Thursday, March 11, 2010

Suzie's Trauma

Dissociative Identity Disorder develops when trauma occurs and the Host is unable to comprehend and recover. In addition, there may not be a compassionate caregiver to help the Host recover and prevent additional abuse. In Suzie's case the trauma was significant and she had no one to go for help.

Imagine the DID mind, the Dark is where all the Parts are reliving the trauma while trying to protect the Host and also punish. In Suzie's case, the Parts vary in age from infant to late teens, they also vary in personality types, some are bullies and some are victims, just like life itself. They wander in the dark and form small cooperative groups. Once the therapist has diagnosed DID the work begins to communicate with the Parts. Once a level of trust is established the goal is to reveal the traumatic memory. At revelation, the Part is shocked, goes into denial and disbelief, finally acceptance and healing can begin. The Host experiences the same process.

Suzie Q was the first to present herself to the therapist, with compassion C was able to learn Q's memory. Later, I would learn from Suzie the double horror of her life. Suzie's trauma was repeated rape by her father. In addition, her mother was willing to ignore all the signs her baby daughter was being abused. Suzie had no way to learn this is not how parents love and take care of their children. Suzie thought this abuse was love. Father rape started as an infant until age 12.

To survive this horror and to help the Host survive, the brain capsulized the trauma. Each Part retained at least one memory and developed a method to try to repeal future abuse. Suzie Q's coping mechanism was to be a lovable precocious creative clown. Her logic was who could purposely hurt such a child? Well who the hell indeed?

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