DID becoming more popular

[MondayYogurt]

Possibly not the right place to post this but I just wondered if anyone else has noticed that DID www.nhs.uk/mental-health/conditions/dissociative-disorders/ self-diagnosis is becoming more popular among teens (girls)?

It seems to be going the same way as other so-called social contagions - spread via popularity on tiktok, reddit, tumblr, twitter etc.

Is it becoming more popular? I thought it had its heyday a good 20 years or so ago as a diagnosis, though you will find communities of people on the internet diagnosing themselves with just about any mental health problem, however controversial.

For example here: www.reddit.com/r/plural/

Derealisation is where you feel the world around is unreal. People and things around you may seem "lifeless" or "foggy".^^

Well I can certainly see why this would be rising in a post pandemic internet heavy world.

Is that the multiple personality one?

@BoobsOnTheMoon

Is that the multiple personality one?

Not an expert but it seems to be one where they call themselves "systems" and yes spend a lot of time talking about their various personalities and asking people not to talk about their personalities.

I only raise it because I saw a tweet asking how many systems are trans and autistic twitter.com/astrillion/status/1294451801681362945?s=21

And it made me delve a bit further - it seems as if it could be the next iteration (now that being trans is mainstream ie not that interesting anymore)?

There's also a schism in the community between those who say you need a medical diagnosis (ie to have suffered prolonged and extreme childhood trauma) to be DID, and those who say anyone who claims the label is equally 'valid'. Again, mimicking the trans debate.

This is interesting, especially as it’s an actual disorder about identity - almost as if pursuing/self-diagnosing it allows the ultimate in navel-gazing. But from what I’ve heard, I thought it - as medically diagnosed - was a very serious and extreme condition arising from unimaginably awful trauma, so very rare.

If genderism becomes less “cool” and other things take over, that might help more people / institutions to understand the social contagion and “trend” aspect of all these things.

Has anyone looked at the phenomenon itself, of self-diagnosing MH conditions, disorders and special identities, as an MH issue of its own? It’s kind of like munchhausens I suppose.

It's...extremely full of jargon and in-group/out-group boundary marking.

The hashtag pluralgang is eye opening.

Anyway, I hope the next generation of parents who will be confronted with their kids coming out as multiple personalities can feel less alone if they read this.

We truly are in uncharted waters.

I notice autism is also becoming much more about self identifying (not even self diagnosing) as autistic. And these can then become the loudest voices in the 'Community' pushing self identity more. The 'Community' also seems to speak with one voice which is often at odds with the more nuanced voices of individuals I know.

To begin with I think the self diagnosis was to do with difficulty getting a diagnosis and not wanting to exclude people who couldn't get referred onto a diagnostic pathway. But lately memes I've seen circulating are specifically rejecting the 'medical model of autism' in favour of a self-defined autism identity.

But from what I’ve heard, I thought it - as medically diagnosed - was a very serious and extreme condition arising from unimaginably awful trauma, so very rare.

Around 2004 the number of trans people in the UK was estimated to be 5000. That is, medically diagnosed transsexuals. Now the number of trans people in the UK is estimated to be 200,000-500,000 with very few of them medically diagnosed.

Worth noting that the derogatory terms 'sysmed' and 'sysscum' are being used to correlate to 'transmed/truscum' in these groups. That is, the wider and more popular DID self diagnosers use these terms against sufferers who have received medical diagnosis - that is, people who have experienced extreme childhood trauma.

Gosh, that is some complicated stuff to wade through. It explains my cousin's friend who always refers to themself as "we" though. There's an awful lot of animé images as profile pictures

What you say about autism rings very true Tibtom - I have a (diagnosed) autistic child and whilst I don't like the whole "autism mom"/puzzle piece type stuff, I also don't really like the way that very verbal adults (often without formal diagnosis) are taking over the narrative either!

They even have their own Pride flag...

[quote nauticant]For example here: www.reddit.com/r/plural/[/quote]
Was the ‘system’ referring to themselves as cats using an acronym, or were they really identifying as cats? Please god cats is an acronym.....

@Tibtom

I notice autism is also becoming much more about self identifying (not even self diagnosing) as autistic. And these can then become the loudest voices in the 'Community' pushing self identity more. The 'Community' also seems to speak with one voice which is often at odds with the more nuanced voices of individuals I know.

To begin with I think the self diagnosis was to do with difficulty getting a diagnosis and not wanting to exclude people who couldn't get referred onto a diagnostic pathway. But lately memes I've seen circulating are specifically rejecting the 'medical model of autism' in favour of a self-defined autism identity.

