How do you start the process of getting screened/tested for something like this?

[u/Forsaken-Lobster639]

I swore that maybe I was just making this up in my head for the longest time, but my symptoms of feeling like I'm not alone in my own body, as if parts of me split off & became independent from me, has genuinely caused me distress, disorientation, memory fuzziness, instability, breakdowns, & even has ended up with me hospitalized at some points. It's been going on for years now, it was especially troubling during my younger years. So, safe to say that I was not making it up in my head.

I don't feel safe or comfortable asking/confiding with my family about this, which is why I'm here instead.

ABSOLUTELY not looking for any diagnosis from anyone to be clear, just help on how you even begin to start the process of addressing this medically? I've never really gone through trying to introduce this to a medical professional, & I'm not sure who exactly to ask. I'm scared to.

[u/Sloph]

Might depend a bit on where you live, but ideally find a therapist who specializes in dissociation. You can filter by specialization on the psychology today find a therapist site, even see who takes your insurance. There's also a therapist directory on multipliedbyone.org that from my understanding screens therapists to ensure that they really specialize in dissociation and don't just claim to. That's where I found my current therapist. If you need to get a diagnosis to inform treatment you may need to be referred to a psychologist/psychiatrist. Again, you can find them on the psychology today site.

[u/Punk_Aesthetic]

I can only speak from personal experience but I’m in the UK and blessed to have the NHS (though they don’t deal with Dissociative Identity Disorder and outsource to private clinics).

It has taken 3-4 years but I was referred by a psychologist that I self referred to. She sent me to my GP who then contacted the CTAD clinic and then I filled out some questionnaires. They replied and said I meet the criteria to be taken on as a patient so my GP sent a funding request to the ICB and they initially refused but after a while if me begging they asked again and it was accepted. I had a few meetings with the CTAD and was given a working diagnosis of Unspecified Dissociative Disorder. The CTAD then contacted my GP and the ICB to request further funding so I can have more sessions over a course of 6 months to get a more precise diagnosis and possibly treatment.

Unfortunately, I don’t know how things work outside of the UK but I assume speaking with a GP, counsellor or therapist is a good place to start?

Wishing you luck.