Womb Twin Survivors are Strong Thrivers during COVID-19 Pandemic (per Twindividual Chat)

Womb Twin Survivors have lived their entire lives in pandemic-like themes due to their pre/peri-natal life-and-death imprints: sudden disruption, despair, grief, isolation, incessant loneliness, uncontrollable chaos, impending doom, life/death coping for survival, feeling responsible for others while needing to be ‘Self’ish, lack of support for grieving important yet unknown losses.

Womb Twins live their lives still connected to their primary bonds from the womb, causing contradictions which are becoming evident in the pandemic for all: here/not here, healthy/terminal, close/distant, comfort together/suffering alone, everything/nothing, threat/safety, alive/dead...loved ones dying alone, unwitnessed just like our womb twins. Womb Twin Survivors are the lone witnesses who never forgot and suffer the affects of traumatic loss daily. They were originally conceived as twins/multiples but got born as singletons ... they don't feel lucky, they start their day crying unconsolable tears of deep inner tragedy nobody knows about...and now this. This seems familiar...we know how to do this.

Pandemic society must be concerned with the dangers of proximity which is so very Womb Twin, “alone together” is helping WTS to feel connected in ways that weren’t possible before. We can rise up and share our gifts of coping and survival with others, recognizing our strengths as well as our weaknesses, bridging gaps between the born and unborn worlds of relational dynamics.

On the other end of the spectrum, familiar themes are potential ‘triggers’ for activating old memories in our imprint which can dysregulate us, send us out of our window of tolerance and into Hyper or Hypo Arousal. Womb Twins live in Flight-or-Flight mode until they heal, always scanning for danger because they’ve witnessed, in fact marinated in, life-threatening, inescapable events before birth with their closest bond(s) so the way this sits in the mindbody is similar - in fact, the pandemic feels ‘normalizing’ to many WTS who walk around with an inner story nobody knows about.  Now, we ALL have an ‘invisible enemy.’ Finally, the outer world is matching the inner world...there is recognition and there are resources…this is a whole new reality - that is the shocking part for Womb Twins in this, not the familiar trauma of death and chaos.

Many WTS feel responsible for the death of their twin causing intense survivor guilt. During the pandemic, shopping can be a challenge because they don’t know what an acceptable level of hoarding is against their original wiring to be a twin - they tend to go to either end of the spectrum: I must buy more than two+ of everything so we have enough or I feel too guilty getting all the food while others die so I will go without. Another intense theme is boundaries and invasion-control, especially for twins who absorbed their twin, boundaries are difficult but we need them strong for protection now. Everyone does. So even on a cellular level, this levels the playing field for Womb Twins who have always felt different than everyone else.

Now we are in this together, the Womb Twin healing is all around despite the adversities: We see the Covid-quarantined Womb Twin Survivor Father isolated from family learning new ways of valuing his survival skill to stay alive in confusion and loneliness. We see the Womb Twin Survivor Pandemic Nurse learning to practice self-care rather than get depleted due to compensation of her womb story - ‘saving her twin’ at the expense of herself and getting burned-out on long shifts would be an easy way to compensate for survivor guilt and regress to the comfort of the womb out of exhaustion, only to find the same life/death themes in the inner split of twin duality - so ensuring nourishment, rest and repair is critical to maintaining a strong, singular Self on the front lines called Life.  Everyone is watching now and not being alone with it helps Womb Twins tremendously.

Spectrum of Womb Twin Survivor PTSD Issues which align with the Covid-19 pandemic:

-STILLNESS - CHAOS
-ANXIETY - NUMB
-AVOIDING - MERGING
-HOARDING - SCARCITY
-IMPENDING DOOM - SAFETY
-TOO CLOSE - TOO FAR
-UNCERTAINTY - CONTROL
-HYPER - HYPO VIGILANCE
-BOUNDARIES - INVASION
-ENDURING - DWINDLING
-EXISTENT - NON-EXISTENT
-IDENTITY CONFUSION - AUTHENTICITY
-HELPING OUR TWIN NOT DIE - HELPLESS WHILE OTHERS DIE
-SINGLETON - TWIN / MULTIPLE REACTION MODES

Some Valid Womb Twin Questions:
-What is a “normal” amount of hoarding:
   am I hoarding for one, two or more? or none?
-What is an “appropriate” amount of self-sacrifice:
   am I giving for one, two or more? or none?
-How can sudden silence mean peace & protection, not death & despair?
-How do we manage reactions for Singletons in death panic vs Twins/Twinless/WombTwins? 

