Living Day-to-Day with DID/MPD - Living with DID/MPD

Written by HealthyPlace.com Staff Writer

David: The other memory question I had was how to deal with "losing time" caused by switching alters or dissociating. This can be very frustrating and confusing for those with DID. Do you have any suggestions for helping with that?

Dr. Noblitt: Improving inner communication and increasing the degree of integration tends to reduce loss of time. Further, when the various alternates are working well together, they can contract to prevent or reduce loss of time.

David: By the way, Dr. Noblitt, where can one purchase your book?

Dr. Noblitt: Inititially, my assistant, Pam and I put this together for the benefit of my patients who were experiencing problems obtaining appropriate services. I would be happy to make a copy available over the internet if individuals are interested and can receive attachments.

David: We will post more info on that in the transcript when it goes up on Friday evening. A few site notes, then we'll go right to the audience questions:

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Here's the next audience question:

asilencedangel: When you have a protector who is extremely angry and has been recently betrayed by a spouse, how would you suggest she learn to trust again?

Dr. Noblitt: It may be necessary to resolve the betrayal of trust in a joint therapy session with the spouse and that particular alternate present.

Hannah Cohen: Dr Noblitt, what do you do when the spinning starts and the motion carries the time wild and you cannot stop to see one thing to grab on to and stop yourself? You stand still the best you can and say strong and loud for the circle of spinning to stop so you can walk away from the noise! Dr Noblitt, I'm having difficulty getting away from the noise. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.

Dr. Noblitt: When spinning occurs, the individual may be in great distress and often is motivated to learn how to stop the spinning. This may be accomplished several ways. The most permanent solution is to work through the trauma associated with the spinning. A more temporary solution is to learn how to trigger a "shut down" response. Some individuals are able to reduce the effects of these experiences with medication. Many individuals spin as a consequence of "telling the secrets." However, telling the secrets eventually wears down the spinning response.

AngelaPalmer27: How much luck have you had dealing with alters that self-injure other alters?

Dr. Noblitt: This varies from individual to individual. Self injury is more common early in therapy and less common later in therapy when the individual has worked through the various issues around experiences of trauma.

Some individuals can learn through imagery to stop or block self-injurious behaviors. In response to your question, I have had some patients who can learn to stop this experience and others who do not learn to until they have worked through the trauma.

Bucs: I was recently diagnosed with MPD. My alters don't talk to me or talk out loud, as other peoples alters do. I have noticed that my handwriting styles change day to day, and I still have what I refer to as "mood swings." Will they ever talk to me? And should I even worry about it if they don't?

Dr. Noblitt: This is a common experience, particularly in the early stages of therapy. As you work on opening up your system in therapy and increase inner communication, this will become less of a problem for you.

sryope77: My question is this (and I will try to be appropriate and not offend)... I lead a BDSM alternative lifestyle and I was wondering how to keep the babies and kids and others who don't want/need to be involved out of it. Please don't judge me, this is a common lifestyle among many DID survivors and a lot of us led this life LONG before the net, but we are having trouble keeping it "healthy" for all of us.

Dr. Noblitt: I know that this is a common experience among individuals with DID and I do not judge anyone's sexual lifestyle. But, I recommend that individuals who have been abused not participate in any activities that may be interpreted as retraumatization by the alternates. This is not because this particular lifestyle is "bad," but for many, it resembles too much the original trauma.

sryope77: I hope I can get some help with this. My former therapist "dropped" me because she says she is a Christian and we are not to discuss that, but how can we heal or get better if we are "censored" in therapy?????

David: Sryope, I want to add here that if you are not finding your therapist helpful, then it's time to get another therapist. Here's a good article on "Rating Your Pyschoterapist."

Dr. Noblitt: David is right. You need to find a therapist who is willing to work with you and your needs, not have you conform to hers.

sryope77: That's what my former therapist says, but we use our lifestyle sometimes to work THROUGH the past traumas and it is about the only way we ever get any "GOOD" touches like hugging and holding.

Dr. Noblitt: This is exactly how a traumatized child feels.

David: Here's the next question:

Snowmane: Have you heard of using energy work along with containment exercises to control and clear memories?

Dr. Noblitt: Yes, I have heard of it, but I don't know of anyone who is having success with this approach. Some have claimed that this can be effective, but whenever I have investigated this further, I have not found it to be helpful.

Containment exercises are very helpful but one can never "clear" past experiences. The best one can do is desensitize them and reduce inner conflict and keep self-sabotage to a minimum. As a word of clarification, I should state that I am not from the "energy" school and may be biased against it.