Redefining Normal: Radical Acceptance of Dissociative Identity Disorder.

As I learn to radically acceptance where life has landed me, I mindfully redefine what my version of "normal" often looks like because of how my dissociative identity affects all aspects of my existence.

It is normal to dissociate when experiencing any form of stimulation.

Learning new information will be extraordinarily challenging but not entirely impossible.

It is normal for decisions, big or teeny tiny small, to be difficult & frustrating & complicated & time-consuming & draining because of how your complex disorders affect cognitive functioning on all levels.

It is normal to suffer if I miss any part of my various coping routines.

It is normal to constantly feel like an outsider—in my own body, in my family, in society, & so on—because of how different my reality is.

It is normal for me to be disoriented, exhausted, & even depressed after socializing.

It is normal to have indescribable experiences on a daily basis.

It is normal to have unexplainable injuries such as cuts & bruises.

It is normal to feel like others are rudely inconsiderate, simply due to their reality & life experience being drastically different (& often much ‘easier’ in many aspects); please do not waste energy feeling offended, as they do it unintentionally & it is a fruitless use of energy.

It is normal to be surprised by what I look like (i.e., glancing in a mirror, looking at photos or videos of myself).