DID Accepting parts...

[Compass307]

I guess I have a lot to say... or ask lately. But, does anyone have any advice related to accepting your parts and/or sharing that you have parts with your therapist? We have been exploring this for a while in therapy but haven't been willing or able to accept it. Parts have been resistant and fearful... Now we are really starting to notice these separate experiences and the noise has been relentless. The hope is the acceptance brings change but it is scary! Any advice or personal insight is very much appreciated.

 

[Sideways]

But, does anyone have any advice related to accepting your parts and/or sharing that you have parts with your therapist?

Very different questions!

Re acceptance: I dedicate a lot of time to internal communication, and also to setting aside time for my parts to do things they enjoy. Especially the younger ones who tend to struggle the most.

As to the therapist question - do you know where your T stands on DID? Do they have experience dealing with DID? Having a conversation with them about DID generally, what their opinion of DID is, and what their treatment approach is.

 

[Compass307]

Very different questions!

Re acceptance: I dedicate a lot of time to internal communication, and also to setting aside time for my parts to do things they enjoy. Especially the younger ones who tend to struggle the most.

As to the therapist question - do you know where your T stands on DID? Do they have experience dealing with DID? Having a conversation with them about DID generally, what their opinion of DID is, and what their treatment approach is.

How did you achieve internal communication? Everything just seems so noisy right now.

She has only ever shared the structural dissociation model / theory which resonates. I don't feel like these parts have names but they certainly feel like different ages and holders of certain experiences/memories... its very confusing.

 

[Sideways]

How did you achieve internal communication? Everything just seems so noisy right now.

It’s still a work in progress with some of my parts, even after years of work. With others, they were already pretty damn chatty, so it wasn’t much of a challenge.

I started with an internal safe space, where I invited my parts to come and introduce themselves and get to know each other. I’ve also got journals for some of my parts, and I’ve mapped my system out, both of which were very helpful.

 

[arfie]

i hesitate to respond because DID is not on my personal psychosmorgasbord, but radical acceptance has been one of the more beneficial tools i have picked up in psychotherapy. even when the idea/dx i am accepting turns out to be misguided, i grow/heal a bit when i open my mind to the possibilities.

that said, i shoot to keep an open mind, but not so open that my brain falls out. balance in all things.

 

[RainbowSearchParty]

Im very much still working on internal communication. It mostly isn’t happening for me. But I’ve noticed that I’m more settled and grounded when two things happen. The first is pretty obvious, which is that I have to take care of the body. Sleep at night, exercise, eat well, socialize with friends, keep stress as low as I can. It’s amazing how much less switching happens when I pay attention to physical regulation. The second is that I talk inwards to my parts. I don’t know if they hear me, but it helps me switch less. The sort of thing like when I’m running — a constant monologue for the younger ones about how we are just practicing getting strong, and that’s why our heart is beating faster. That sort of thing.