Increased awareness. Starting therapy can sometimes cause DID and OSDD symptoms to feel worse because therapy often brings more attention to them. This can make symptoms feel more noticeable and increase awareness of the distress they cause.
Change. Even positive change can be destabilizing. Change introduces uncertainty and reduces predictability, which some members of the system may experience as increased threat.
System Disruption. As parts become more aware of each other or of the therapy process, communication attempts or shifts in roles can temporarily increase confusion, switching, or internal tension.
This page is part of the Therapy and Finding Safe, Supportive Healing section of the CommuniDID site, which explains how to evaluate therapists, recognize trauma-informed care, and understand what safe, phase-based DID treatment should look like.
Explore more:
- Questions about therapy and DID
- Why Trauma Therapy Often Begins with Stabilization for information about the phased approach to treating trauma.
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