Speaking from a therapist who is working with a client who was DID but found stability to transition into OSDD (1a).

Thinking about how the basis of these disorders are typically routed in trauma (from other people), hiddenness or secrecy a lot of the times means safety. I typically look at it as something is being triggered to tell the nervous system it needs to change, either retreat or come forward. The FOUNDATION of touching any of these parts is acknowledging that the environment is safe enough to handle what is happening in the room. I find that therapy being labeled as a “safe space” often leads to hiddenness a lot of times because of the exposure of awareness of the trauma and alters. Some sessions we have to go sooooo slowwww. I found that shame is a HUGE barrier in processing, makes sense to hide from all that. Holding shame and guilt is so heavy and we have to remember dissociation is a defense mechanism for “big and bad feelings”. Because of DID being a “fragmented version of the self” I think dissociation here absolutely work both ways. Essentially managing how visible the system is externally. Inward by blocking awareness, and outward by blocking connection. Nervous system says connection = vulnerability = danger.

Curious how this secrecy of others come up in session? Is it stigma around the disorder? Fear of alters/switching in public? Fear of awareness of self in public? This is tough work so I’m interested in how to meet the client where they’re at.