Trauma – PTSD

Question:

Hi L! I agree with Scott. >    Maybe others have some ideas, I don’t have much on this one.  In any > event I hope you stick around and that things get better. >                          Take care,   Scott

I also suggest that, if children are involved, you cannot afford to not get back into therapy. Smile and there will be something to smile about! Nancy

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Dana wrote: >From what my shrink has told me I have learned that there is a continuum >when it comes to dissocitation. At one end of the scale there is day >dreaming and the like and that scale goes all the way up to DID (DID >being the most severe form of dissociation). Now there is a lot of grey >area between day dreaming and DID and most of the dissociative symtpoms >fall into that area. >I do know that it *is* possible to have seperate, distinct >personalities other that your own and not be full fledged DID…I’m an >example of that myself. Basically my shrink says I’m one step short of >DID simply because I: 1)understand that these various personality >’fragments’ really are all me just, well, fragmented; and 2)I do not >fully dissociate when one of the ‘personalities’ take hold as I am in >control of *some* of my functions and I remember these episodes. So >where does that put me clinically? DDNOS, or Dissociative Disorder Not >Otherwise Specified :/

This sounds a lot like what I’m experiencing, although it’s usually not at all extreme, but there are certainly different "parts" or facets of me which seem to have separate agendas. I think that the stress of this situation is making it more pronounced at times, though, and I’m having a lot of trouble right now just staying focused on any one thing.  I can’t figure out if it’s just a lack of focus due to stress or true dissociation.   ><<snip>> >>I am looking for an answer as to why a happily married woman would end >>up in this situation. >Well I really can’t help you there. But do realize that even ‘normies’ >can be tempted into having an affair with someone who fulfills something >that their partner does not. Perhaps the other man appeals to another >part of your personality? Just a guess.

This is undoubtedly true, and probably helps to exaggerate the problem.   >Take Care, >Dana

Thanks., L – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –

Response:

I was diagnosed with PTSD about five years ago.  Was in therapy for a year, left therapy because of life changes and because I could no longer afford it. Eventually got married and things were fine for a while.  However, about a year ago I became involved with someone other than my husband.  This person fulfills a need in me which is completely different from what is fulfilled with my marriage, and, after much soul searching, I can honestly say that  I love them both.  I am in a crisis right now because my lover has recently left his long term relationship, and now that he is available, I feel compelled to explore the option of being with him, which means separating from my beloved husband. There is a part of my that does not want to do this. Lately I have been feeling as though two very separate parts of my personality are in grave conflict with each other.  I don’t feel dissociated to the extreme of multiple personality, but the trauma I experienced in childhood, to the best of my recollection, was not as severe as that typically experienced by DID patients (mostly psychological/emotional abuse), so that would make sense.  I do feel as though these two facets of my self are separate and in constant confict with each other and that because of my childhood trauma perhaps I may have dissociated to some degree due to the stress I’m experiencing, although I’m still highly cognizant of everything that goes on.  Everything that I can find on the internet on dissociation talks about the extreme of DID, and I can find nothing on milder forms of dissociation.  I am looking for an answer as to why a happily married woman would end up in this situation.  Does anyone here have any insight to offer me?  Do I belong here? Thanks for any help, L

Response:

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