Complex Post-traumatic Stress Disorder

About 12.2 million adults have thoughts of suicide. This group is for their loved ones. Share your experiences and listen to others who are close to someone with suicidal ideation. This group offers support in a welcoming, non-judgmental environment and is facilitated by family members of people with mental health needs.

💻If you'd like more information or would like to join, you can find the link here. Virtual groups are every 2nd Monday of the month, 12:30-2 PM Eastern Standard Time. Closed captioning is available:
naminycmetro.org/programs/supporting-loved-ones-living-with-...

If you have any questions, feel free to comment below!

#Parenting #GeneralParenting
#Caregiving #BipolarDepression #BipolarDisorder #PTSD #ComplexPosttraumaticStressDisorder #Schizophrenia #ADHD #ChronicIllness #SchizoaffectiveDisorder #BorderlinePersonalityDisorder #Anxiety #ObsessiveCompulsiveDisorder #Depression #MentalHealth #Selfcare #EatingDisorders #CheckInWithMe

Hi Mighty friends! 👋

Last weekend was pretty tough for me. I had to fight my way out of a heavy depressive episode, so this weekend I want to set an intention that can help me feel more grounded and in control of my body and life's decisions. I think I want my word to be "centered." I want to feel connected to my physical and spiritual body.

What about you? What word can you carry with you into the weekend?

#BipolarDepression #BipolarDisorder #PTSD #ComplexPosttraumaticStressDisorder #Schizophrenia #ADHD #Parenting #ChronicIllness #SchizoaffectiveDisorder #BorderlinePersonalityDisorder #Anxiety #ObsessiveCompulsiveDisorder #Depression #MentalHealth #Selfcare #EatingDisorders #CheckInWithMe #CheerMeOn

Family and Friends of People Living with Co-Occuring Disorders support group is for all family members and close friends of people living with a mental health condition and substance use challenges. Share your experiences and learn coping strategies from fellow family members. This peer-run group offers support in a welcoming and inclusive environment.

💻 If you'd like more information or would like to join, you can find the link here. Virtual groups are every 4th Wednesday, 6 to 7:30pm Eastern Standard Time. Closed captioning is available:
naminycmetro.org/programs/family-and-friends-of-people-with-...

🗺️ If you are in the New York City area, in person groups are every 2nd Wednesdays, 12 to 1:30pm ET at the NAMI-NYC office. Check the link above for more information. ⬆️

If you have any questions, feel free to comment below!

#Parents #GeneralParenting #Caregiving #BipolarDepression #BipolarDisorder #PTSD #ComplexPosttraumaticStressDisorder #Schizophrenia #ADHD #Parenting #ChronicIllness #SchizoaffectiveDisorder #BorderlinePersonalityDisorder #Anxiety #ObsessiveCompulsiveDisorder #Depression #MentalHealth #Selfcare #EatingDisorders #CheckInWithMe

I've been reflecting lately on the goals and intentions I want to set for myself as the year continues. There have been a lot of shifts and changes in my daily routine since the beginning of the year, and as a result, some of my habits have had to change, too.

One habit I'd really like to improve is my time management. I want to use my time in a way that leaves me feeling less fatigued and less stressed about how little time I have for myself. I've realized that self-abandonment is a major trigger for my depression, so making space for my own needs has become increasingly important.

I also want to practice speaking to myself with more kindness about what I'm able to accomplish each week and how I define purpose in this season of my life. I'm not sure I'm where I want to be—or even if there's a specific place I need to "be" right now. Transition seasons often feel foggy and uncertain for me.

What about you? Is there a habit you'd like to change? What's one small step you can take toward that change?

#BipolarDepression #BipolarDisorder #PTSD #ComplexPosttraumaticStressDisorder #Schizophrenia #ADHD #Parenting #ChronicIllness #SchizoaffectiveDisorder #BorderlinePersonalityDisorder #Anxiety #ObsessiveCompulsiveDisorder #Depression #MentalHealth #Selfcare #EatingDisorders #CheckInWithMe #CheerMeOn

**Do you have a lot of parts?**

Yes.

**How many?**

Honestly, I don’t know exactly. And at some point, the number stopped being the most important thing.

What matters more is:

Who is here right now?

What does this part need?

And who is actually handling the taxes this year?

**Do all the parts listen to each other?**

No.

Because every part has their own experiences, feelings, and needs.

There is no inner boss with a megaphone saying:

“Alright, everyone does exactly the same thing now.”

Would be nice sometimes.

**Are there rules everyone has to follow?**

We try.

But imagine different parts of one person trying to organize everyday life together. With different opinions, fears, and needs.

Just in the same body.

And nobody volunteers for the cleaning schedule.

**Can handwriting change?**

Yes, sometimes.

My grocery list can look like several parts tried to leave a secret message at the same time.

