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 ASPECTS OF BODY CHANGES
TEMPERATURE CHANGES. I have been asked why there are changes in body temperature when there is switching between insiders, and I can only give a what I have encountered working with some Mutliples. Different ones have sometimes written or told me verbally that they are experiencing varied changes in their body temperature and feeling freezing cold, shivering, and sometimes shaking uncontrollably too. Others have asked me if I am feeling hot while they are perspiring freely and I have a sweater on, ( granted I feel the cold much more than most so am really not an accurate thermometer for such a question) but I can usually say when the person flushed from heat seems inappropriately hot for the surrounding temperature. I have observed when parts have been abreacting a memory and re-living a traumatic experience that wherever they are for that time they not only feel the pain of the abuse but they are also feeling the surrounding temperature. For example, if they have been taken outside in the Fall to an isolated spot somewhere and the night air is cold and chilly, the body will start to shiver and the insider will chatter through their teeth that they cannot get warm, that they are so COLD and can't stop shaking. ( the shaking can also be attributed to shock and terrror) Conversely, another has been exposed to suffocating heat in a closed room or small space with no windows, no fan, no air but the hot air circulating, and will be sweating and thirsty. If, as is often the case, the person has been in cold or hot water for some reason, the body will feel this experienced as when it happened even though today, there is no water around, either in a bathroom or an outside body of water like a lake or pond. When one is aware that the temperature of the body is not concurrent with the surrounding atmosphere but seems to be connected with whoever is out, or the host cannot explain why they are feeling uncomfortably hot or cold and are not running a fever (though when abreacting this can occur), if it is possible for the therapist, or safe support person to help the abreacting one work through the traumatic experience and get grounded in the present, and aware of where they are NOW, THEN a warm bath or drink can help to warm them if they are cold, or a cold drink can be refreshing if they are hot. But this will not be effective while the body is still reliving the scenario where temperatures fluctuate and are sometimes purposely inflicted to produce a specific reaction and effect. It is always a prioirity to first rule out a physical, physiological reason for any abnormal temperature that might not be psychologically connected to a trauma memory. To confirm there is not an underlying condition, a medication reaction, an infection or sickness that is causing body temperature to change. HEADACHES. See article entitled Headaches at : http://www.goessoftlyishere.com Headaches are probably the most common ongoing "headache" (pardon the pun) Multiples have to suffer and are very varied in severity and the length of time they last. See Article for a fuller description and enlarging on their causes and treatment. HIVES,RASHES, WEALS,BURN/ROPE Marks, etc. The body remembers everything that has been done to it, thus, when bodily hurt has been sustained from abusive injuiries these are stored as memories in the body tissues and cells. It is not unusual for a client who has been tied tightly with a rope or wire at the wrists and ankles, to have such rope or wire marks appear when recounting the trauma. I have seen blisters, welts, burn marks, rashes, bruises, cigarette marks and even blood appear during or after remembered traumata. These all disappear when the origin of them is discussed and worked through. If the client walks into session and points to a red mark on an arm, face or somewhere, that surfaced for no apparent reason, it is good to first rule out any physiological cause such as have they been near Poisen Ivy, bruised themselves, touched a hot pan, have an allergy to something recently ingested or touched etc. and if not, to then explore possible reasons for its presence according to where it is located. If there is a memory or someone inside can remember where it might have come from this can be talked about and addressed. Seeking to treat rashes and other such body memory evidence with topical or other medicinal remedies will not affect the symptoms and cause them to disappear. Working through the original cause WILL. Body memories, for me, are always messages from the body to the outside observer(s). They tell so clearly what has been done - method,(rope burns,wire marks,etc.) burns,(caused by cigarettes, electrical, other tools etc) bruises(in particular body parts caused from human activity or objects) sometimes the intention of the abuser can be evaluated from the severity of weals or manifestations and where they appear. One can know what kind of trauma was sustained, physical, sexual, psychological, or combo of all. They give us a way to identify who holds the memory if we ask. They also open an opportunity for the host to take the particular memory(ies) from the one who has been holding it through the years. If this occurs it is one way for the host to show his or her recognition of, and appreciation for what the insider(s) has done for the survival of the body and all who reside in it. MEDICAL TEST RESULTS It is a documented but complex phenomenon when a person, man, woman or child, is given routine tests, say, an eye examintion, or EKG (heart), or EEG ( brain), to find that in the case of Multiplicity, these will differ according to who is "out", (meaning who has control of the body) at the time of the test, the resutls will differ accordingly. It is one diagnostic tool for evaluating for Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), though most phsyicians are unaware of this phenomenon. To have a baseline test result from one person in the System will not be accurate unless the SAME person, host or alter is up front and out for the next test. In this case the result will be accurate for them, but if there is switching, results can vary if repeated within a few minutes. Uninformed physicians can, and do, misdiagnose and thus mismedicate and mistreat relying on these varied test results. Within one system there can be one or more who are allergic to certain food or drink, e,g coffee. An observer