Red Flags | Warning Signs | Imitative | Pseudogenic | D.I.D/O.S.D.D. & the Dangers of Misinformation
The disturbing trend of misinformed individuals to the outright ableists in the DID/OSDD community that needs to be addressed because it is detrimental to the community as a whole. The credibility of dissociative disorders as a whole has been under fire for quite some time, especially with the prevalence of COVID19 where many individuals ādiscoveredā their so called āsystem-hoodā.
The term faking will be used in both the context of individuals who are aware of their falsehood as IDing with DID/OSDD, to the individuals who are unaware of their falsehood.
The following are the clinical indications that an individual might be faking, sourced from M&M (Multiplicity & Me and other sources, listed at the bottom below)
* Exceptional openness about ones trauma history and DID/OSDD
* Continuity of memory of actions, events, and critical information about oneself.
* Reporting abuse that is inconsistent with ones background and/or medical history
* A lack of co-morbid PTSD
* Trying to prove oneās desired diagnosis
* Dramatic, stereotypical, or bizarre symptoms
* A need to assume a sick role
* Medico-Legal motivation to be labeled as having DID/OSDD
* Demanding or deprecating attitudes towards caregivers
* A lack of previous psychiatric/abuse history
* Inconsistencies within symptoms
* Numerous Hospitalizations
* Lack of observed symptoms or worsening of symptoms while under observation
* Refusing psychological testing
General Indicators of Factitious Disorder and Malingering
* La Belle Indifference (aka the lack of concern over oneās symptoms)
* Pseudologia Fantastica (pathological/compulsive lying)
* Lack of consistent work history
* Refusal of collateral interviews/interviews with family/partners/long-term friends
* Excessive Dramatic Behaviour
* Lack of prior/developmental symptoms
* Seeking hospitalization or a diagnosis
All of this (and the expanded) could indicate an individual who is confusing their normal/extreme moods, ego states, the batman effect, or non-dissociated parts of themselves as alters. (Read this does in no way mean non dissociated parts exist, its just identity characteristics being personified.)
* Exaggerated or Stereotypical Alters; This could be a strong indication that the āsystemā has no actual alters but is trying to create alters based on common misconceptions/strong mood swings or emotional states/popular media trends/common and popular alter roles/or social media presentations
* Attention Seeking Behaviours; This is the strongest social/clinical red flag by far. Dramatic symptoms/experiences, exaggeration, and a need to assume a sick or vulnerable role in society. Key focus is on someone constantly derailing conversations in order to refocus the discussion on themselves/symptoms/experiences, someone who always struggling with what others are struggling with, and someone always needing to outdo others with their claims. Whenever someone else is getting attention, such person may escalate to a ācrisisā, have a vital revelation about their system or past that requires immediate support, or be facing a new traumatic situation or danger from an abuser. Such behaviours may also be in correspondence to someone being called out for their toxic behaviours/claims. Some individuals may even go as far as to threaten with threats of violence, suicide, self harm, or even declaring the call out as false/that person acting as an abuser.
* Constantly focusing on ones trauma history or DID/OSDD in social settings is another red flag as well. If an individual is constantly bringing up their DID/OSDD or abuse even in situations where its not beneficial to do so. Even as far as derailing or removing attention from a more appropriate concern. Raising awareness/speaking about yourself is one thing, on the other, being absolute unhesitatingly upfront about oneās condition for no reason is an red flag for not being entirely honest.
* The opposite is also true, if in when certain company an individual is a mess, switches rapidly, and/or suffers constantly from the co-morbid conditions but all symptoms disappear/lessen the moment that the individual needs to get something done or is in different company.
* Many individuals find it easier to dissociate and/or put on a mask of functioning, but if the contrast is too great and seems too convenient/or planned, you may face the possibility that the individual is manipulating their social presentation for their personal benefit.
* Blatant, or consistent misinformation; The truth about DID/OSDD-1 specifically can be inconvenient or not as intriguing/escapable/ or even jarring/unnerving to those who mistakenly believe they possess these disorders. Because of that, those without true DID/OSDD may insist on spreading misinformation about the disorders; such as infantilizing/demonizing alter roles, perpetuating harmful stereotypes, or giving ridiculous/impossible explanations for symptoms/experiences. If confronted, they react defensively with any or all of the possible ācrisisā related attention seeking behaviours. Itās likely that person will either double down or switch to a different type of misinformation instead.
* Please use common sense to that likely at some point everyone has spoken misinformed about DID/OSDD for various reasons. How we are able to separate this experience from the behaviours listed above is the willingness to admit to oneās misgivings/mistakes, and adjust to the correct information. Note its highly suspicious for individuals who have spent years claiming to have the disorder but still perpetuate DID/OSDD falsehoods.
* Extremely Rapid Progression; If an individual has only become aware of their condition within the last few weeks or months, its highly unlikely that they will know all of their alters/alter information, have perfect/clear/auditory communication, or have complete or almost all cooperation from their system.
* This applies even more so in regards to knowing ones most/ or all of their (formative and later) trauma & their history. DID/OSDD-1 are disorders designed by the brain to internally segregate and redact as much traumatic information from the conscious awareness. If dissociate barriers were that easy to to dismantle, especially without the help and safety of a professional, it would hardly be classified as an externally/internally debilitating disorder.
* Unnecessary Introjects (ie, fictives and factives); Introjects form from either very specific traumatic circumstances (ie, introjects of abusers or religious figures) or going through a traumatic experience while subconsciously drawing on traits/characteristics from media sources. (ie, introjects of a characters personality/appearance that affect the subconscious design of an alter to handle the traumatic situation).
* A major red flag are those who create identities for their partners, steal identities of real individuals, large amounts of dramatized introjects, media introjects acting like their āsourceā, and introjects that are formed after recent new media.
* Exclusive/Obsessive focus on alters; DID and OSDD-1 both include the presence of two or more distinct personality states (or similar for those with osdd1a). If someone is claiming to have these conditions but shows no other dissociative/debilitating/(c)ptsd symptoms- its highly unlikely they suffer from real DID/OSDD-1.
* Note that some fakers may list dissociative experiences/symptoms they never seem to actually experience or try to act as if they suffer from dissociation but horribly misrepresents them in the process.
* Inconsistent or overly exaggerated claims of dissociative symptoms can also indicate fakers, as well as others who claim to have debilitating symptoms but are otherwise the picture of mental health is not telling the true story.
* A roleplay like presentation; If alters/parts come across as poorly written characters/OCās that you would expect to find in a gc/server populated by teens/young kids in their idolization phases - that is a very big red flag! Dissociative parts are at least moderately distinguishable from each other without quirky characteristics needing to be relied upon. If a system seems to be going out of their way to prove how different their alters are, but every alter is coming off as creative writing, it could be a sign that individuals parts are not as different/real as they insist.
* That being said, use common sense once again to realize that individuals who are trying hard to prove their condition typically do not come off with all these warning signs. Additionally, OSDD1a and some OSDD1b alters/parts are by nature less distinguishable.
* Easy or frequent rapid switching; contrary to popular belief, an alter or a part needs a serious trigger (usually negative in nature) in order to front. A quick switch is difficult when unneeded for the situation at hand or hasnāt been triggered. Quick or rapid switching happens under period of extreme distress/abuse/flashback/etc.
