Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 3: Creating a Safe Environment for Your Loved Ones
• Part 2 of 3: Keeping an Eye on Your Loved Ones
• Part 3 of 3: Take care of yourself
• Tips
• Warnings

Dissociative identity disorder (DID), also known as multiple personality disorder or multiple personality disorder, is a condition in which an individual has two or more personalities with different behaviors, moods, and emotions. In most cases, a person is not even aware that he has several personalities. If someone close to you suffers from DID, it is very important to always provide him with support and treat him with love. Go to Step 1 for ways to make your life with a person suffering from DID more manageable.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Creating a Safe Environment for Your Loved Ones

1. 1 Understanding the essence of the disorder. It is very important that you take the initiative in understanding the nature of the disorder: what are its symptoms, what are its causes, and how to help someone close to you with the recovery process. To thoroughly understand DID, you need to talk to a professional who will give you a quick overview of the disease. The highlights are as follows:
   • First of all, you should know that with DRI, a person has several personalities who at times take possession of the original one (the person you know and love). Each personality has its own memory, so if your loved one did something under the control of another “ego state” (another personality), he will not remember anything.
   • This disorder is usually caused by childhood abuse, trauma, insecurity, or torture.
   • DID symptoms include audible hallucinations, amnesia (memory loss), fugue episodes in which a person unknowingly travels in search of something, depression and anxiety.
2. 2 Don't panic when faced with a fugue episode or a switch to another ego state. The first rule in a situation where your loved one has switched to another person is not to panic. You should be as collected and calm as possible. Keep in mind that a person with DIR has between 2 and 100 personalities (ego states), and they are all different from each other. These can be the personalities of adults or children. A person can switch to another state even in the middle of some activity, conversation or work.
3. 3 Be patient. The person you love is handling an incredibly difficult situation. When you are upset or offended by the behavior of your loved one, it is important not to forget that he may not even be aware of what he is doing or saying. The person has no control over other ego states, so try to be patient even when you hear something hurtful or hurtful from another person.
4. 4 Show empathy. You must not only be patient, but also empathic. The person you love is going through a very frightening situation. He needs all the support that only you can give him. Say nice things to him, listen carefully when he wants to talk about his situation, show your loved one that you are worried about him.
5. 5 Avoid conflict and stressful situations. Stress and tension are the main factors that trigger the switch between personalities. Do your best to relieve the stress the person may be experiencing. It is also important to avoid the tensions that conflict and argument cause. If your loved one does something that pisses you off, stop for a moment, take a deep breath, and try to deal with your anger. After that, you can discuss with him what made you angry and how you can avoid similar situations in the future.
   • If you disagree with something your loved one says, use the “Yes, but ...” technique. When the person states something that you disagree with, say “Yes, but” to avoid direct confrontation with them.
6. 6 Try to keep your loved one living a busy, active life. While some people with DID are able to independently manage their time and organize their activities, some cannot. If your loved one is having difficulty keeping track of planned tasks, help him by periodically reminding him of them.
   • Make a diagram or table, place it in a convenient place for close. On the diagram, you can write down all the important things that he should do, as well as fun activities that can entertain him.

Part 2 of 3: Keeping an Eye on Your Loved Ones

1. 1 Make sure the person you love has everything you need. Make sure he has the necessary medications to treat the symptoms that accompany DID (depression and anxiety); make sure that the loved one does not forget about the meeting with the therapist. Keep track of the medications he needs to take on a daily basis, schedule all psychotherapy meetings and other activities related to his treatment.
2. 2 Be aware of possible signs that herald a switch. Switching from one personality to another is accompanied by certain signs that appear before the switch takes place - almost everyone with DID has them. These include:
   • Recurring memories (“flashbacks”) of violent episodes or other bad memories.
   • Depression or extreme sadness.
   • Frequent mood swings.
   • Memory loss.
   • Aggressive behavior.
   • A state of numbness.
3. 3 Keep an eye on the property of a loved one. When there is a switch between personalities, memories from one to another do not always carry over. For this reason, a person can easily lose important things like wallet, mobile phone, etc.Make a list of all the important things of your loved one and place stickers or pieces of paper with your name and phone number on or inside them. Thus, if someone finds any of the lost items, they can call you.
   • It is very important that you have copies of all your loved one's documents: passport, ID number, medical information, passwords, etc.
4. 4 Track tendencies towards self-harm. People suffering from this disorder almost always experience abuse during childhood. Self-damaging behaviors such as suicide, violence, drug or alcohol abuse, and risky behavior are common in people with DID; they feel that in this way they can put an end to the feelings of shame, horror and fear erupting from the past in which they suffered episodes of violence.
   • If you notice that your loved one is exhibiting self-injurious behavior, call a psychotherapist or the police immediately.

Part 3 of 3: Take care of yourself

1. 1 Make sure to set aside time to do what you love. A matter of paramount importance: you must take care of yourself. Caring for someone with DID can be incredibly stressful and exhausting. This is why you need to eat right and give yourself plenty of time to rest and relax. Sometimes you have to put your needs above everything else - this is the only way you can maintain the physical and emotional strength in order to continue to support your dear person suffering from DID.
2. 2 Take rest breaks when you need to. Set aside a time when you don't have to worry about organizing someone else. Keep in touch with your friends and have time for fun each week. Taking a short break will allow you to build up the strength to continue to be patient and compassionate with your loved one's situation.
   • Sign up for yoga - it will help you keep your inner core and peace of mind. Yoga and meditation are two great ways to help yourself release the stress and anxiety that fill your life.
3. 3 Go to family therapy. There are psychotherapy meetings designed specifically for families, among whose members there is a person suffering from DID. It is very important to receive qualified help of this kind - it will teach you new ways to help your loved one, and methods that will allow you to stay strong.
   • There are support groups - you can make appointments like this and talk to those who also live with loved ones who suffer from DID (however, keep in mind that dissociative personality disorder is quite rare, and the availability of such support groups depends on the city, in where you live). You can talk about these groups with a psychotherapist or do your own research on the Internet to see if there are such groups in your city.
4. 4 Keep hope. Tough, dark days will happen, but you must always remain hopeful. With your support and the help of a psychotherapist, your loved one will be able to defeat DID and integrate all of their personalities.

Tips

• Find your own way to calm yourself - count to ten, repeat a phrase, or do breathing exercises.
• Do not forget that your loved one is not overly in control of his words and actions - do not take everything to heart.

Warnings

• If your loved one is being violent and you feel they might be violent towards you, call the police immediately.