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Parts but no did?

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This may be a stupid question or may already be in a thread somewhere that I haven't found yet so I apologise. I'm wondering if you can have parts but not have DID? For me it feels like there are different "parts" of me. Like in therapy today the 7/8 year old part of me was very strongly present and terrified and wanting to hide in a small space somewhere. That isn't a common reaction for me as an adult, but when I was 7/8 years that was how I often tried to deal with being scared or afraid. Honestly, it was like I was having a conversation with the 7/8 year old part of me during session.

How is that possible though, to have separate parts of yourself that can talk to each other and recognize each other, and sometimes one is more strongly present than others, but they are all usually there (except perhaps when I dissociate)? My understanding of DID was that one part or another is in control, but that there aren't multiple parts aware at the same time with one being stronger than the other(s). Am I wrong on my understanding of it? I'm not diagnosed with DID though either, so I don't know what's going on. It's bothering me though and I don't really know how to talk about it or explain it to my T.
 
I wouldn't worry much, there is parts work in certain therapies, such as Internal Family Systems, that deals with that.

I'm also not diagnosed with DID and have very strong parts, I dissociate and they can take over but I never lose awareness. In a recent T appointment, a 15yo part took over and I couldn't hold it together, it was scary as well.

Two friends of mine started doing IFS on themselves with a help of the self-help book "Self Therapy" by Jay Early, and although they don't have significant trauma like I do, they can still recognize parts in themselves. It's usually explained to laymen in the terms of when we say "part of me wants to go to the beach, another part of me doesn't." for example.

I'm really sleepy, hope it's clear enough.
 
There is a thread out on the board called Structural Dissociation. A few of them actually. You may find them helpful.

I strongly relate to your 'parts without DID' feeling. It is possible to be co-conscious - to be able to observe 'parts' as one switches. It is a theory right now, but one I feel is right on the mark with me.
 
I was DID and co-conscious with of all of my alters. Of course there was a different part out as the main "person" besides me. Actually it was a group of alters for the main "person" who switched in and out with each other, each having a specific role in protecting the core which was me. Yet I was aware I was dissociating, and aware of everyone inside, and aware who was protecting me from the outside world. My system was set up in three distinct layers of protection. I am integrated.
 
It's inconceivable to me how thoroughly I am at least two people. I really want to talk about this but someone always starts yelling at me when I do because people need you to line up with how they need you to be otherwise it challenges the way they are. Only the therapist and my wife get it. I really thought I had multiple personalities for a while but I guess I don't qualify for that. For me anyway it's all good because nice me is running around being nice with everyone. People respond really well to that and I'm getting a lot of nice back in return. I still have problems with the old me lashing out at everyone. I hope I continue to calm down. Being split was what was so upsetting.
 
I have pondered much on this myself. I'm European and the DID diagnosis is extremely rarely here, if ever. I have never heard of a single case of diagnosed DID in this country.

Somewhere along the line I concluded that the diagnosis is not that important. It doesn't matter, cuz I have my own knowledge. I have discussed matters with a T, and we talked about 'splits' in personality, and yes they are there. But I'm not DID. I'm conscious all the way. I have a 1-year old's anger and a 4-years old ditto hiding as parts of me. That is the splits that quality for at least some kind of dissociative disorder. However, I do not believe that every single side of me are distinct 'alters'. I can get like a teenager again sometimes, but then again, who doesn't? I would say it's pretty normal.

I actually worked a lot with various parts of me, to get them to communicate, in therapy. Those are internalized parents, the shield (defense), the various child modes, the healthy adult that steps in and comfort the wounded child etc. It's called schema therapy and it makes a lot of sense to me.

It should say: *extremely rarely used, if ever
 
I've done parts work and it's quite fascinating!

I think it's important to remember that we all have parts to ourselves.

I don't think it becomes a disorder until it causes functional issues.

I used to have a very emotional part of myself and I could actually feel myself change inside. I haven't had that kind of switch in over a decade. Now it's more like seeing different sides of myself come out, the incredibly truthful bordering on blunt me, the playful childlike me, the flirty and sexual me, the uber rational me, and so on.

I refuse to see this as a disorder. I actually think that the DSM doesn't fully capture the nature of parts and dissociation. Right now it's on a linear line from normal dissociation that everyone does (i.e. daydreaming) all the way up to DID with non-co-conscious alters.....but there is no place where "normal" parts fit in. I know I'm not being clear but my point is that parts aren't necessarily on the linear dissociative scale as they exist in everyone, so attempts to mix parts work in with that scale just does us all a disservice. Hopefully in the future things will be clearer.
 
I am high on the dissociative spectrum, with several co-conscious parts. So says T. I don't have DID. Many people are confusing the parts work of Internal Family Systems with the alters of DID. I wish he chose a different name for his stuff, since now so many people believe they are DID because they are doing IFS and don't understand. Just like @EveHarrington said.
 
I've changed too over the years. I think part of the issue is that if you have at least some kind of identity problems/confusion, then it's easy to tell yourself that you have several identities. I know I have done that a lot. But that may not be entirely true, at least in my case .. I like to think of it as I'm discovering new sides of myself, while working on healing and recovery

Maybe I should add that I have functional issues, so there is some level of a disorder going on. I dissociate, I perform therapeutic work in my inner world, I have acted out my traumatized parts, and so on. So yes, defo some dissociative disorder going on. It's just a diagnosis extremely rarely used in this country
 
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Thank you all for you replies. I've never heard of IFS before. Reading about it the "parts" instead of "alters" seems to be more what I'm dealing with. So not DID, although my "parts" are related to my trauma and how I processed/dealt with them at the time. The structural dissociation makes a lot of sense with it too. As far as I know, my "adult self" is always present, but when triggered other parts of me can kind of take control of the wheel, though the adult part is still there and aware.
 
It's inconceivable to me how thoroughly I am at least two people. I really want to talk about this but...

I'm like the opposite -- the old me is submissive, overly polite, excessively apologizing, always mr. Nice Guy. Then there is a new 'me' who is just straight out evil, lol. He has been suppressed for most of my existence. I think I like him! :D
 
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