If you have OSDD or DID and you have kids, you’ve probably thought about whether or not you should tell your kids. I know one concern some parents have is that they worry their children will feel burdened by this knowledge, that the kids will feel like they have to care-take the parent. But there are some reasons you might want to consider telling your kids in a developmentally appropriate way, of course.
For one thing, it’s very likely your kids have realized that something is going on. They just don’t know how to explain it. This can be very confusing to them and they may even think they are to blame for it for reasons they can’t figure out.
Another reason to tell them is to normalize it. DID and OSDD are misunderstood as mental illnesses. Although they are injuries from traumatic childhoods, even if they were mental illnesses there should be no reason to hide it. We all have mental health issues and struggles from time to time. Admitting this normalizes them all.
A third reason to tell them is to take any shame out of it. If your kids get the sense that there is some secret, they are likely to conclude that it’s a secret because it’s shameful.
Next week, I’m going to talk about how you might go about sharing your DID or OSDD diagnosis with your children.