#not syscourse

bro contradicted their own source <//3

idk where else to say this but like this is a blog to talk abt syscourse right

That's actually not quite correct! According to the DSM 5, CDDs are formed in childhood and MANIFEST at any age, most often in early adulthood when abusers pass away, when someone's children reach the same age as they were when abuse took place, car accidents, anything really, but largely triggered by leaving the home.

*caveat that the age of the internet makes it easier to realize sooner

Here's two applicable parts of the DSM, and a book by Spiegel, who worked on both the DSM IV and 5, Dissociative Disorders in the DSM 5, with an explanation about why it only happens in childhood. I've also posted dozens of sources on the childhood aspect (including brain scan proof!) under my research tag.

Let's read this together, because it has nothing to do with misdiagnosis or comorbidity. Those have their own damn sections. This is differentials. It explains the differences between two things because you have to PICK ONE. What are you diagnosing, right now, and here's how to tell the difference.

Individuals with dissociative identity disorder often present identities that appear to encapsulate a variety of severe personality disorder features - Individuals with DID often have alters that APPEAR to have one or more personality disorders or display dysregulated traits related to one or more PDs-- it's usually more than one, a "variety". They may display borderline, anxious, obsessive, histrionic, avoidant, ALL IN ONE.

We sure do, and more. But all of us show traits of BPD, in addition to other symptoms.

suggesting a differential diagnosis of personality disorder, especially of the borderline type - you might think they have both-- or more, they might display one or all (BPD is the most common), and you might want to say it's comorbid. The text uses "differential diagnosis" rather than comorbid, because the symptoms look so similar that a doctor must choose between one condition or the other.

Importantly, however, the individual's longitudinal variability in personality style (attributable to inconsistency among identities) - importantly, these suspect traits change as the system switches

differs from the pervasive and persistent dysfunction in affect management and interpersonal relationships typical of those with personality disorders - as compared to ACTUAL PDs, which are pervasive, persistent, and constant within an individual, it doesn't come and go all willy nilly and as fleeting as an alter's time in front

What is the difference between differentials and comorbidity?

The above passage is from the DSM's DID differentials.

A differential diagnosis is the process of telling apart two or more conditions that share similar symptoms to find the correct single cause.

A comorbid condition is a separate illness that happens at the same time as the main problem. They clearly have different root causes, and separate treatment is required for both.

This passage is saying that you shouldn't diagnose additional PDs unless they appear, consistently and pervasively, across the entire system-- every alter would display the same dysregulated trait if the BODY also had a comorbid personality disorder.

But in less seriousness, if you really simplify this, it says:

PDs and CDDs look a lot alike, suggesting they might be a complicated differential to each other.

Hey, can we think critically past the hate for a hot second?

That's correct, it IS for grouping things with similar symptoms

Mainly, CORE symptoms

But BPD doesn't require dissociation. None of the PDs do.

BPD occurs in 1/4 to 1/3 of people with NO dissociation, and an even smaller portion is considered chronic and pathological, or outside of normal ranges and related to the BPD. The other PDs experience dissociation even less.

So why the fuck would it be considered in the same vein as a dissociative disorder, and why would you hurr durr laugh and then say something like that?

Friendo, you're the one on something, and I think I know what.

Now people can have a dissociative disorder without any dissociation at all?

There are limits to what the categories can share.

You can put DID under trauma disorders or dissociative disorders and it makes sense. You can put PTSD under anxiety or trauma disorders and it makes sense. You can put STPD under personality or psychotic disorders and it makes sense.

But you can't put a disorder that doesn't require dissociation, and doesn't appear consistently with dissociation, under the dissociative disorders.

And vice versa, DID will never go back to being a personality disorder, it never made sense.

For dissociative disorders, the core symptom is...

Wait for it...

Dissociation

There will always be dissociation, 100% of the time, forever.

In PDs, the core symptom is "maladaptive personality traits". In cluster A, it's eccentric traits, cluster B, emotional traits, and C, anxious traits. These traits are dysregulated.

Dissociation isn't a personality trait. It doesn't affect personality traits. You can have one without the other.

Dissociation in PDs is a symptom, rather than a rule, and one that doesn't always occur. This should tell us a lot.

Apparently whether PDs should become DDs is a GLOBAL DEBATE

Even though none of the PDs require dissociation

I feel like "dissociative disorder" has become synonymous with "trauma formed", and that's where this is coming from, because there IS a debate over PDs becoming trauma disorders.

But not over them becoming DDs.

Dissociative Identity Disorder: A Story of Personal and Clinical Understanding

M. Moran, April 2026

Diagnosed and successfully treated for DID during residency, psychiatrist Milissa Kaufman wants her colleagues to understand that this is ‘a trauma-related, developmental condition with distinct psychobiological correlates.’

Milissa Kaufman is a psychiatrist with DID

I want to highlight that this disorder doesn't need to hold you back

Remember, we don't just survive with CDDs, we thrive

We exist in every corner of employment, we can do anything, a diagnosis doesn't stop you

I also just love how she talks about the trauma model. She says a lot of very interesting things in this interview, highly recommend giving it a read

Which is to say, not a professional

They're the source of several myths about OSDD because of confusing wording and, imo, several of their facts are outdated, as it's not actively being updated

Did-research provides a basic overview to beginners, but shouldn't be used beyond that or linked as a credible resource

If you WANT to use a fact you found on did-research, they have their sources on the website, go directly to the paper did-research is using and read it yourself to confirm it says what you think it does

I am writing this post to formally apologize for the ableist wording of a post that went out a few days ago. I had referred to CDD disordered symptoms as 'sickness' and was informed this was ableist terminology. I have since corrected the post but I am sorry for any harm this caused. I was not aware of this being ableist at the time of writing it but of course, intention does not equal action.