lecture is amazing. Watched it once about to play it for my husband..

Psychiatry, such a nascent science. So many "disorders" are trauma-based, but that's not the model so many fall through the cracks. Also, in the states, where it's profit over people, it's next to impossible to get competent help with trauma-related issues.

So few people in the psych field have this guys honesty, that I feel we’re all crying in the wilderness.

My wife has DID and has been in and our of pinerest and forest view her whole life. This man here helped her come into who she/they are. Thank you for helping them!

Thank you, so much, for going over all of these errors in logic. Too many providers know nearly nothing about this disorder, or able to conceptualize how it works. It's frustrating to be living with this when so many people don't understand.

1:25:20. Wow. I remember saying this to my mom in my teens, that I thought maybe I was subconsciously keeping myself overweight, because maybe then men wouldn’t be interested in me. I feel like I haven’t even heard this idea again until now, like 25 years later. Damn if that didn’t punch me right in my huge gut..

I am 63, i have been aware of the other "parts of me" for decades. In Feb. had 2 extremely traumatic events, back to back, (Physical and emotional) and the glue that held the "parts of me" shattered and suddenly i was dealing with more than one alt (5 to begin with) then another emotionally traumatizing event in mid-late june , (there are 9, 3 months later). This is the second of your lectures that i have watched and it has helped me quite a bit since there are no therapists in my area that deal with this disorder. I'd had a good therapist back in 1994-96 and i am using some of the coping techniques she taught me to get through this.