It's okay to request mental health disability for dissociative identity disorder (DID). Dissociative identity disorder affects each person in different ways -- including his or her ability to work. While many people with DID are able to go to school and work regularly, other people have a more difficult time. Severe mental illness can keep you from working, and DID is no different. For some, mental health disability with DID is their only option.

Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) can be used in dissociative identity disorder treatment. Dialectical behavior therapy is a type of therapy used in the treatment of numerous psychological disorders, including borderline personality disorder (BPD), mood disorders, and eating disorders. The skills taught in DBT -- distress tolerance, emotion regulation, mindfulness, and interpersonal effectiveness -- can also be helpful for people with dissociative identity disorder (DID). But that doesn't mean that DBT is the best choice for treating DID. As with any type of therapy, there are pros and cons.

There are people who fake having mental illness for many reasons, and dissociative identity disorder (DID) is one of the many illnesses that is faked. Some people claim to have DID, then come out to friends, family, and/or support groups that they have been faking their DID. But is it really faking, or is there something else really going on?

Even though dissociative identity disorder (DID) is considered a dissociative disorder according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders or DSM-5, many people refer to it as a trauma disorder. Much like in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), people with DID often have a history of trauma and/or abuse. But is trauma always a requirement for DID?

Risky behaviors can be a part of dissociative identity disorder. May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and this year's theme of risky business applies to those with dissociative disorders, including dissociative identity disorder (DID). Risky behaviors, including alcohol and drug use, risky sexual behavior, and compulsions are present in many mental illnesses, including DID. These risky behaviors can exacerbate symptoms and increase suffering. So how can we know when the risky behaviors associated with dissociative identity disorder have gone too far?

While dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) isn't the primary treatment option for dissociative identity disorder (DID), there are DBT skills, like distress tolerance skills, that can help people manage their dissociation symptoms. These skills come in handy in a crisis or when we feel ourselves heading towards dissociation. So how do you use the distress tolerance skills of DBT for the dissociation of DID?

Dissociative disorders, including dissociative identity disorder (DID), are treatable psychological disorders, but sometimes therapy for a dissociative disorder doesn't work (Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) Treatment Challenging). There are medications that can help with symptoms and several types of therapies that can help increase functionality, process trauma, and help you cope with dissociative symptoms. So what happens when therapy for your dissociative disorder isn't working?

Dissociative identity disorder (DID) and other dissociative disorders go hand-in-hand with signs and symptoms of dissociation. You can find these signs of dissociation included in many lists, and in books like the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5). But symptoms of dissociation aren't always so black and white. The reality of dissociation goes beyond the obvious signs and symptoms of dissociation that you read about.  So what is dissociation really like?

Managing medical issues with dissociative disorders can include reducing stress at a doctor's office. Doctors and hospitals can be stressful and anxiety-provoking, which can increase dissociation. For some, medical issues can even be a trigger of past trauma. So what can you do to stay healthy, manage medical issues and reduce stress at a doctor's office with a dissociative disorder?

My doctor questioned my dissociative identity disorder diagnosis because dissociation is a coping skill for me. Dissociative disorders are described as having dissociation as a dysfunction that impairs living life in some way. But I don't think that is always the case. While some view dissociation as a dysfunction, many view dissociation as a positive coping mechanism that actually helps them get through the day. For me, dissociation is the very thing that allows me to function. So is dissociation a coping skill or is it dysfunction?