advertisement

Blogs

Recently, I've been thinking a lot about queer friendship and how special and wonderful it can be. Part of why I am thinking about this is that when I came out as transgender four years ago, I lost a lot of my non-queer friends. It was really painful. They just couldn't show up for me as I transitioned more fully into my life as Daniel. While it was painful and hard to lose so many friends (and even some family members), this loss paved the way for me to make new queer friends. In these queer relationships, I started to see I could be myself. There was a layer of authenticity to my queer friendships that was missing in my previous life. Today, I'll break down a few of the elements that make queer friendship so affirming. At the end of this post, I will also share tips on how to make new queer friends if you find yourself wanting more in the queer friendship department.
Routines and visual schedules can help a parent with dissociative identity disorder (DID). Growing up, my life was marked by unpredictability. I found myself perpetually in a hypervigilant fight-or-flight crisis mode. When I was diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder, I thought I would spend the rest of my life in this mode. When I found out I was going to be a parent, the idea of parenting the way I functioned for most of my life terrified me. Little did I know I would soon discover the power of routine and visual schedules as a parent with DID. 
I have found that being too overwhelmed can lead to a loss of executive function. Basically, my head gets filled with life's troubles and illness, and then it can't think complicated thoughts. That's the crux of it. The thing is, complicated thoughts like those involved in planning and problem-solving are pretty crucial for getting through your day. So, how do we deal with the effects of overwhelm on executive function?
Recently, I posed a challenge to myself to see if I could tolerate one day without a fitness tracker. This experiment should have been simple: Just set the device aside, then continue with all my normal activities for about 12 hours. The key phrase here is "should have been simple." But to be honest, it was so painfully difficult. Here's why I took on this endeavor—plus the humbling lessons I learned from one day without a fitness tracker. 
Opening up about borderline personality disorder (BPD) symptoms can present unique challenges, and disclosing this condition to immigrant Filipino parents adds another layer of complexity. My BPD symptoms include intense mood swings, fear of abandonment, and unstable self-image. Opening up about my borderline personality disorder symptoms with parents who come from a culture and generation that stigmatizes mental health issues is a delicate and, at times, painful process. 
Healing from my trauma required me to tell my trauma story — but not to over-identify with it. When I first began my healing journey, I would talk about my trauma to anyone who would listen: new friends, strangers on the Internet, distant family members, etc. In a way, telling my trauma story — and owning what I'd been through and how I got myself through it — empowered me. It gave me a sense of purpose and a feeling of pride; it also gifted me with much-needed validation.
My name is Kris McElroy, and I am the new author of "Dissociative Living." I received a diagnosis of dissociative identity disorder (DID) in 2013 when I was 28 years old. Since then, I have been navigating the complexities of living with DID, especially in relation to parenting, coexisting with alters, professional pursuits, and interpersonal relationships. I aspire to foster a shared understanding through the exchange of our experiences as we navigate the journey of dissociative living together.
Verbal abuse can affect many areas of life, including your view of body image and diet. Because this abusive tactic targets your self-esteem, experiencing negative comments about your weight can directly impact how you manage food consumption. In short, verbal abuse can affect your diet choices.
Schizoaffective anxiety and recovering from surgery are a particularly bad combination. Yesterday, I was picking up some packages from the mail room. The mailroom is down a flight of stairs from our apartment. Only one package of four free COVID tests would fit in my tote bag, so I had to carry the other one by hand. I have a system for getting the mail on such occasions since I just had double knee surgery, and it’s hard for me to get up and down stairs. Schizoaffective anxiety in recovery makes it harder because I'm scared.
One of the most significant symptoms of anxiety that I have struggled with has been hypervigilance. Hypervigilance pertains to being on guard and alert for threats in the environment and may result in engaging in behavior with the purpose of preventing danger.1

Follow Us

advertisement

Most Popular

Comments

Mary-Ann
Hello , Who wrote this poem please ?
Ash
I love with what we believe to be autoimmune disease. My anxiety an illness have become to great to get to an actual doctor for real testing, and actual diagnosis. I've been working on trying to get over my anxiety of possibly getting stuck somewhere or getting sick in public. I haven't done the most amazing job at getting out of the house, an I started to compare my recovery speed to others. I see other people able to just jump right into a car, or go out to eat as if they never had a fear of it, but then there's me who gets nervous just being in my yard. I compare their relationship with food to mine, hygiene abilities to mine, ECT. I have yet to stop entirely, however I am learning to embrace my progression instead of cry over the potential future failures.
Jimmie Thompson
yes what is a good book for the partners of a person with DID to read to better communicate with the love one?
Kat
Hi. There can be medical exemptions for this. I suffered from severe full body Psoriasis as well as SH issues. It opened me up to the problem with bullying and further sh. I spoke to my pediatrician at the time and they wrote a letter stating that I should be allowed have my free period follow gym so that I could shower after the other people. They made accommodations for me from dressing to shower from 4th grade through high school. It’s worth looking into
Joseph
Don’t worry, Garvin. I agree with you; for the most part. I have had, mostly, the same experience you have had. I did, however, find a Christian therapist once that, even though she wasn’t able to help, the fact that she shared the love of God with me, did; and she tried her best. Don’t get me wrong, there’s plenty of bad Christian therapists out there, too. However, don’t give up. I am currently in the Catholic Church, and praying to Our Blessed Virgin Mother, Mary, for her intercession with her son, Jesus; and it’s helping. As for the medication, I know, it sucks. However, that’s trial and error, also. God bless you, brother. Pray the Rosary!!!