7 Years To Get The Right Diagnosis?
(Summary) Dissociative identity disorder (DID) isn’t nearly as rare as most people think. What makes it seem uncommon is not its actual prevalence, but how often it goes unrecognized. Research shows that it takes an average of seven years in the mental health system before someone with DID receives an accurate diagnosis. In that time, many are misdiagnosed with conditions like borderline personality disorder, bipolar disorder, or schizophrenia—diagnoses that may capture some symptoms but miss the whole picture. DID often hides in plain sight, especially when survivors have learned to mask or when professionals aren’t trained in trauma-informed care. Recognizing this reality is essential, because DID is not rare—it’s just overlooked.
Most people think dissociative identity disorder is incredibly rare. Like, you’ll never meet someone with it rare. But that’s just not true. It’s not that DID is rare. It’s that it’s rarely recognized. On average, it takes seven years in the mental health system before someone with DID receives a correct diagnosis. That means years of being misdiagnosed with things like BPD, bipolar, or schizophrenia. And it means years of being mistreated. Not because these diagnoses were bad, but because they don’t capture the full picture. DID hides in plain sight. People learn to mask. Parts stay quiet. Even professionals miss it if they aren’t trauma informed. So if you’ve ever felt like something deeper is going on, but nobody sees it, you’re not alone. And you’re not imagining it. This isn’t rare. It’s just overlooked. And that needs to change.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why does it take so long to get a DID diagnosis?
DID is often missed because many clinicians receive little training in dissociation. Symptoms can overlap with conditions like PTSD, depression, BPD, or bipolar disorder. Without a trauma-informed lens, the deeper dissociative patterns go unrecognized, leading to years of misdiagnosis.
2. What does “masking” mean in DID?
Masking means parts of the system hide their differences in order to pass as one seamless person. This can help avoid stigma or danger but also makes it harder for others—including professionals—to see the signs. Masking is a survival strategy, not a sign that the DID isn’t real.
3. What are some signs that DID might be overlooked?
Frequent time loss, internal voices or conversations, sudden shifts in mood or behavior, and feeling disconnected from oneself are common. But because these experiences often happen privately, they may not be visible during therapy sessions unless specifically asked about.
4. How can I bring up the possibility of DID with a therapist?
It helps to share specific experiences rather than just saying “I think I have DID.” Mentioning things like memory gaps, feeling like different parts of you take over, or noticing strong inner voices can give your therapist more concrete information to work with.
5. Is misdiagnosis harmful?
Treatment that doesn’t address the underlying dissociation is a missed opportunity and is likely to have limited effectiveness. A misdiagnosed person might get partial relief but still feel unseen or stuck. Correct recognition allows for trauma-informed approaches that focus on stabilization, cooperation, and healing at the system level.