Hello! Welcome! I don't think your therapist had this place in mind when he told you to be part of a support group, but it's good you are searching. The reason I say that is because this place has no security and there is no gaurentee anyone is authentic, including me. Lot's of predators come here to scam people out of something. So, I just wanted to warn you, this is not a safe place if you don't know how to protect yourself on the net. I would like to tell you not to answer messages from people who you haven't been reading in a public forum for at least a couple of months, and even then, you never know who you are really talking to.
Anyway, from your essay, it seems like you trying and that's awesome.
I have never been dx with this disorder or anything else other than depression. I have never been hospitalized or tried to kill myself, which are indicators, and I don' have a serious terminal illness like many people here (its on the down low). I have dissociation but nothing that's super debilitating and i have a normal life. I like to come on here sometimes because the idea of parts really speaks to me, and i relate the most to this "disorder" but I'm not dx. It is no one's business but my own, but i share this with you to explain my state of being. And i also tend to think of doctors and therapists as the enemy, but it doesn't matter what your's or my socio political beliefs are because that's not what this support site is about. We all have different opinions and beliefs and that's okay, we still need friendship and support. Lots of us are not dx and are family members of d.i.d. or are just friendly observers.

Thanks for the advice FickleFairy. It's solid advice.
I'm here to "do something different" I have a therapy group I've been involved with for several years.
I'm just trying to connect with new people at this point.
I'm glad you brought up the idea that some people are not to be trusted.
I agree. I will do my best to be safe. If this becomes a bad scene then I'll have to be out.
Thanks for sharing about yourself. I can understand your disdain for physiatrist.
I was lucky to get this far. I'm not debilitated by my DID.
I have been though and hope never to go back to that place. I work hard to stay well for myself and my folks.
I do have some bad days from time to time.
I am open to chatting with anyone that wants to as long as they are respectful. If not, then I have no problem sticking up for myself.
My alters would not feel safe for a very long time in this kind of unsecured environment but there is some curiosity from a few.
Have a great day!

I'm open to chatting, too. It's hard to be close with my friends in real life because most people use denial all the time and are in the dark and ignorant about their own life. Even so called healthy people have stuff they can't cope with, and to a point, they have neglected parts, hidden parts. Mental health isn't a priority in my culture, and you can see the deterioration every day. It's not our responsibility to show people the light unless we are in the field, and im not. But on the contrary, the job i had did entail a psycho analytical review of my clients for business purposes. It's not fun stuff, in my opinion. I prefer friends to have their sh*t figured out and sorted out before i get involved. People like us can't be in the dark because that's how we stay ahead of the game, and in control. So, i'm open to being your friend.
Thank you for taking my advice in the spirit it was given. I was on this site years ago and no one told me anything and i made a ton of mistakes and had to start over. So, i was just trying to be the friend i never had.
oh, regarding therapists and doctors, i never met one that even believed in d.i.d or took it seriously. so that's a problem. Hehe if they did take it seriously, they would prob have to check themselves in. ;)
take care!
xo

So funny you say that about "real life" people. I think those of us with DID have to work harder at self actualization than others. At least for me, if I am not taking care of myself, my alters will take over.

We have been through so much treatment (we went to a specialty facility for trauma) that they trust me now. I know that we are amazing for having gone through the awful trauma that we did. People outside of the DID world have no idea what strength really is. It can be frustrating at times for me when I see people just crumble over the "small stuff".
I have one alter in particular that will start getting really loud in my head when particular people complain, that I have to politely excuse myself from the conversation, go somewhere private (even if a bathroom) and explain to my sweet alter that this person has not been through what she has and that everyone's trauma and difficulties are unique to them.
I have met some of the best people with our diagnosis, and I have also lost some of the best people because of our diagnosis.
I'm sorry that you had to learn "the hard way" about communicating with others. I know how hard it is to find the "normal/acceptable" way of interacting, especially if your alters are going through a rough time. That breaks my heart. I have been there several times over the years.
My "rule" is always the golden one- treat others the way you would want to be treated. If people are on this site and engaging with others they should already understand how to react to situations, or be compassionate and gentle and then firm and kind at the same time.
I hope that you did not get preyed upon by trolls that don't have anything better to do than catfish people.
I know friends that have had that happen to them. Just being so lonely in the midst of hard times with DID, they reach out to people in chat rooms (sometimes we are really not able to make it outside to public places), then getting completely hurt and crushed with the result.
If I see that shit happening here, I will have to be out. My folks and I already agreed that we wont stay here if anyone in our system starts feeling hurt by it.
We always try to remind each other that if it makes us feel worse than better, it's time to discuss a change.
As for the treatment world- there are good doctors in this country that do believe in DID. The issue is that, research is underfunded, peers "make fun of them" which makes them feel as if they are not going to be taken seriously, and insurance usually will not reimburse for the codes associated with DID, so usually only the folks with enough money to private pay are able to get the treatment needed to really get better.
Mental illness is considered a weakness by the majority of our population and so under treating it is always an option for social services (or the government agency's that fund them), and like with anything else, when you are not touched by it in your own life, it's difficult to understand.

I wish I could say we as a society are doing better, but we are not. Thanks for being my friend and I hope you are having a good day.