Challenge for All:
Staying Regulated and Empowered by being Proactive rather than Reactive, while navigating familiar themes involving real life/death, fight/flight now - together, not alone - knowing that this is a new reaction under similar themes but that it is separate and can have its own new path and outcome.

Opportunities Now: Womb Twins are maximizing this time to allow themselves to feel more entitled to surviving/thriving/sustainability, passing their survival wisdom on to others, empowered to feel more authentic with their gifts in the world.

The Womb Twin Survivor curve is likely flattening due to the suspension of IVF/ART procedures as well as parenting reconsiderations, this prevents untold suffering, as we manage effects already in existence. There are very positive developments going on in the WTS community despite the human tragedy we are all facing at this time. Overall, despite some triggers, Womb Twin Survivors worldwide are on the front lines surviving and thriving, as they have since before day one, ready to create the new day.

To learn more about Womb Twin Survivors and their pre-natal imprints, stay tuned for SocialBeforeBirth.com and wombTV launching soon...

                      Thanks for reading - stay healthy + safe out there!

Honoring the legacy of Althea Hayton

It's been two years since Womb Twin founder, Althea Hayton, passed from this realm in body - yet her spirit continues to infuse healing miracles all around the world because the work she developed is so effective. She dedicated the last seven years of her life to developing Womb Twin syndrome theories and healing path and we have since carried on the work with impressive results - it holds up for the older womb twin survivors as well as the new crop of IVF babies coming of age.
Today let us remember and give thanks to a great woman who dared to dream beyond the limits in order to carve out new territory for womb twin survivors to have a place to go for help and understanding, which the world is getting closer to embracing. She always said one day the world will get it and then it will be huge. We've gone from baby steps to toddler steps and continue to adapt the work to the needs of Womb Twins everywhere, no matter their age or womb story. We can help now, thanks to Althea.
Everyday she is very much alive in the Womb Twin realm and we couldn't be luckier to live in a time where she made this possible.
Blessings!

The Physical Challenges of Very Young Womb Twin Survivors

Question:
What physical challenges does a newborn Womb Twin Survivor face?
Answer:
Because mind body & spirit are interconnected, separating out physical symptoms is difficult because they include deeply emotional/psychospiritual components. All symptoms are a direct result of the what happened in the womb for the survivor and each womb story is unique, so how the symptoms manifest depends on the experience. Details such as when the twin was lost, how it was lost, gender, zygosity, etc. shape the outcome. There are trends seen among womb twin survivors such as:

-Newborns can be in shock not only from the trauma of losing their twin but having to navigate birth solo and thus separate from the mother, when separation already means death. They may be unable to sleep or unable to wake up, they may cry incessantly and be clingier than other babies.

-Sometimes symptoms arise from the NICU depending on the length of time & experience there. The baby, in shock, loses critical attachment bonding with mother due to the often lengthy stay - which is an important "twin replacement" bond that would ease the transition into born life alone but instead, being cared for by various nurses reinforces separation anxiety which can stress the baby and have all kinds of physical repercussions.

-They need to feel a physical barrier in their proprioception to remind them of the good time with their twin (when space was tighter), rather than feel the vulnerability of open space such as when their twin died leaving them alone in it, which they feel guilty about taking up by themselves. The baby will smash it's body into the corner of the crib or cling tightly to another object. (google "The Rescuing Hug" videoclip)

-The baby may appear despondent with inward eyes due to their intense inner nature and hypersensitivity. They may delay speech to hold on to the non-verbal relationship imprint of their twin.

-They may exhibit anomalies such as dermoid cyst, chimerism, 3rd nipple, extra digits or teeth or other unusual markings/features. Ambidexterity. Skin sensitivity/Hypersensitivity.

-All kinds of eating issues show up, from mild to severe, usually originating from feeling guilty about getting more food and surviving. WTS often want to stay small and not be bigger than anyone, not grow, so they can be like their twin or they will show up the size of two or three people, eating for them all. Alternating between the two (as in yoyo dieters) is wonderful way to express duality which is their twin nature. (Not all WTS have these issues, it depends on what happened in the womb).

-As toddlers they may follow/stay in close proximity to caregivers in order to bond and make sure their "twin replacement" doesn't disappear.

