[shavon]

Help, has any one dealt with this? where can I find resources to read up on it??

I knew my fd was "odd" but couldnt quite figure out in which ways..had a neuropsych eval. yesterday..nuff said.

[Howdy]

I believe disassociation is a defense mechanism that everyone uses a little but that children in abusive situations may learn to escape through disassociation too much.

When I want to learn about something that comes up with a child, I search on the internet a little, but then I search on Amazon and read about all the books on the subject, which ones people rate well and why they did or didn't like the book. Then I open a separate browser window and login to my local library. I try to find each of the books that sounded interesting and put a hold on them. Sometimes if I go to the library they can find books that their catalog doesn't show (like an interlibrary loan from a university).

A children's book called Silver Boat is a cute story written for children with disassociative identity disorder (multiple personality disorder). It is about a little girl who has to escape from a bad place to a wonderful place but she has to go through a dangerous scary forest to get to the wonderful place. A fairy (or maybe it was an angel, I read the book a couple years ago) helps the child and gives her the power to get a wish granted and the child wishes for a companion. So then there are two of the child, then thru the forest they wish for more, and wind up with a whole lot of the same child but they have different personalities (or strengths/abilities/etc). Finally the only way they can conquer a monster is to all merge back into one person. Then they/she beats the monster and sails in the silver boat to the wonderful life.
My daughter used to disassociate a little, like if she was telling me about some stranger that abused her and I asked if her father did, she'd just stare off into space a bit then she'd shake her head and laugh and ask me what I said, I'd repeat it and she'd just deny it and move on.

You might want to read the book Miss America By Day. It is not actually about DID but she had a 'night' personality and a 'day' personality and they did not communicate, so that she was sexually abused all the time she was growing up, but did not realize it until later in life. It is a really good book (easy to read and interesting and motivational).

[shavon]

thank you for the information, I plan on going to the library this afternoon and see what they have. I absoulutely dont think I am qualified to care for a child that has as many problems emotionally that these 2 girls have. It is just all too sad, they were severely sexually abused and I honestly think it has totally destroyed their little brains. arghh it is soooo frusturating they have a lifetime prision sentence and who knows what will happen to the abuser probably not enough..

[RavenSong]

Dissociative identity disorder is the latest clinical name for what used to be known as multiple personality disorder (MPD). The case that first launched MPD into the public's general awareness is that of Sybil Dorsett, a pseudonym for Shirley Ardell Mason, who was treated for years by Dr. Cornelia Wilbur, one of the pioneer psychiatrists in the field.

There is a lot of controversy within the psychiatric community whether the disorder is even real or not. Some professionals believe that MPD is an iatrogenic illness, i.e., caused by the psychotherapist. Most patients who are diagnosed with the illness are highly suggestible and are able to enter into a hypnotic state very easily.

The American Psychiatric Association defined MPD as a distinct mental illness in the late 1970's. According to the DSM-IV, a diagnosis of dissociative identity disorder (DID) requires the following:

• The presence of two or more distinct identities or personality states, each with its own relatively enduring pattern of perceiving, relating to, and thinking about the environment and self.

• At least two of these identities or personality states recurrently take control of the person's behavior.

• Inability to recall important personal information that is too extensive to be explained by ordinary forgetfulness.

• The disturbance is not due to the direct physiological effects of a substance (e.g., blackouts or chaotic behavior during alcohol intoxication) or a general medical condition (e.g., complex partial seizures). In children, the symptoms are not attributable to imaginary playmates or other fantasy play. A patient history, x-rays, blood tests, and other procedures can be used to eliminate symptoms being due to traumatic brain injury, medication, sleep deprivation, or intoxicants, all of which can mimic symptoms of DID.

I think it's important to realize that dissociation and/or depersonalization also occur within patients suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). I also think that any child or adult who is initially diagnosed with DID should be evaluated by a second clinician before upholding the diagnosis. This condition shares so many symptoms with other illnesses that I really believe a second opinion is necessary. Just my two cents...

[aMarylandfamily]

The above poster noted the similarity of symptoms with many other disorders which is so true ... one of our placements who was bi-polar w/PTSD was also diagnosed this when the "manic" rages became so severe that he crossed a line where he actually did not control his actions and could not remember them afterwards ... very hard to parent a child with same as you see them do things (i.e. hit another, throw a rock, etc.) and when confronted they truly do not know that such action occurred ... and then to discipline for same - how, why, what is appropriate - something done in a state of "black-out" and yet they didn't. Behavior modification/control therapy is so essential in these cases!

Hope this helps.

[shadow72]

I am in the UK and lurk here. My DD is very fragemented and presents as different people - having names , different voices, different walks etc.

I have sent away for this book - The Silver Boat - at great cost, and am delighted with it - and think it will help my DD in her integration

thanks for recomending this