Who did it?

No idea.

Everyone looks innocent.

**Do you have different music tastes?**

Absolutely.

Our playlist sometimes feels like someone accidentally connected a stranger’s phone.

Calm music one moment.

Then suddenly techno.

No transition.

No explanation.

**Do you have different preferences when it comes to food?**

Yes.

The fridge can become a little surprise box.

“Who bought this?”

“Why do we have five of these?”

“And why does this have a name written on it?”

The closet can be similar.

What feels perfect for one part can feel like a costume for another.

Sometimes it is less a closet and more a diplomatic negotiation table.

**Can people notice from the outside when someone switches?**

Sometimes.

Sometimes not.

Voice, body language, facial expressions, or behavior can change.

And then someone might think:

“Why is this person suddenly acting so differently?”

Short answer:

Shift change.

But not every DID system looks the same, and not every switch is visible.

**Do all the parts have the same age?**

No.

In a DID system, parts can have different inner ages.

Some are children.

Some are teenagers.

Some are adults.

The ID shows one number.

But different parts may have their own inner ages.

**Do you forget plans?**

Sometimes.

Not because we don’t care.

But because sometimes the part who agreed to something wasn’t the one who was present later.

Our calendar is less of a law and more of an optimistic suggestion.

**What about friendships?**

Sometimes they can be complicated.

Not every part likes the same people.

Some feel completely comfortable around certain people, while another thinks:

“Do we really have to?”

Friendship for us can mean bringing many different feelings together.

**Do you have different ways of speaking?**

Yes.

Sometimes it sounds like a job interview.

Sometimes like an annoyed teenager who just slammed the door.

People close to us have learned:

Don’t overanalyze it.

Just get to know us.

**Are there different fears?**

Yes.

Some parts are afraid of conflict.

Some of completely different things.

And sometimes a simple dentist appointment becomes a full internal production.

**Do you always know what the others have experienced?**

No.

Sometimes a memory feels like a message from an unknown number:

“By the way, that happened.”

And you sit there thinking:

“Okay… and who exactly was involved?”

The same can happen with things we have learned.

One part remembers every math formula.

Another wonders:

“Since when can we do that?”

**Are there parts that are difficult?**

This question comes up often.

Yes, sometimes there are parts that are difficult to live with.

Sometimes difficult for my bank account too.

But seriously:

Difficult does not mean dangerous.

Many parts developed ways of protecting us when survival was the priority.

Sometimes those strategies are no longer needed today, but they once had an important purpose.

Sometimes we have to learn together:

What helped back then?

And what do we need now?

**Can you just turn the other parts off?**

No.

They are not apps you delete when they are annoying.

They are parts of a system that developed to survive.

**Is DID dangerous?**

No.

Having DID does not make a person dangerous.

People with DID are not automatically a threat to others.

Many of us have experienced extreme things ourselves and fight every day simply to live our lives.

What is often missing is not safety.

What is often missing is understanding.

**And what is the craziest thing about DID?**

That many people think:

“There are multiple people living in one body.”

But DID is much more complex than that.

It is one person with different parts, different experiences, different feelings, and different needs.

At the end of the day, there is still one person.

A person with everyday life.

With humor.

With chaos.

With their own story.

Some questions about DID come from genuine curiosity.

Some come from ideas shaped by movies or social media.

And sometimes humor helps build a bridge.

DID is a serious trauma-related disorder.

But people with DID are not just their diagnosis.

We have everyday lives.

We have favorite songs.

We have fridge chaos and closet debates.

We laugh.

We argue.

We live.

Because behind every diagnosis is a person.

Not a cliché.

Not a spectacle.

A person.

#DissociativeIdentityDisorder #DID #Dissociation #Trauma #ComplexPTSD

Sibling & Adult Children virtual and in person support group is for siblings or adult children of individuals with mental illness. This group provides opportunities to share valuable coping strategies and practical information that helps you support your loved ones experiencing mental health challenges.

💻 If you'd like more information or would like to join, you can find the link here. Virtual groups are every 4th Thursdays 6PM – 7:30PM Eastern Standard Time. Closed captioning is available:
naminycmetro.org/programs/sibling-and-adult-child

🗺️ If you are in the New York City area, in person groups are every 1st Wednesday, 4:30 PM – 6 PM Eastern Standard Time at the NAMI-NYC office. Check the link above for more information. ⬆️

If you have any questions, feel free to comment below!

#BipolarDepression #BipolarDisorder #PTSD #ComplexPosttraumaticStressDisorder #Schizophrenia #ADHD #ChronicIllness #SchizoaffectiveDisorder #BorderlinePersonalityDisorder #Anxiety #ObsessiveCompulsiveDisorder #Depression #MentalHealth #Selfcare #EatingDisorders #CheckInWithMe