-They may exhibit twin confusion by treating a favorite pillow or blanket like a person and go into panic if the object is lost. (buy two of a favorite thing so you have a replacement to avoid this).

-They may have a different sense of boundaries and safety - both personally and interpersonally (usually lacking).

-They may express thoughts about death, dying, killing, etc. as a way to articulate the confusing, unspeakable death which they witnessed before birth.

What can you do to help a very young Womb Twin Survivor? Foster their brilliance while dialing down their triggers, this will help give them the energy to navigate the day and grow. Give them comfort and love. Pick and choose when to give in - they need alot of attention generally but proper boundaries shouldn't be compromised, they should be reinforced (WTS need to learn to navigate the world just like everyone else even though they are quite different). Disagreements, disapproval, separations of any kind are threatening to a WTS so be ready for an unusual amount of anger (too much or too little). Do your best not to judge, be consistent and authentic. Be patient when they flip flop from alpha to beta, they are often two people in one so it gets confusing! Awareness is key...and we can learn to bring out the best in our very special Womb Twin Survivors.

Womb Twin Presence for the Holidays

Holiday time is upon us...it can be a difficult time for those in grief, particularly Womb Twin Survivors who may feel sad or guilty celebrating without their twin or who feel different from their loved ones at times of "togetherness". It can be a busy time of comings and goings and symbolic representation, a reflective time and a depressing & disappointing time. So how can we get through another holiday successfully? What strategies might we use to get through the holidays, year to year and how does that change over time?

I spent many years in agony during this time because all in a row were big dates which were excruciatingly difficult yet I had to be "on" in a world that didn't understand:

Dec21- Womb Twin Day (reflection)
Dec22- My birthday (weird being celebrated without my born twin)
Dec23- My twin death date (she lived 24 hours)
Dec24&25- Christmas Eve & Christmas (rejoicing)
Dec31- New Years Eve & my son's birthday (renewal)

The balancing act between our inner and outer worlds, with all the triggers inherent in family gatherings, can be managed with a little care and foresight. The key is to not let your beta-sabotage take over your annual memory as a way to keep your twin alive. This is your holiday and you deserve to enjoy all the blessings of your life. You deserve to connect and share bonds of love with everyone dear to you, regardless of who is here or who is not. So here are some tips for staying in the alpha-present as you approach this tender time:

-Take control & don't get overwhelmed. Say no if it doesn't feel right and own your decision. Don't feel guilty about anything - it's up to you how you spend your time, who you spend it with, what you eat or drink, where you travel or stay, how active or restful you choose to be. So be sure to say yes to all you need to create for who you are now. It's all up to you, after all it's your holiday and these are your born memories to create.

-Don't have any expectations because you are bound to be disappointed - someone will say the wrong thing, you will get the wrong gift, or any other mechanism will come up to prove that nobody else can ever be your twin. Don't go down this road!

-Channel Emotions in Separate Buckets: use Womb Twin Day Dec 21 to have your twin reflection/ritual time, or do something to celebrate the upcoming holidays privately with your twin first so that the twin part of yourself is acknowledged. Then you can face the holidays without feeling like something is missing. It's ok to acknowledge the part of you that is a twin, if it helps you feel balanced going into the holidays as an individual. Delineate both identities in yourself and create appropriate holiday rituals for each.

-Prepare an out so you can easily get a break from the overstimulation - of lights, colors, shiny textures, laughter, gluttony. Remember to have some down time, this is your time to relax after a year full of hypersensitivity and navigating emotional landscapes just to feel "normal".

-Affirm "this is my memory to have and it's ok" - enjoy yourself!

-Give yourself a symbolic twin gift. Wrap it and open it. You can be the Self who gives a gift to their Twin AND you can be the Twin who receives a gift from their Twin as well as a Self who receives a gift from their Twin. Feel all the ways of being and allow them to resonate. (I thought I was a Self giving a gift to my Self all these years until I realized it was a twin ritual.)

-Be present, that's the best gift of all. Don't disappear or feel invisible just to feel close to your twin. Your twin is where your twin needs to be and you are where you need to be. Now be here!! You just have to give yourself permission...

Happy Holidays to all the special Womb Twins of the World! May your holidays be happy and free, allowing you to shine!