I agree.

I'm autistic. I was diagnosed 5 years ago. I have a similar story to others who sought diagnosis later in life.

I only spoke to one friend in real life about it before my diagnosis. I kept notes and researched. I kept quiet because I didn't feel I could tell.peippe without a diagnosis.

Imagine my surprise when I realised that you don't have to be autistic; or believe you are autistic; or have any traits (OK, being a bit socially awkward helps) to be a member of the autistic community. You can just 'identify as' one.

Be one.
Self diagnose as one.
Self identify as one.

It's like a 3 tier system and the self ID lot fight far more loudly to he heard etc than the diagnosed or self diagnosed. Most diagnosed as adults autistics will go through a period of self diagnosis which is what gets you to the actual diagnosis. Years of confusion and difficulty and wondering why you are getting life so wrong and why you felt like you're speaking a different language to everyone else - they don't get you; you don't get them... until you realise and the relief is huge.

It actually became 'exclusionary' to refer to a diagnosis in a couple of online support groups I joined) largely because the self ID lot been very prominent, very vocal, very loud. It's hard to explain but, if you're autistic, you still just do life. You don't spend the whole time talking about being autistic or how this person looked at you funny today because you're autistic or whatever. Because autistic is just what you are. It's your normal. You don't need to keep reminding people of it. You just get on with it (I have aspergers, I know this wouldn't be relevant to some autistics).

The self ID autistics are very loud and vocal and 'in your face' precisely because they are not autistic.

'Self identifying' as anything is ridiculous.

It's hard to explain but, if you're autistic, you still just do life. You don't spend the whole time talking about being autistic

I saw Temple Grandin speak about autism. Someone asked her how she identified. Her answer was 'as a college professor and expert in the meat industry'.

I read "Sybill" as a teenager and the details of her abuse are so upsetting I've never forgotten them.

For teenagers to self identify as someone with this extremely rare condition brought on by such extreme abuse is really offensive to abuse victims.

"Oh I fancy a new identity today so you need to call me X instead of Y" is self indulgent bullshit. You don't have DID.

You're a self obsessed twat.

^ Sybil

As someone who has been diagnosed with this disorder, I don't understand why anyone would want to identify as having it. It is awful and exhausting, made worse by how long it takes to be formally diagnosed, how little treatment there is for it, and how many professionals don't even believe it exists.

This is interesting, especially the similar language around medical diagnosis. I wonder if the next phase will be that you don't need to actually (claim to) have any of the recognised symptoms either?

@Aspiringmatriarch

This is interesting, especially the similar language around medical diagnosis. I wonder if the next phase will be that you don't need to actually (claim to) have any of the recognised symptoms either?

Oh god, that actually made me laugh out loud. In a grim sort of way.

Reality is just so damn inconvenient isn't it.

I do wonder where this will all end.

The next stage is they will say 'disorder' is offensive, it should be a condition. That they identify as DICs.

Seriously though, what is happening is the destruction of services and evidence based treatments: because science medicalises their condition; because research shouldn't happen with 'their' (those who self id) consent; because it isn't a disability; because they know best; because of the desctruction of the dataset.

I have significant dissociative traits (due to adverse childhood experiences score of 10/10) - formally diagnosed but not a full DID diagnosis.

Interestingly i was counselled extensively while in the care system and as an adult about disclosure of personal information and things that had happened to me - because in the real world, telling people you have vulnerabilities and / or little or unusual support is like sticking an enormous sign on your head inviting predatory behaviour.

in the real world, telling people you have vulnerabilities and / or little or unusual support is like sticking an enormous sign on your head inviting predatory behaviour.

Yes. That's why I don't tell people I'm autistic generally. It's hard and it's not something I can choose not to have if it's inconvenient to me on a particular day. I don't like to think of myself as vulnerable but I am. People who loudly self ID are not.

Bizarre. From that reddit thread someone talking about their alters. "One of ours, is like the party's tank;"

A party's tank, so I am reliably informed by teen, is gaming terminology, when gaming with multiple avatars (or multiplayers), it is the role/character used defensively to take the brunt of oppositions attacks.

I guess it's not so different from the false self of the narcissist, just more creative.

The thing is the things they are decribing as needing protection from seem to be having a vaccination, housework and carrying heavy bags.

Narcissitic personality disorder does seem to fit in many cases. But others seem to be a failure to distinguish between gaming life/use of avatars/virtual life and real life.