Good luck to you!

wishing you the best. Hugs.

Blek, meds. Most of my inner family agrees on this point: We think meds often delay healing by keeping them from working through their stories. I know, some people say meds are necessary to avert crises, but they don't actually help us heal. I hope you will make yourself well-informed about what meds they want you to take, their effects, side effects, and potential for addiction, then work with your doc to make an INFORMED and EMPOWERED decision about what you wish to take and what you don't wish to take at this time. (You can always change your mind later, just be aware of any dangerous effects there would be in stopping a particular med.) Knowledge is power, and that's very important with DID.

What are you getting tested for, if I may ask? I hope everything goes well. Doesn't sound like much fun at all, and too many *forced* appointments, treatments, and changes of routine can feel like additional abuse. Please be aware that you are now old enough to say NO to anything you don't want. Please be aware that you have the RIGHT to say NO and to be respected for it. If something feels wrong to you, you are the only one who can protect yourself, so please do so, even if it makes a doctor look at you disapprovingly. You'll be able to make a convincing argument and then stick to your guns about your decision. That is very empowering.

Wishing you well and sending you hugs for courage,
Wistala

I've tried many, many medications on my road to the DID diagnosis. I have a psychiatrist in addition to my therapist. (They are actually married.) And I currently only take something for sleep because if I don't I will never sleep and then have a psychotic break.

There are no medications for DID or PTSD. There are medications that help with the symptoms. I did DBT for a year and half, and as such, I have the philosophy "skills not pills." So I use various skills I've developed in therapy.

But I can say all this knowing that I have a somewhat comfortable level of dysthymia and not a severe depression. And I have learned to cope with the crippling anxiety.

I would agree with Wistala, though. You need to make sure you are not taking something that does even more damage. Sometimes for DID they give you Haldol because it is a medication that can help you sort of put things back together. But it's an anti-psychotic, so be careful.

I take a small dose of prozac to keep me from sliping into severe depression, trazodone for sleep and minipress for night terrors. I never liked group therapy. I hope you do well and like group therapy better than I did.

Alot of new things! i hope you find support and help amist all these new people...Its good to stay open -minded.don't for get to be your own best advocate.Meaning tell them what works and what doesnt.Be assertive about what you need and tell them when you dont feel like your being heard...just some pointers from me cause ive been there.....Hugs and good Luck and we're here for you!

Umm...To add a dissenting note...
I am on a mixture that would prolly make most people drop dead of serotoin toxicity...and I am finally okay after a few years of making suicide plans as a hobby...

Not that meds make me happy?
But for me they establish chemical preconditions for happiness.
Too I have chronic sinusitis, and a chronic infection like that breaks down serotonin.

Too, we're still not sure what the kids in my head are.

I joined a support group for abuse survivors once to see what it would be like. While I didn't say much (and my legs shook under the table the entire first two meetings!), it WAS helpful. It was the first time I ever heard people speak out loud about abuse, and about how they were healing. They gave me new words to express things, and I am grateful to have been a part of that.

I hope you will find things of use in the group you're going to! I'd like to hear how it goes as things progress. Will you keep us posted?

~ Wistala