InUtero Film: mass consciousness is beginning to embrace what WTS already know

One Year since Althea Left her Legacy to Us

It's been one year since Womb Twin founder, Althea Hayton, passed from this realm on Aug 13 2014 leaving a rich legacy that is being realized more and more with each passing day. To honor her life and work, I have made it my personal mission to do what I can on her behalf to push forward her ideas, raise awareness, practice the healing techniques, document findings via the blogs and continue to adapt what Althea started to fast-changing times in order to ensure relevancy to the younger womb twins coming forward - for the womb twins Althea based her foundational work on were different than those coming forward now. Early days included work with older womb twin survivors who often had no proof but found tremendous healing with this discovery/modality after years of other attempts not quite solving it. Today we see younger womb twin survivors who always knew because they had proof of Vanishing Twin Syndrome or knew they were conceived as a twin/multiple through methods of IVF/ART. Future work will need to facilitate the changing needs of survivors of Multi Fetal Pregnancy Reduction. And I'm seeing new synergies among Living Twins whose pre-natal imprints cause issues and how this work can help them get to the source. I'm seeing more people who are both Living Twins and Womb Twin Survivors. The walls between camps are coming down as we realize that people can be all: a living twin can be a womb twin survivor triplet who becomes a twinless twin who then must come to terms with their individuality. Although the landscape has become ever-more complicated, the healing set forth by Althea Hayton holds up through it all. Her development of this syndrome and healing path have been the extraordinary solution for some already but, in my opinion, the real power of what it's meant to transform is yet to come. I'm proud to say the work is proving effective in every type of scenario.

To recap the year, here are some highlights of the work I have been doing:

- Leading healing sessions by skype from NYC across Europe and US (one brave soul did her first womb regression while traveling by ferry from Finland to Sweden - a wi fi-enabled amniotic reenactment!)

- Two effective healing cases both involving womb triplets with eating disorders/body dismorphia/depression/suicide, others in progress

- Launch of new website Twindividual (still in progress) to broaden the scope of womb twin survivor syndrome to accommodate the new complexity discussed above

- Blog Posts linked to pop-culture events like 'Caitlyn Jenner's transformation' or 'Evil Twin removed from Brain' were placed on social media to insert Womb Twin into the mass conversation causing spikes in visits to our sites

- Our Blog & Womb Twin clip was quoted by a preeminent German prenatal psychologist at a lecture to psychologists, gynecologists, mid-wives, teachers, social workers etc. to make a broader public familiar with the effects of prenatal traumas one of which of course is the loss of a twin in the womb

- Developed a new womb regression technique utilizing float pods (a sensory deprivation saltwater tank) which can be used for anyone - the masses can access their potential 1 in 8 wombtwinness, womb twins can float safely with guidance to access and resolve womb trauma, any kind of womb/birth memory can be worked with in this state of relaxed regression.

- Documentary: shooting a film which will showcase Womb Twin Survivor syndrome featuring a 15 yr old Vanishing Twin Survivor who bravely speaks her truth and exposes her coping journey. After 3 therapists and psychiatric hospitals failed, just 5 months of womb twin work gave her a new level of comfort in life eliminating unwanted behaviors such as eating disorders & self harm, releasing survivor guilt and allowing her to step into her Alpha power. Several other subjects have been shot and will also be featured as smaller youtube segments (coming later this year) including: a revealing conversation with a transsexual who admits she was probably a twin as she discovers the idea for the first time and we trace her history to put the clues together and a state-of-the-union chat with twin psychologist Dr. Barbara Klein, author of Alone In The Mirror among other books, in her Beverly Hills office.

- Future Podcast: developing a live podcast in conjunction with twin psychologist Dr. Barbara Klein because we believe living twins, twinless twins and womb twin survivors all have the same stuff and can all help each other. Because people can fit more than one of these categories, synergy is needed across the board.

- Womb Twin seeds were planted at the Twin Days Festival in Twinsburg, OH in August. Any volunteers for next year?

- Beginning efforts to lobby legislation to make Womb Twin Survivor Syndrome listed as a risk/side effect of ART/IVF methods

There are more things in the works to keep the healing legacy alive, for Althea lit a flame that will continually be an inferno of transformation for those who need it & find it and have the diligence to see the work through, in order to reclaim their rightful inheritance to a comfortable, happy life! Passing the work on continues the healing, so feel free to volunteer time or help with donations for research by contacting us...please help pass Althea's torch! There's so much to do...

