It is often seen in Highly Sensitive Persons (HSPs) who suffer from Complex PTSD or childhood trauma. Having Trauma Splitting, or Structural Dissociation, means we are split into different parts, each with a different personality, feelings, and behaviour. As a result, we feel completely different from moment to moment.
Dr Sharp explains that although the term 'splitting' is most commonly associated with BPD, it isn't exclusive to the diagnosis and can occur in people with anxiety, depression, eating disorders, OCD and PTSD among others.
Splitting is common among adolescents and young adults. People who have gone through childhood trauma also tend to use splitting as a defense mechanism. As a child, they may have been unable to reconcile the nurturing aspects with the unresponsive aspects of a caregiver.
When a person experiences severe trauma, their identity, including personality and emotions, goes through a process of fragmentation. This is when the body divides traits and feelings, and groups them into smaller sections, keeping some of them hidden until a safe space for expression is provided.
Affective splitting involves separation along the positive/negative evaluation dimension, or more generally between opposites. Dissociation refers to separation ofelements along some dimension(s), includ- ing ones other than positive/negative evaluation.
Intrusive memories
Recurrent, unwanted distressing memories of the traumatic event. Reliving the traumatic event as if it were happening again (flashbacks) Upsetting dreams or nightmares about the traumatic event. Severe emotional distress or physical reactions to something that reminds you of the traumatic event.
Symptoms of complex PTSD
feelings of worthlessness, shame and guilt. problems controlling your emotions. finding it hard to feel connected with other people. relationship problems, like having trouble keeping friends and partners.
For example, if a child is physically abused by a parent, a vertical split may emerge that is designed to cope with the juxtaposition of ongoing intense and contradictory experiences to which the child is being exposed.
'Splitting' is common symptom for people with mental health issues like borderline personality disorder (BPD). Splitting means to divide something. It causes a person to view everything and everyone in black and white, 'absolute' terms.
Splitting episodes do not have a time limit. They can last anywhere from a few hours to a few months. In some cases, the person with BPD may split on a person, situation, or item forever and never back away from their extreme view.
Splitting is not healed by forcing someone to see your point of view or to integrate their own intolerable and/or conflicting feelings. But over time, it can be diminished in the face of a relationship that can survive in the face of these intense, distressing, and conflicted feelings.
vivid flashbacks (feeling like the trauma is happening right now) intrusive thoughts or images. nightmares. intense distress at real or symbolic reminders of the trauma.
NDIS covers PTSD when it is classified as a psychosocial disability. Those with a significant disability that is likely to be permanent, may qualify for NDIS support.
Smiling when discussing trauma is a way to minimize the traumatic experience. It communicates the notion that what happened “wasn't so bad.” This is a common strategy that trauma survivors use in an attempt to maintain a connection to caretakers who were their perpetrators.
A feeling of shame; an innate feeling that they are bad, worthless, or without importance. Suffering from chronic or ongoing depression. Practicing avoidance of people, places, or things that may be related to the traumatic event; this also can include an avoidance of unpleasant emotions.
Women with PTSD may be more likely than men with PTSD to: Be easily startled. Have more trouble feeling emotions or feel numb. Avoid things that remind them of the trauma.
Sudden mood swings: When someone is in a splitting episode, it can cause rapid and dramatic changes in mood, unstable emotions, and impulsive behavior. They might instantly become furious or thrilled, even if they felt the opposite way before.
Dissociative identity disorder (DID), sometimes called a split personality, is when a person has two or more sets of thoughts, actions, and behaviors, each of which may be completely different. Trauma often causes this condition, particularly during childhood.