Dissociative identity disorder (DID) is a relatively rare and enigmatic condition caused by extreme and repeated childhood trauma. Those who live with DID face an overwhelming sense of being more than one person, although they are really one person whose personality did not merge correctly.   This article will...

The definition of dissociative identity disorder (DID) is that people living with it have alternative selves, or alters, that are parts of themselves caught in trauma-time. These alters have differing tastes, thoughts, and emotions and fulfill many roles.   One such role of alters is the gatekeeper, of which...

Accepting oneself with all your flaws is part of being mentally healthy. However, often survivors are their own worst critics picking themselves apart and holding themselves back from experiencing life to the fullest.   This article will focus on self-compassion and how to become more self-accepting.   A Refresher:...

Most people recognize the fight/flight and freeze from articles they have read or television programs. Fight/flight/freeze occurs when you feel endangered, whether or not that danger is real. However, many have not heard of the fawn response to complex trauma.   This article will focus on the fawn response,...

We’ve all experienced shame at some time in our lifetime. When we do something wrong and feel that twang of guilt when we are punished, we are experiencing shame.   This article will focus on shame and how it can be detrimental to our mental health.   What is...

No one is harder on a survivor of complex trauma than the survivor. Survivors feel they are a burden, are unable to have a voice for themselves, or feel shame. Also, survivors often lack trust in who they are and believe no one is trustworthy.   This article will...

People living with dissociative identity disorder are prone to many phenomena you may not have heard about. One of these experiences is known as dissociative fugue.   This article will focus on dissociative fugue, its symptoms, causes, and treatment.   What is Dissociative Fugue?     Dissociative fugue or...

Finding a mental health professional who is a good fit is difficult for anyone. However, if you have dissociative identity disorder as I do, the chances of finding a therapist or psychiatrist who knows how to treat DID are minimal.   Dissociative identity disorder affects 1-2% of the population,...

Growing up in a dysfunctional home, many who have developed complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) did not have the emotional or physical support they needed from their parents.   Often, as children, survivors were left with an internal and eternal feeling of being unsafe because of the trauma they...

Anger and grief are two powerful emotions that often accompany one another. All humans feel anger and grief, but survivors of childhood trauma seem to experience it throughout their adult lives. If left untreated, such strong emotions, if left unexpressed, endanger one’s health and relationships. Repressed anger is a...

Anger is a healthy emotion that all humans experience. Anger is a way for us to tell if we are in danger and allows us to respond quickly.   Much has been written about anger and how it is sometimes repressed because it is not safe to express it,...

Betrayal of any type is unacceptable, especially that experienced during or upon discovering one has been traumatized as a child by someone you love. This trauma is the basis for the formation of dissociative identity disorder.   This article will focus on betrayal trauma, what it is, how it...