Preemie 1 lb. baby fights for life but life without her twin will be her biggest struggle

This is a gut-wrenching story that happens more than most people realize...the journey to become healthy twins is often perilous and frought with many hurdles which keep presenting themselves as quickly as they can be overcome.
Portugal Babymoon Couple Stranded Twins Article

Despite the tremendous fight Hayden Grace is up against, living life without her twin will be worse than all of it. It may even cause her to give up the fight. Most womb twins feel they got the raw end of the deal and, if given the choice, want to be with their twin - even more than life itself.

On a more positive note, Womb Twin Survivors are super-charged with fight-or-flight adrenalin so their "survival" instinct is in full gear, and they have the power of two in them, so hopefully this is enough to overcome the psychospiritual shock which has become their birthright - not to mention the medical/biological challenges of extreme prematurity.

I too was born at six months - 3 months premature with a twin (I was 3 lbs, she was 2 lbs), spending two months in NICU without attachment bonding, way before they knew the value of touch and light therapy. It took two months for me to gain the 2 lbs needed to go home a 5 pounder and the psychological impact of this ordeal has taken years to heal. What could've been 60 days and nights of breastfed bonding to help ease my twinloss turned into 60 days of abandonment and isolation on top of my twin loss but thankfully the nurses on duty got me through.

The knowledge we have gleaned in the past half-century since my birth is a blessing which allows many more preemies to survive, we know so much more about what to do (i.e. the "rescuing hug")but our continued ignorance prevents prevention. Every day we learn more about the mistakes we make, and how to manage them, but as the world continues scratching its head about the reality of womb twin survivors, we miss chances at prevention. We need to raise awareness so that people can make informed choices about their procreative decisions. What can we do? Here are some ideas

- Talk to people in their 20's and 30's about starting families earlier - delayed conception is risky
- Lobby Government to include Womb Twin Survivor Syndrome as one of the risks factors in choosing IVF/ART and Multiple Fetal Pregnancy Reduction
- Speak out about how you, as a Womb Twin Survivor, are affected
- Volunteer at your local NICU to help cuddle preemies which are often Womb Twin Survivors, the recognition Womb Twin Survivors feel with each other can only help these little ones thrive.

Don't miss all the opportunities which exist every day for Womb Twins to raise awareness, we are walking billboards for the cause because we live with the effects everyday. Sheer persistence alone can strengthen the case that we are not making this up (which is what the world conveniently wants us to believe).

What is the correlation between Personality Disorders and Womb Twin Survivor Syndrome?

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This question often comes up due to the common occurrence of misdiagnosis that happens for Womb Twin Survivors who are wrongly labeled/treated until they find the Womb Twin Healing Path as a solution which allows them a comfort level with living not previously achieved with other methods.

First, let’s look at the PD’s and their descriptions:

