March 20, 2010
The Changing of the Seasons
Posted in Depression, DID Education, Dissociative Identity Disorder, emotional pain, Mind Control, Ritual Abuse, Self Injury, Therapy and Counseling tagged Abuse, AbuseConsultants.com, Amnesia, Anxiety, Change of Seasons, Dallas TX, Dark Parts, Dark Side, Darkness, Depressed, Depression, DID / MPD, DID Survivors, dissociative disorders, Dissociative Identity Disorder, Divided Selves, Divided System, Fall Equinox, Feeling Depressed, Feeling Suicidal, First day of spring, Grounding Techniques, Having a bad week, Isolating from Others, Kathy Broady, Losing Time, Lost Time, Missing Time, Night Parts, RA, Ritual Abuse, Ritually Abused, Season Change, Seasons, Seasons Changing, Self Harm, Self Injury, SI, Social Isolation, Spiritual Abuse, Spring Equinox, Suicidal, Suicidal Thoughts, Summer Solstice, Time Loss, Trauma, Trauma Survivors, Winter Solstice at 12:25 am by Kathy Broady
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This weekend is another season change.
For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, it will be the first day of spring.
The first day of spring, the first day of summer, the first day of autumn, and the first day of winter are all significant and difficult days for many trauma survivors with dissociative identity disorder (DID / MPD).
Because these dates are a little obscure, and the reasons for the trouble may not be obvious, many DID survivors may not understand why they have difficulties on these dates. I’m not going to go into great detail for why these dates are difficult, I just want to state that they often are.
Please check with your therapist, especially if you find yourself struggling this weekend. Have you noticed any of the following symptoms:
- Stronger, more frequent pulls towards self-injury or self-destructive thoughts, or even suicidal ideation
- Isolating or withdrawing from people that care about you
- Feeling darker on the inside
- Feeling different, as if something on the inside is changing
- Feeling like your system is shifting to another set of insiders
- Finding yourself with more missing time, or more episodes of amnesia
- Seeing new parts inside, or at least other parts that are less familiar to you
- Pulls to have contact with people who are not always the safest of people
- Intense flashbacks or body memories
- Depression, or disinterest in your normal daily activities
- Increased fear, anxiety, tension, feelings of conflict, etc.
The equinox dates (first days of spring and autumn) and the solstice dates (first days of summer and winter) are difficult weekends for lots of survivors.
There will be reasons for your reaction to these weekends. Talk further with your therapist about what is going on for you.
In the meantime, do a lot of grounding techniques. Work hard to stay connected to the here and now, and stay with people you know to be safe. Try to enjoy the sunshine, stay warm, and let yourself stay busy with activities that you know are positive.
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By:
Kathy Broady LCSW
Copyright © 2008-2010 Kathy Broady LCSW and Discussing Dissociation
