Living with Autism and Dissociative Identity Disorder

Determining whether you meet the diagnostic criteria for both Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) can feel overwhelming, yet it is a crucial first step toward building a stable, fulfilling life. ASD is characterized by persistent challenges in social communication, restricted or repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities, and symptoms that emerge early in development. DID, on the other hand, involves the presence of two or more distinct personality states (often called “alters”) that recurrently take control of behavior, accompanied by gaps in memory that cannot be explained by ordinary forgetfulness. Because each condition requires a different therapeutic approach, obtaining accurate diagnoses is essential: a clear diagnostic picture guides clinicians in selecting the right interventions—whether it’s tailored support for autism, trauma‑focused therapy, or a combination of both—and sets the foundation for meaningful recovery.

Watch the following videos for insights about whether or not you might have Dissociative Identity Disorder and autism. 

Read about Self-Testing and the 6 Facets of Treatment below the videos.

If you’re serious about finding answers, self-testing might be a good first step. Self‑testing can give you useful insights, but it’s not a substitute for a professional evaluation. If your own screening suggests you may meet the criteria for autism or dissociative identity disorder, it’s essential to pursue formal testing with a qualified clinician. Even if your self‑advocacy efforts lead you to believe you have one of these conditions, seeking professional guidance ensures an accurate diagnosis, appropriate support, and a clear path forward.

There are several evidence-based tests you can take and we recommend you create an account on NovoPsych to take them. With a free NovoPsych account, you can take up to five tests each month. 

Take these tests on NovoPsych to evaluate for dissociative identity disorder (DID):

• Multidimensional Inventory of Dissociation 60-item Version (MID-60)
• Dissociative Experiences Scale - II (DES-II)

Take these tests on NovoPsych to evaluate for autism (ASD):

• Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ)
• Ritvo Autism Asperger Diagnostic Scale - Revised (RAADS-R) 
• Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire (CAT-Q) 

If you prefer not to use NovoPsych, Embracing Autism has quizzes that you can take without an account. Here are those links:

• Autism Quotient (AQ)
• Ritvo Autism Asperger Diagnostic Scale - Revised (RAADS-R)
• Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire (CAT-Q)

The DES-II is also available without an account, as a PDF, here.

Navigating life with both autism and dissociative identity disorder (DID) presents unique challenges, but understanding and implementing structured approaches to healing can make a significant difference. This site outlines six essential facets of treatment necessary to create stability, drawing from the ISST-D guidelines for treating DID, Judith Herman's stages of trauma recovery, and the principles of Internal Family Systems (IFS). These six components of treatment help individuals with neurodivergence and trauma-related conditions achieve greater emotional and psychological well-being.

The six facets outlined here are drawn from three sources:

• The ISST-D Guidelines for Treating Dissociative Identity Disorder in Adults, specifically focusing on Phase 1: “Establishing Safety, Stabilization, and Symptom Reduction.” 
• Judith Herman's three stages of recovering from trauma, specifically focusing on Stage 1 which involves dealing with and overcoming trauma-related problems. 
• The 8 C’s of Internal Family Systems (IFS), which are Creativity, Connectedness, Calm, Compassion, Clarity, Curiosity, Confidence, and Courage. These core attributes of Self-energy are accessible to everyone and play a crucial role in the therapeutic process. 

The six facets include establishing Safety, Building Trust, Symptom Management, Education, Internal Communication, Emotional Strength, which ultimately, create stability.

While we outline the six facets of treatment in a particular sequence on this site, it's important to note that real-life application may not follow this exact order. In practice, you'll likely find yourself moving fluidly between the facets, addressing them in various sequences depending on your needs. Some facets might be tackled concurrently, creating a dynamic and interconnected approach to treatment. The presented order serves as a helpful framework rather than a strict prescription, allowing for flexibility and adaptability in your journey toward wellness.

