DID Does anyone that dissociates, "see" other alters

[crackinthequandary]

I have been talking to a lady, with extreme past trauma. My friend had very early sexual trauma from a family member, and her mother was neglectful, and physically abusive. She has every symptom of C-PTSD, however, she tells me "she feels bubble people around her, with only the exception of when she cuts, or is "with her spouse". It's a presence and can "feel them". However, recently she told me, "I can see them at times"; and this concerns me. Does anyone see their alters?

Thanks

 

[whiteraven]

Hm...I don't see them outside myself, but they are quite visible within.

Is your friend seeing a therapist or psychiatrist?

 

[crackinthequandary]

Both. She had been hospitalized when her husband left her for a short time, as "she felt abandoned". She did not eat, or get out of bed for about a week. They kept her in there for about one month, and couldn't decide what to diagnose. They gave her lithium, (you know), and right before they discharged, "two students working on their PhD tried to decide if it was a "personality disorder" you know, typical. Then her therapist, because of the "she made that comment, "I see the bubble people" was trying to say schizophrenia". She has not typical delusions, or other issues that I could see "schizophrenia".

can you tell me about "visible within"?

 

[Ronin]

IME as idea.

An idea, visual thought of how the other inside people look like or what is their mood, things like that.
Agreed with Whiteraven seeing others outside or as the same kind of sight is not super typical experience, but not entirely unheard of either. IMHO would depend more on how aware a person is that D.I.D. is all originating within themselves, and not actual outside sourced, and how badly dissociative they are at the moment.

Just the first time I am encountering the expression bubble people / felt tempted to ask what is the relevance of the bubbles to the perception and all.

 

[whiteraven]

can you tell me about "visible within"?

Well, you know you get pictures or images in your head about all sorts of stuff that you are thinking about? It's kind of like that - I have a whole visualized landscape and a bunch of insiders in my head. Difference is, I guess, that it/they are not always clear - pieces are missing. And I don't consciously *think* about them; I experience them and the world around them.

 

[crackinthequandary]

thanks, that helps

 

[russell]

Maybe the "bubble people" are "people" that she wants to allow into her world but at the same same keep them contained or controlled. It could also be her unique form of invisible friends. If she was terribly abused they could be her only sense of comfort /normalcy.

I can't help but wonder- What do the bubble people do? How close are they to her? Does she choose who they are, or are they random people? Why does she call them 'bubble people"?

 

[Reflections]

I don't see my alters. Not even internally. I don't feel them around me. What I feel is an internal experience or how they experience the world. The only time I've hallucinated was a bad allergic reaction to medication.

People can see things for all sorts of reason so perhaps consider those. Including sleep issues and extreme stress. Her symptoms may not be all from a mental illness.

Website with list of reasons

Some diagnosis are hard. People can spends many years in therapy before recognizing what is going on. It can be a slow process. A slow reveal. My lack of mindfulness prevented me from even knowing my symptoms. I personally don't seem to have full blown DID either, more like OSDD. That is to say, not everything is clear cut or there can be more mild symptoms of this or that.

 

[crackinthequandary]

Maybe the "bubble people" are "people" that she wants to allow into her world but at the same same keep them contained or controlled. It could also be her unique form of invisible friends. If she was terribly abused they could be her only sense of comfort /normalcy.

I can't help but wonder- What do the bubble people do? How close are they to her? Does she choose who they are, or are they random people? Why does she call them 'bubble people"?

She does call them her, "bubble people". she does not have a diagnoses of dissociative. She did tell me she has had "an imaginary friend", not untypical, of course for children. This one, however, actually "carried out behaviors". She "blew out the ashes from her abusive mother's ash tray" and so on; and my friend would "get in trouble". She would "always be there in front of her, she couldn't see her, but she carried out a full conversation with her, or could hear the friend's voice. Again, it sounds dissociative, but she says she "sees the bubble people, they are actually in bubbles, and the constantly are monitoring her actions. When she started talking about the abuse she was so afraid that "her mother would find out she was telling secretes. Maybe the monitor so she wouldn't get in trouble/abused? I don't think they are anybody in particular, but it's a good question, and I'll try to find out.

IME as idea.

An idea, visual thought of how the other inside people look like or what is their mood, things like that.
Agreed with Whiteraven seeing others outside or as the same kind of sight is not super typical experience, but not entirely unheard of either. IMHO would depend more on how aware a person is that D.I.D. is all originating within themselves, and not actual outside sourced, and how badly dissociative they are at the moment.

Just the first time I am encountering the expression bubble people / felt tempted to ask what is the relevance of the bubbles to the perception and all.

I don't see my alters. Not even internally. I don't feel them around me. What I feel is an internal experience or how they experience the world. The only time I've hallucinated was a bad allergic reaction to medication.

People can see things for all sorts of reason so perhaps consider those. Including sleep issues and extreme stress. Her symptoms may not be all from a mental illness.

Website with list of reasons

Some diagnosis are hard. People can spends many years in therapy before recognizing what is going on. It can be a slow process. A slow reveal. My lack of mindfulness prevented me from even knowing my symptoms. I personally don't seem to have full blown DID either, more like OSDD. That is to say, not everything is clear cut or there can be more mild symptoms of this or that.[

She "sees them daily" I think "only does not see them "when she is going to the bathroom, making love to her husband or "self-mutilating/ cutting" Isn't that unusual?

 

[Ronin]

I think you better ask her, about these things. :)

Not strangers who do not know either of you.
It is different communicating with a sufferer of dissociative anything, than having it second hand, with what a supporter believes about first the phenomenon, and second how they understand what they were told about it.

 

[Sideways]

Isn't that unusual?

It’s pure speculation here about what is actually going on for your friend. Answers, or at least, reliable and informed answers, are only going to come from a qualified specialist who sits down with your friend and is able to conduct a proper psychiatric assessment.

 

[Reflections]

She "sees them daily" I think "only does not see them "when she is going to the bathroom, making love to her husband or "self-mutilating/ cutting" Isn't that unusual?

Everyone is different. Some of us are unusual. We don't always clearly fit into boxes. Visual hallucinations are more rare, but that doesn't mean it can't or doesn't happen to people. People who have schizophrenia can have visual hallucinations. Unusual, yeah, unheard of, not at all. Not to say she IS schizophrenic, she might not be, that is for her to sort out. Visual hallucinations isn't a DID thing though nor a Derealization or Depersonalization thing. People who dissociate don't loose touch with reality; they don't have psychotic symptoms. Alters are not a hallucination because they ARE real, they are real aspects of our character and memory. Alters are just a part of us. Alters can seem "other" because we just won't accept those thoughts, feelings, memories, behaviors, etc. But they are still real, still us. It's not a delusion or hallucination. It's a survival mechanism and coping. Any psychotic symptoms are not the result of dissociation.

Ultimately we can't diagnosis her. That's for her and professionals to work out.