Millon's brief description of personality disorders[24]
Type of personality disorder	Description
Paranoid	Guarded, defensive, distrustful and suspiciousness. Hypervigilant to the motives of others to undermine or do harm. Always seeking confirmatory evidence of hidden schemes. Feel righteous, but persecuted. People with paranoid personality disorder are characterized by a pattern of pervasive distrust and suspiciousness of others which last for a long time. They are generally difficult to work with.[25]
Schizoid	Apathetic, indifferent, remote, solitary, distant, humorless. Neither desire nor need human attachments. Withdrawn from relationships and prefer to be alone. Little interest in others, often seen as a loner. Minimal awareness of the feelings of themself or others. Few drives or ambitions, if any. Is an uncommon condition in which people avoid social activities and consistently shy away from interaction with others. It affects more males than females. To others, they may appear somewhat dull or humorless. Because they don't tend to show emotion, they may appear as though they don't care about what's going on around them.[26]
Schizotypal	Eccentric, self-estranged, bizarre, absent. Exhibit peculiar mannerisms and behaviors. Think they can read thoughts of others. Preoccupied with odd daydreams and beliefs. Blur line between reality and fantasy. Magical thinking and strange beliefs. People with schizotypal personality disorder are often described as odd or eccentric and usually have few, if any, close relationships. They generally don't understand how relationships form or the impact of their behavior on others.[27]
Antisocial	Impulsive, irresponsible, deviant, unruly. Act without due consideration. Meet social obligations only when self-serving. Disrespect societal customs, rules, and standards. See themself as free and independent. People with antisocial personality disorder depict a long pattern of disregard for other people's rights. They often cross the line and violate these rights.[28]
Borderline	Unpredictable, manipulative, unstable. Frantically fears abandonment and isolation. Experience rapidly fluctuating moods. Shift rapidly between loving and hating. See themself and others alternatively as all-good and all-bad. Unstable and frequently changing moods. People with borderline personality disorder have a pervasive pattern of instability in interpersonal relationships.[29]
Histrionic	Dramatic, seductive, shallow, stimulus-seeking, vain. Overreact to minor events. Exhibitionistic as a means of securing attention and favors. See themself as attractive and charming. Constantly seeking others' attention. Disorder is characterized by constant attention-seeking, emotional overreaction, and suggestibility. Their tendency to over-dramatize may impair relationships and lead to depression, but they are often high-functioning.[30]
Narcissistic	Egotistical, arrogant, grandiose, insouciant. Preoccupied with fantasies of success, beauty, or achievement. See themself as admirable and superior, and therefore entitled to special treatment. Is a mental disorder in which people have an inflated sense of their own importance and a deep need for admiration. Those with narcissistic personality disorder believe that they're superior to others and have little regard for other people's feelings.[31]
Avoidant	Hesitant, self-conscious, embarrassed, anxious. Tense in social situations due to fear of rejection. Plagued by constant performance anxiety. See themself as inept, inferior, or unappealing. They experience long-standing feelings of inadequacy and are very sensitive of what others think about them.[32]
Dependent	Helpless, incompetent, submissive, immature. Withdrawn from adult responsibilities. See themself as weak or fragile. Seek constant reassurance from stronger figures. They have the need to be taken care of by a person. They fear being abandoned or separated from important people in their life.[33]
Obsessive–compulsive	Restrained, conscientious, respectful, rigid. Maintain a rule-bound lifestyle. Adhere closely to social conventions. See the world in terms of regulations and hierarchies. See themself as devoted, reliable, efficient, and productive.
Depressive	Somber, discouraged, pessimistic, brooding, fatalistic. Present themself as vulnerable and abandoned. Feel valueless, guilty, and impotent. Judge themself as worthy only of criticism and contempt. Hopeless, Suicidal, Restless. This disorder can lead to aggressive acts and hallucinations.[34]
Passive–aggressive (Negativistic)	Resentful, contrary, skeptical, discontented. Resist fulfilling others’ expectations. Deliberately inefficient. Vent anger indirectly by undermining others’ goals. Alternately moody and irritable, then sullen and withdrawn. Withhold emotions. Will not communicate when there is something problematic to discuss.[35]
Sadistic	Explosively hostile, abrasive, cruel, dogmatic. Liable to sudden outbursts of rage. Gain satisfaction through dominating, intimidating and humiliating others. They are opinionated and close-minded. Enjoy performing brutal acts on others. Find pleasure is abusing others. Would likely engage in a sadomasochist relationship, but will not play the role of a masochist.[36]
Self-defeating (Masochistic)	Deferential, pleasure-phobic, servile, blameful, self-effacing. Encourage others to take advantage of them. Deliberately defeat own achievements. Seek condemning or mistreatful partners. They are suspect of people who treat them well. Would likely engage in a sadomasochist relationship.[36]

These descriptions read like classic Womb Twin Survivor symptoms/feelings/traits – the remarkably high incidence of similarities makes it plausible to ascertain that Personality Disorders (PDs) are clusters of womb twin phenomena previously characterized as such due to lack of Womb Twin Survivor Syndrome (WTSS) knowledge (established in 2007).

To single out one of the PD’s, Borderline Personality Disorder, its description sounds exactly like the inner life of a Womb Twin Survivor.  If this were true, and they are indeed the same thing, then these Symptoms of Disorder would actually be An Appropriate Reaction to Womb Trauma related to Twin Loss.  When we look at them that way, we dial-down the “crazy” aspect and dial-in the fascinating understanding of how the psyche copes with trauma, pre and post limbic.

So what are the chances these are the same thing?  When we look at research, it shows that BPD does appear to be a distinct diagnostic entity, although it co-occurs frequently with other mental disorders such as major depressive and bipolar II disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), substance use disorders, eating disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and with several other personality disorders.³  Being that these are also textbook symptoms of Womb Twin Survivor Syndrome, this seems to further the case.

