Understanding DID and its Impact on Marginalized Communities Olga Trujillo, JD Director of Education and Social Change Latinos United for Peace & Equity Caminar Latino National Resource Center for reaching victims logo - helping those who help others and Caminar latino logo Goals 01 Explore dissociative identity disorder (DID) •What it is•Causes What is DID? Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) is a severe psychiatric condition strongly correlated with a history of chronic and unremitting childhood abuse, characterized by identity alteration or confusion. What is DID? (continued) • A disorder that forms as a result of ongoing trauma in childhood • Forms if trauma begins before the age of 8 or 9years of age • Provides an escape cognitively when there is none physically • A person with DID feels as if they have within them two or more entities, each with its own way of thinking and remembering about themselves and their life. DSM – 5 (1 of 3) • The DSM – 5 states that DID involves a ‘disruption of id entity characterized by two or more distinct personality states. DSM – 5 (2 of 3) • The disruption in identity involves marked discontinuity in sense of self and sense of agency, accompanied by related alterations in affect, behavior, consciousness, memory, perception, cognition, and/or sensory-motor functioning.’ DSM – 5 (3 of 3) • Also involves ‘recurrent gaps in the recall of everyday events, important personal information, and/or traumatic events that are inconsistent with ordinary forgetting.’ Why do you need to know? • Studies show that in the U.S. somewhere between 1 and 3 % of the population have DID. • Without help – It can create chaos and risk for the person that has it. • People who have it can experience additional challenges when in crisis – new trauma or loss. It Exists Harvard Review: Separating Fact from Fiction Picture of a Harvard Review of Psychiatry article on DID How do I know? Olga Trujillo, Sitting on a chair in a library, smiling. Diagnosed in 1993 Olga Trujillo, speaking at a Podium in 1993. Impact on Marginalized Communities? • Likely to have experienced trauma in childhood. • Likely to have adapted to survive. • Not likely to have had the luxury to have discovered the impact. Olga Trujillo shaking hands with psychiatrist and author Richard Chefetz Book cover of Richard Chefetz's book, Intensive Psychotherapy for Persistent Dissociative Processes, the Fear of Feeling Real. The Sum of my parts, by Olga Trujillo Book cover of Olga Trujillo's Book, the Sum of my Parts, a survivor's story of dissociative identity disorder Learn more about DID Share what you know with colleagues & others Share Help people with DID be proactive Learn Help Share with Others • Adaptive Response to Violence and Trauma • Super Power • Healing Centered Approach Help People with DID be Proactive Plan for Crisis -Plan for re- traumatization • Discuss & plan… • Who do they want involved to help them? • What kinds of things could happen that could create a • Create a card – best if from crisis? your organization for credibility. Safety planning •Repeat things as often as needed •Keep it simple •Talk about dissociation •Talk about how all need to work together •Be willing to do this over and over •Neuroplasticity 19 Accessing Services •Shelter •Sharing a room •No locks •Can’t sleep at night •Withdraw •Lots going on in one’s head •Voices or thoughts •White noise •Grounding techniques important 20 Moving Through the World Chart: •Plan Ahead •Predictability •Key to success •Plan ahead •Prepare •Limit stimulation •Modes of communication •Talk about trauma related issues and how you’ll handle them Plan Ahead Predictability Key to success Plan ahead Prepare Limit stimulation Modes of communication Talk about trauma related issues and how you’ll handle them Legal proceedings chart: Inherently triggering Explore video testimony Prepare early for legal proceedings Make it as predictable as possible Inherently triggering Explore video testimony Prepare early for legal proceedings Make it as predictable as possible What else can you do? •Plan for “triggers” •Encourage supportive connections •Consider support animals or service animals •Grounding techniques Plan for “triggers” Encourage supportive connections Consider support animals or service animals Grounding techniques What YOU can do • Learn more about DID and other trauma related conditions • Listen, believe and refer… Resources The International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation http://www.isst-d.org Sidran Foundation http://www.sidran.org Olga Trujillo Consulting http://www.olgatrujillo.com PsychCentral.com https://psychcentral.com/disorders/dissociative-fugue-symptoms/ It’s a SUPER POWER Super Hero cartoon Contact Information Caminar Latino Logo: sun rising over a river Olga Trujillo, J.D. Director of Education & Social Change Caminar Latino Latinos United for Peace & Equity Initiative Email: otrujillo@caminarlatino.org and olga@olgatrujillo.com 27 Grant Information This project is supported by the Vera Institute of Justice and was produced with funding from grant award #2016-XVGXK015, awarded by the Office for Victims of Crime, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this virtual training are those of the contributors and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.