This guide is for you if you suspect you may have DID, OSDD, or another dissociative disorder — particularly if you have had the experience dismissed or ignored by a previous clinician. It covers the diagnostic process from first steps through to finding a specialist, including what to say, what to bring, and what to do if you are not believed.
Before you begin
The average time to a correct dissociative disorder diagnosis is seven years. That is a systemic failure, not a personal one. The purpose of this guide is to help you navigate a system that is not yet well-equipped to recognise what you are carrying.
Understand what you are looking for
Before approaching anyone clinically, it helps to have a basic sense of the two main diagnoses you may be assessed for.
DID (Dissociative Identity Disorder) involves two or more distinct identity states or parts, with significant amnesia between them — gaps in memory for everyday events, personal information, or periods of time.
OSDD (Other Specified Dissociative Disorder) covers presentations that don't fully meet the DID threshold: parts that are less distinct, or less amnesia between states. It is equally real and equally deserving of specialist treatment.
Around 3.7% of people meet criteria for a dissociative disorder — comparable to bipolar disorder. You do not need to diagnose yourself. You just need enough clarity to ask the right questions.
Use a validated self-report screening tool
Self-report screening tools are not diagnostic, but they are clinically useful. Taking one and printing your results gives you something concrete to bring to an appointment — and makes it harder to be dismissed.
DES-II — Dissociative Experiences Scale
The most widely used screening tool. Free and available online. A score above 30 is considered clinically significant and warrants further evaluation. Search: "DES-II dissociation questionnaire" to find it.
MID — Multidimensional Inventory of Dissociation
A more detailed tool that maps dissociative experiences across 23 different dimensions, including amnesia, identity confusion, voices, and depersonalisation. Longer but more nuanced, and often used by specialists in formal assessments.
SDQ-20 — Somatoform Dissociation Questionnaire
Covers somatic and bodily dissociative symptoms — numbness, pain, motor symptoms, conversion experiences — which are very commonly missed. Worth completing if you have unexplained physical symptoms.
Print or screenshot your results. These scores give a clinician something concrete to work with.
Talk to your GP or primary care provider
Your GP cannot diagnose a dissociative disorder, but they can refer you. Many GPs have limited knowledge of dissociation, so how you frame the conversation matters.
What to say
"I have been experiencing significant memory gaps, feeling like different parts of me take over, and dissociative episodes that are affecting my daily life. I have completed a validated screening tool — the DES-II — which shows a clinically significant score. I would like a referral to a trauma-specialist psychologist or psychiatrist for formal assessment."
Bring your DES-II score. Be specific about functional impairment — work, relationships, daily tasks — as this is the language that tends to trigger referral pathways.
If your GP is dismissive
You are entitled to request a second opinion. You may also self-refer to a private specialist directly — no GP referral is required to see a private psychologist. See Step 5.
You know your experience. You are not asking permission. You are requesting an appropriate clinical response.
What a proper diagnostic assessment looks like
A valid dissociative disorder assessment should be conducted by a clinician with specific training in dissociation — not just general trauma experience. A well-meaning but under-trained therapist can sometimes cause harm inadvertently by missing key features of the presentation.
A thorough assessment will typically include:
- A structured clinical interview — often the SCID-D (Structured Clinical Interview for Dissociative Disorders), the gold-standard diagnostic tool
- A detailed trauma and developmental history
- Observation of dissociative switching or state changes during the interview
- Review of self-report measures such as the DES-II or MID
- Ruling out other explanations: medical, neurological, substance-related
- Discussion of functional impact on daily life, relationships, and work
A thorough assessment typically takes several sessions. Be cautious of any clinician who makes a diagnosis in a single 50-minute appointment without structured tools.
Find a specialist who actually understands dissociation
This is the most important step. A well-meaning but under-trained therapist can do more harm than good with complex dissociative presentations — pushing trauma processing before stabilisation, dismissing parts, or failing to recognise switching.
When contacting a potential therapist, it is reasonable to ask:
What training do you have specifically in dissociative disorders?
Are you familiar with the ISSTD treatment guidelines?
How do you approach working with parts or alter states?
Do you follow a phase-based model, and how long do you typically spend on safety and stabilisation before trauma processing?
A good specialist will welcome these questions. Hesitation or defensiveness is itself useful information.
TraumaDirectory.org
A verified directory of therapists with specific training in DID, OSDD, C-PTSD, and complex dissociative disorders. Searchable by location, approach, and specialism. All listed practitioners have declared their specialism, and the directory is built specifically for this population.
What to do if you are dismissed or disbelieved
Being dismissed — by a GP, therapist, or psychiatrist — is one of the most common and damaging experiences for people with dissociative disorders. It is not a reflection of the validity of your experience. It is a reflection of a training gap in the professional.
You have options:
- Request a second opinion — you are entitled to this in most healthcare systems
- Self-refer to a private specialist — you do not need a GP referral to see a private psychologist
- Contact ISSTD for a specialist referral list via their public resources
- Contact First Person Plural (UK) for peer support and advocacy resources
- Bring a trusted person to appointments for support and as a witness
- Document your experiences in writing before appointments — specific, dated examples are harder to dismiss than general descriptions
Realistic timelines: what to expect and when
These are approximate ranges. Private pathways are typically faster. NHS and insurance-funded pathways vary considerably by region and availability.
| Stage | Typical timeframe |
|---|---|
| GP appointment and referral request | 1–4 weeks (NHS: can be considerably longer) |
| Private specialist — first appointment | 1–6 weeks depending on availability |
| Full diagnostic assessment | 2–6 sessions over 4–12 weeks |
| Starting trauma-informed therapy | Immediately after assessment, or in parallel |
| Phase 1 stabilisation (before trauma processing) | Months to years — this is normal, not failure |
Key resources
TraumaDirectory.org
Verified directory of dissociation-specialist therapists, searchable by location, approach, and specialism.
ISSTD
International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation. Clinical guidelines, specialist referrals, and therapist locator.
First Person Plural (UK)
UK charity for people with dissociative disorders. Peer support, resources, and advocacy.
DES-II Screening Tool
Free validated self-report screening tool. Print your results to bring to appointments. Search: "DES-II dissociation questionnaire".
Related reading
The long road to an accurate diagnosis
Why DID is so often missed, the conditions it is most commonly confused with, and what a proper assessment involves.
Am I making this up?
Why self-doubt is so common in dissociative disorders — and why it is part of the condition, not evidence against it.
Ready to find a specialist?
TraumaDirectory.org lists verified therapists with specific training in DID, OSDD, and complex trauma. Searchable by location, approach, and specialism.
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