What Is Remission in DID?

Remission usually means symptoms cause less distress and impairment, even if vulnerability to dissociation still needs respect. ^{1 2 3}

Main ideas

• Someone can improve greatly and still need pacing, grounding, and attention to triggers.
• Remission is not a moral badge and relapse is not failure.
• Clinically meaningful progress can include fewer dangerous switches, less time loss, better internal communication, and reduced trauma symptoms.

Questions for reflection

• What symptoms have become less frequent or less dangerous?
• What remains vulnerable under stress?
• What support keeps progress durable?

Clinical note

Stable progress deserves recognition even when healing is unfinished.

Footnotes

1. Myrick, A. C., et al. (2017). Six-year follow-up of the treatment of patients with dissociative disorders study. European Journal of Psychotraumatology, 8(1). Long-term outcome study. Open access treatment follow-up article. ↩

2. Bachrach, N. (2025). Recent evidence-based developments in the treatment of dissociative identity disorder. Frontiers in Psychiatry. Review article. Recent treatment evidence review. ↩

3. International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation. (2011). Guidelines for treating dissociative identity disorder in adults, third revision. Journal of Trauma & Dissociation, 12(2), 115-187. pp. 115-187. Full adult DID treatment guideline PDF. ↩