Episode Details

Everyone has parts. So how do you know when a part is just a part of you, and when it's crossed into a dissociative disorder like OSDD or DID?

This episode came from a listener healing from CPTSD who just found out she has a dissociative disorder. She asked two questions a lot of trauma survivors are carrying. How common are dissociative disorders in trauma survivors? And with parts work like IFS so popular right now, where's the line between ordinary parts and dissociation?

So we're walking the whole dissociative spectrum, from the drive home you don't remember to PTSD, complex PTSD, OSDD, and DID. We'll talk about what clinicians who specialize in dissociation might actually pay attention to, why "not me" matters so much, and why not losing time doesn't rule anything out. 

In this episode:

• Why "dissociation" means two different things, even to professionals
• Structural dissociation, explained in plain language
• How common dissociative disorders really are, and why they're so often missed
• Six things that help separate everyday parts from dissociative parts
• "Am I making this up?" and other fears that come up
• Why a diagnosis is a map, not an identity
• What healing can look like, including goals your system gets a say in

This episode is for education, not diagnosis. If something here feels familiar, bring it to a therapist trained in trauma and dissociation.

Mentioned in this episode:

• Coping With Trauma-Related Dissociation by Suzette Boon, Kathy Steele, and Onno van der Hart
• My conversation with Dr. Janina Fisher on dissociative parts
• My dissociation Q and A episode
• Last week's episode, "Why Do I Want Two Opposite Things at the Same Time?"

This episode's sponsor: Cozy Earth. Get 30% off home and sleepwear at cozyearth.com with code RECLAIM, through Sunday, October 11.

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This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for professional medical, psychological, or nutritional advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Remember, I'm a therapist, but I'm not your therapist. Nothing in this podcast is meant to replace actual therapy or treatment. If you're in crisis or things feel really unsafe right now, please reach out to someone. You can call 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, text them, or head to your nearest ER.

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