Understanding SRA/DID

BRIDE Ministries is Committed to the Broken

BRIDE Ministries International is on the cutting edge of developing coaching techniques which bring healing to survivors of SRA/DID through the finished work of Jesus Christ.

Dissociation & Trauma

Dissociation is the separation of normally related mental processes, resulting in one group functioning independently from the rest, leading in extreme cases to disorders such as dissociative identity disorder. Dissociative Identity Disorder is defined as a disturbance in the normal integrative function of memory, identity, and self, and it is the only mental disorder with two or more distinct personality states. (Chu, 2011). Dissociation is a God-given coping mechanism that all humans use to one degree or another in order to navigate discomfort and trauma. While dissociation can help us to survive trauma, it typically leads to fragmentation in cases of moderate to severe trauma. This is why dissociative issues will result from heavy trauma, especially when that trauma is experienced in early childhood, typically before the age of seven. Not all dissociation results in alternate personalities, but severe and repetitive trauma beginning in early childhood will cause the individual to dissociate into alternate personality states. The ability to dissociate this way can become problematic when it begins to impair normal and healthy functions necessary for life. Understanding the connection between dissociation and brokenness is a highway to accelerated ministry in the realm of inner healing and deliverance.

Dissociative Continuum

Credit to Dr. Preston Bailey

Types of Fragmentation

Dissociation identity disorder is extremely complex in the way it manifests. In our work, we look at man as body, soul, and spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:23). Based on this foundation, we have observed three main types of fragmentation.

Soul Fragments

This is the most common type of fragmentation. These are pieces of soul that have split in order to cope with trauma. They are essentially pieces of consciousness. They can exist at different stages across the dissociative continuum referenced below. Not every soul fragment in a person with dissociative identity disorder will necessary exist as a fully self-aware alternate personality state (alter). In people that do not have dissociative identity disorder, they are still exhibiting soul fragmentation in varying degrees. There is a spectrum of severity and significance when it comes to soul fragmentation.

Soul-Spirit Fragments

With major splits during severe trauma, sometimes a part that is soul will split and be joined a piece of the person’s spirit. These fragments are particularly good at operating autonomously, both inside and outside of the person’s body. These types of alters will be very significant and strong. In a crisis moment, this type of alter can even replace the part of the person that was formerly responsible for living life.

Spirit Fragments

While this is hard to imagine, Psalm 51:17 says, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.” The word translated broken is the Hebrew word shabar, which means to break in pieces or to shatter. Certain traumas go deep enough to shatter not only the soul, but also the spirit. When extremely severe trauma has been endured by a person, it is not uncommon to find that the spirit also exists in pieces.

Types of Dissociative Identity Disorder

Signs I have DID?

Dissociative identity disorder is a complex condition to diagnosis because of the nature of symptoms.  Signs of Split Personality Disorder can mask as so many other conditions that it may be difficult for a Split Personality Disorder survivor to pinpoint the root cause of their issues.  The disorder is so misunderstood that some psychologist are skeptical of its existence.  People suffering from Split Personality Disorder are often misdiagnosed with schizophrenia, biopolar, or psychosis. Moreover, the nature of the disorder makes it hard for suffers to want to connect with the memories or trauma that caused their dissociation.  Those dealing with Split Personality Disorder often want to dissociation from the condition itself, making it even harder to diagnosis. To help, we have compiled a list of some obvious and hidden signs of Split Personality Disorder.  

People with DID and those around them often notice sudden swings in mood, temperament, or emotions on any given day. These swings can be drastic and without cause, indicating that the person may be switching to another identity. DID suffers can find themselves happy one moment then crying hysterically the next with little change in external circumstance.

At the heart of dissociation is the desire to forget painful and traumatic memories. These memories, however, can sometimes break through the dissociation unintentionally. Constant flashbacks of things that happen in ones past that a one does not remember is a sign of DID. Moreover, those with DID seem to “find” memories of themselves at a certain event or interacting with others that they do not remember, particularly if they are painful or traumatic.

DID survivors often find themselves dealing with demonic possession/oppression. This happens when broken, tortured, or abused alters are intentionally or unintentionally layered with demonic oppression or bondage with parts or alters. If you are a Christian and have participated in numerous deliverance sessions and still are not free, you may have a deep issue of fragmentation which must be addressed for total healing.

When DID survivors switch parts, the part at the surface may be in control of the body and interact as its own distinct personality. The presenter may not be aware of what the part is doing for a period of minutes, hours, or days. Survivors often describe this phenomenon as losing time or blacking out. When the presenter reappears, he or she often cannot given an account of their actions or whereabouts.

The trauma associated with dissociation often involves sexual abuse at a young age and can continue throughout ones life. This sexual abuse often creates sex alters who come to the surface during sexual intercourse, allowing other parts of the person to escape. DID survivors may have an addiction, fear, anxiety, or an inability to connect during sex.

Derealization is the feeling that someone’s reality, surroundings, or external world is not real.

Depersonalisation can mean a survivor detaches from ones own mind or body. Those who depersonalize often consider themselves as a detached observer of oneself.

DID survivors may suffer from depression and suicidal thoughts as a result of trying to cope and deal with their condition.

Those with DID may have an impaired ability to cope with life circumstance and deal with the memories that surface. Some turn to substances to help deal with pain and anxiety.

1. Switching from one personality to another- Switching occurs when two or more personalities or personality states are at the surface or near the surface and change back and forth. This can result in a loss of time or an amnesiac fugue episode.

2. Physical symptoms that have no medical cause

3. Unusual physical changes such as change of eye color, etc.

4. Body memories

5. Self-mutilation

6. Change in voices

7. Change in handwriting

8. Frequent or intense headaches

9. Eating disorders

10. Difficulty in swallowing

11. Unusual pain in sexual organs

12. Scarring of genital organs and rectum

13. Frequent urinary infections

14. Night terrors

15. Temporary paralysis

16. Unusual change in eyesight or visual problems

17. Immune system deficiency

18. Unusual body scars

19. Choking sensation

1. Sense of helplessness

2. Sense of hopelessness

3. Sense of shame

4. Guilt complex

5. Low sense of self-worth

6. Abreactions

7. Intense affect- emotions that come to the surface

8. Unhealthy focus on death

9. Borderline traits- lack of healthy boundaries

10. Personality changes

11. Unusual fears

12. Lack of normal childhood memories

13. Unusual compulsions

14. Frequent introspection

15. Difficulty in relationships

1. Fear and anger towards God

2. Fear of Jesus

3. Fear of the Lord’s Supper

4. Sense of feeling demon possessed

5. Strong sense of the presence of evil

6. Trouble reading the Bible

7. Trouble praying

8. Unhealthy attitudes towards Christianity