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

Written by HealthyPlace.com Staff Writer

David:Here's the flip side to katherinathepoet's question about getting her SO to understand her DID:

Temper: I am an SO (significant other), and on one of my support lists we have been talking about the role of an SO. What role do you see an SO having in therapy and outside. What can a significant other do to help their DID partner (specifically, they were talking about messing with internal politics, rescuing alters, and instigating system changes)?

Dr. Noblitt: The role of the significant other is probably the primary social support for the individual with DID. The most important thing about this role is maintaining a healthy relationship where the individual with DID can learn to trust and to give and accept unconditional love.

The significant other can help the individual with DID by being supportive and responsive. He or she should never take advantage of the relationship or use the DID's vulnerability to jockey for a power position. There should be boundaries established in the relationship to distinguish between a healthy partnership and a therapeutic relationship.

Maera: What do you think about EMDR treatment for DID?

Dr. Noblitt:I believe that EMDR methods effectively access dissociated mental states, for some individuals, not all. I think we should learn more about how and why EMDR causes these particular effects. Hopefully, all of us are interested in the effectiveness of the method, not the particular theory behind it.

MomofPhive: Why don't all individuals with DID achieve the goal of integration? Is it that some aren't able to or choose to and why not?

Dr. Noblitt: I don't think that anyone really knows the answer to this question. Many therapists assume that the individual has not been able to heal the effects of trauma or that the individual does not want to say goodbye to their alternates.

SoulWind: Is it possible to recover and function in a normal way without dealing with ALL of the repressed memories and the accompanying flashbacks?

Dr. Noblitt: Again, I don't think anyone knows for sure. However, I assume that patients need to deal with the flashbacks but do not necessarily have to deal with every memory that may be hidden from their conscious awareness. Individuals with DID need to have enough insight into these memories, however, to understand the gist of what happened to them, why they have alternates, and why their alternates behave and feel as they do.

David: Thank you, Dr. Noblitt, for being our guest tonight and for sharing this information with us. We especially appreciate that you stayed late to answer many of the audience questions. And to those in the audience, thank you for coming and participating. I hope you found it helpful. Also, if you found our site beneficial, I hope you'll pass our URL around to your friends, mail list buddies, and others. http://www.healthyplace.com

Thanks again, Dr. Noblitt.

Dr. Noblitt:My pleasure, David.

David: Good night everyone.

Disclaimer: We are not recommending or endorsing any of the suggestions of our guest. In fact, we strongly encourage you to talk over any therapies, remedies or suggestions with your doctor BEFORE you implement them or make any changes in your treatment.

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