Is it possible to “switch” without having a dissociative disorder?
In my most recent session, my therapist referred to a recent event as a “switch” (and also mentioned isolation of affect, which is separate, yet similar.) I’d had a pretty bad mental health moment, and then pretty much immediately after went right back to normal as if it hadn’t happened. The conversation went like this:
“[The clinical term for that would be called] isolation of affect. Or, a switch.”
“As in, a “switch” switch?”
“There are multiple different levels of switches.”
…and then he didn’t really elaborate any further.
Long before this, though, I’d brought up my concerns about osdd after he mentioned how what I’d done could be called a switch. He didn’t think it was applicable. So I really don’t know what to make of it. He’s using terminology that, from what I know of, is only used for dissociative disorders, and yet has already said he’s not worried about it being that.
I could clearly be conflating two separate things and assuming I have issues I don’t, but idk, it all makes me wonder if he’s not being outright with it on purpose for some clinical gain. Or that he doesn’t believe in the disorder. Regardless, I’m not concerned about therapy with him since his stated therapy goals for me seem to be exactly in line with therapy treatment for someone with osdd anyway. The plan is to “dip my toes in” and work on accessing those parts of myself in manageable pieces.
I do want to say that my goal in therapy is not to get a diagnosis. I’m just really confused about the language that he’s using, and I’m currently too anxious to try and clear it up with him any further.
So, essentially, I would really like to hear perspectives from diagnosed people. Have any of you heard of switching outside of dissociative disorders? Is that a thing?