seeing the host refuse coffee because of a bad allergic reaction to Caffeine will thinks the host to be lying when they swtich to another personality who can drink coffeee without any untoward effects. Vision is also different for different ones in the same system and it can be helpful for therapists to distinguish who is out in session, (before they learn to recognize parts individually) when they see someone put on, or take off their glasses while talking. It might be helpful to remember that Littles can be impulsive,( especially when in a grumpy mood) who do not need to wear glasses because their vision is 20/20, who might throw the glasses down and break them if they are not asked first, to be careful how they handle them. Because of the Body changes for each insider it is imperative to be very careful when ingesting medications. See the "Medication and DID" article on my site: http://www.goessoftlyishere.com It is also good to remember that alcohol and meds do not mix and can be a fatal combination. I still grievce for some friends, one, a teenage boy, who died from combining drink and drugs. Therefore if there are one or more Insiders who go out on the town and get drunk, it is wise to make SURE they are not up front when it is time to take pills or whatever is precscribed. If they are the ones who need the medication and so NEED to be out, then it is up to everyone to make sure they are sober and stay that way while the pills take effect. PERCEPTION BODY CHANGE One phenomenon that is not often mentioned but is, in fact, an ONGOING event in the life of a Multiple, is the perception of body change in size, weight, appearance and ability to carry out various acitivites. Sometimes, a Therapist unfamiliar with DID does not grasp that a Little who is 3yrs old or 5yrs old, cannot SEE something on the office desk that an adult would be able to see immediately because of their height and looking down on it, but the little one could not possibly see without standing on a chair. The therapist, seeing an adult body of a man or woman is apt to forget the perception of the Little one inside, who,while standing by the desk asks if there is a pencil on it they can draw with because they are genuinely unable to see over the edge of the desk. It is good for all therapists treating DID to keep in mind the body CHANGES in the perception for EACH alter personality who is up front, or "out" - that were they to look in a mirror, they see ONLY how they SEE themselves. The hair could be blond, brunette, grey,black, dyed, and any and every style imaginable. The other insiders also see the same image of their inside family ,and the Host, when co-conscious, will give the same description. This perception body change needs to kept in mind for therapists who subscribe to holding, hugging, rocking children when they are in deep distress. Young ones asking to be held and wanting to cry on a "mommy or daddy's" chest. We, therapists need to be very clear with our personal sense of boundaries, professionalism, and legal implications where clients of the opposite sex are imvolved. We need to come to terms with what we are comfortable with and willing for when situations of body perception change arise. If we are male therapists and a tiny inside little girl cries desolately to be rocked and held tightly - or if we are female with a little inside boy reaching out to us for a hug and a chest to sob into - and our client is a grown adult, married man or woman but the Little one tries to crawl up on a percived big lap so their little person can find a refuge from the "monster" - how do we choose to react? I find it helpful to keep a mental picture of how the insider perceives this change of physical appearance and behavior and act accordingly. For example, if I have a very large teddy bear ( I have a Pooh Bear I cannot get my arms around, he is very large) and think it will be a comforting stuffy for a sad 2 or 3 year old to cuddle, but see only an adult who might even be bigger than myself, to remember that it not only might be scary for a such a little one to have a HUGE animal pushed towards him or her, but they can in no way get their little arms around it. They could easily not be able to hold it. To be reproved, however gently, for not taking hold as it would seem an easy task they should have no trouble with, would only confuse and increase the ititle one's fear. They see all objects and people from their age appropriate height and place.and we do well to remember this. Likewise, a heavily built client wearing conservative clothing would not be the perceived appearance an insider who sees him or herself as a skinny black clothed gothic teenager. It is helpful to ask the client when it is clear someone other than the host or whoever came to session, is out, to perhaps ask who is up front now and to help the therapist "See" who they are talking to and accomodate the approach accordingly. So we, therapists need to ask ourselves about the body we see sitting, crouching, curled up,laying or squatting in front of us, or by our chair or under the desk or in the corner, or crawling towards the door, - and understand with compassion and respect so we do not err in judgement and treatment by going solely on outward physical appearance. That we do not require or ask our clients to perform anything or do something physically impossble for their age level and cognitive ability. Am sure there are other body changes that need addressing but these were foremost in enquiry and I can add more if necessary. Goessoftly Retired Therapist http://www.goessoftlyishere.com (Permission for reprints is required).   | Normalizing and Demystifying DID | DID and Littles.(Child/Young Alters) | ISOLATION | Mono's Disbelief | Distortion: Good and Evil | ASPECTS OF BODY CHANGES | Relationships | Across The Board | Across The Board | FORGIVENESS | I am BAD | Headaches | LYING AND DECEPTION | LOST and LOSS | EYES | Controversy. Research projects. | Feeling is Healing | Alone and Aloneness | VICTIM or VICTOR ? | TEARS | Medication and DID | DID Emergency Room/Casualty and Crisis Center Guid | Acknowledging The Inside Community | The NO TALK Rule. Silencing. | | THE HEALING PROCESS | DISSOCIATIVE IDENTITY DISORDER | POETRY | Biographical Entries | THE OTHER SIDE OF LIFE | STORIES FOR LITTLES (Pigmus and friends) | SEEDLING THOUGHTS TO WATER | | Return Home | Great Links | Sign/View Guestbook | |
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