The first facet, Safety, is not just a state of being but a journey we can enrich through Creativity. Elizabeth Gilbert beautifully says, “Fear does not understand creativity.” As autistic individuals, we are more likely to self-harm and misread social cues that lead to danger. We use our Creativity to invent safe environments, generate ideas for avoiding or minimizing self-harm, and develop methods for coping with unsafe people. By exercising Creativity, we can solidify progress toward Safety, inspiring hope and a sense of empowerment in our journey towards healing dissociative identity disorder.

     Practical Tips for Creating Safety

Being safe is the key to moving into other facets of treatment, such as Building Trust. Safety is essential because, as Bessel Van Der Kolk says, “danger turns off our social-engagement system.” Once we are safe, though, we can engage in healthy, healing relationships. Building Trust creates Connectedness, which is vital for emotional recovery.

The most important relationship we have is with ourselves. Cultivating self-trust and self-compassion is foundational. Additionally, building trust with a higher power, such as God, can provide comfort and guidance. Jesus is our Healer and Rescuer, and the Holy Spirit can be our closest and most trustworthy Advocate and Counselor.

With autism, other healthy relationships can be complex due to challenges in socializing. However, as Susan Cain declares, “Love is your birthright.” Another place to start Building Trust is in a relationship with a good therapist. A therapeutic relationship can bring about profound progress on our journey toward stability. Creating healthy, safe relationships with friends and family also helps us Build Trust, providing a sense of support and understanding in our recovery journey.

     Practical Tips for Building Trust

Safe people can help us co-regulate our emotions and help us experience the third facet, Symptom Management. Co- and self-regulation provide a sense of Calm. Many tools can help us self-regulate to create Calmness, including breathing techniques, polyvagal theory, activating the parasympathetic nervous system, and regulating our limbic system. As autistic people, we also need to incorporate sensory regulation.

     Practical Tips for Symptom Management

Dysregulation is linked with decreased cognitive functioning. If we are in a state of dysregulation, we have difficulties absorbing new information. When we continue to access Calmness despite autism and dissociative identity disorder, we can move into the fourth facet, Education. It is easiest to educate ourselves when we have Curiosity. Autistic individuals may naturally excel at this component of treatment if multiplicity and autism are special interests. Our Curiosity engages us in the learning process, making Education an exciting journey that leads to Clarity about our past and present.

     Practical Education

When we have Clarity about our mind, body, and spirit, we are able to have Compassion for all of our fragmented selves. Compassion for ourselves enables us to access our internal world and work on the fifth facet, Internal Communication. If we can have internal dialogues with our dissociative system and work with our parts, new pathways to stability open to us.

     Practical Tips for Internal Communication

As we work on first five facets, we know stability more often. With more stability, we can find the Confidence and Courage needed to solidify our progress. In the sixth facet, we will find the Emotional Strength provided by Confidence and Courage that is needed to move further into our recovery. As survivors with autism and dissociative identity disorder, we already have some attributes of Emotional Strength because this enabled us to survive. However, we should strive to acquire even more.

     Practical Tips for Building Emotional Strength

We hope that as we come to know stability through working on the 6 facets of treatment, we will have the capacity to make more progress in Phase 2 of recovery from dissociative identity disorder: “Confronting, Working Through, and Integrating Traumatic Memories.” Memories will arise at different times, even as we are still working on Phase 1 to create stability. However, we will be best prepared to confront, work through, and integrate our traumatic memories if we know stability.

1. Therapeutic Support: Continue working with your therapist to process and integrate traumatic memories safely.
2. Self-Care: Prioritize self-care practices to maintain emotional and psychological well-being during the healing process.
3. Patience and Compassion: Be patient with yourself and practice self-compassion as you navigate the complexities of healing from trauma and dissociation.

Living with both autism and DID is a complex journey filled with unique challenges. However, it's also a path that offers profound insights into the resilience of the human mind. By understanding the intersection of these conditions and implementing structured approaches to healing, we can better advocate for our needs and find effective paths to stability and recovery.

Remember, every individual's experience with autism and DID is unique. What works for one person may not work for another. The key is to stay patient, keep exploring, and never give up on seeking the support and understanding you deserve.

Thank you for joining us on this journey!