Going further into the correlation between the two, we must not only look at the symptoms – we must look at the cause.  It is generally held that biological and environmental risk factors interact to reach a critical level of brain dysfunction resulting in symptoms of BPD.  Further, it appears that this critical degree of disturbance of brain function can be achieved by a large amount of biological risk, sometimes combined with a low amount of environmental risk, or as low biological risk coupled with high environmental risk, or intermediate levels of both. http://www.bpddemystified.com/what-is-bpd/co-occuring-disorders

A logical explanation of Biological Risk which seems to fit perfectly, is the pre-natal loss of a twin and the grief trauma suffered by the surviving twin, who may also have also suffered Environmental Risk factors in utero.

It makes sense that a twin without a twin, who has nowhere to put their twin identity or express the unknown trauma their body memory holds, would show up with a label like

Multiple Personality Disorder because they are truly more than one person, who lost a twin or multiple in the womb, who is severely confused about whose life they are living.  Unaware singletons in charge of writing diagnostic codes and ordering courses of treatment can only do their best, but unfortunately it’s not enough given the twin/multiple epidemic we are facing… which brings us to the the real issue:  there aren’t enough practitoners in the know about pre-natal psychology and Womb Twin Healing.

According to  Theodore Millon, Ph.D., D.Sc. "PDs's are inflexible and pervasive due to the fact that such behavior may be ego-syntonic (i.e. the patterns are consistent with the ego integrity of the individual).  This behavior can result in maladaptive coping skills, which may lead to personal problems that induce anxiety, distress or depression".  
I would like to put forth the question:  What if the ego-integrity of the individual is already compromised/damaged at birth due to womb twin loss, resulting in anxiety, distress, depression which is then exacerbated as life continues without acknowledgement or remedy?  Are we sure we are putting the right horse before the right cart?

It’s my belief we can use Womb Twin healing techniques to get to the cause of the problem for many sufferers of PD’s who are wrongly labeled and mistreated because they are being misdiagnosed due to lack of a better explanation – until now.  Perhaps not all of them are WT’s, but based on my research and work in the field, I would guess many of these people are Womb Twin Survivors who don’t know they are.

The quickest way to confirm the relationship between WTSS and PD’s would be to treat these personality orders with the Womb Twin Healing Path, preferably without traditional medicine/psychotherapeutic approaches, in order to assess whether symptoms are alleviated.  If lessening or diminishment of symptoms is achieved, then we can prove a relationship exists between WTSS and PD’s and perhaps help people alleviate these symptoms, which may really just be manifestations of keeping their ‘dream of the womb’ alive (as well as expressing their twin nature, who uses these devices to make itself known until we can know it consciously). 

With open minds, we can see these symptoms as an innocent reaction, which need acknowledgment and release - rather than a label or disease to be medicated or institutionalized.  We can go beyond asking What If? to What Now? and strive to provide proper treatment.  The proof of the correlation will be in the healing and of course, this work may need to augment some traditional approaches in some cases, but at this writing too much research and support is needed to crack the true answer to this question, even though we probably already have the answer.
 

"Evil Twin" Found in Woman's Brain - Admission that Teratoma is an Embryonic Twin

It's nice when they admit the truth about teratoma's being absorbed twins.
Will Yamini feel the loss of her twin now that they have been separated via surgery, despite never knowing about her twin before?  We are here for you Yamini!

http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Embryonic-Twin-Discovered-in-Womans-Brain-During-Surgery-300891281.html

Womb Twin is Alive and Flourishing!

With Althea's passing, it is important we all recognize the significance of carrying on her work so that future Womb Twin Survivors get the help she worked so hard to make available. While this marks the end of Althea's active participation, it is by no means an end, nor is it a slowing down, instead it heralds a new chapter to take her work forward based on seven years of refining and effectiveness so that her legacy can be realized and utilized - particularly since the in vitro/selective reduction babies are coming of age. So here's what's next: - Womb Twin as a non-profit organization is alive and well in St Albans, UK with Celeste Hardingham as Chairman, appointed by Althea. - Womb Twin will continue indefinitely as an administration with a board of directors, however, it relies on donations so we need help with fundraising. Write a letter of request to 20 people with the womb twin donation link (from website) so that they can make direct donations. It's that simple and you never know until you ask! Remember, We no longer have Althea's efforts to populate the donation pool, so all hands on deck! - Wren Publications will be administered by Philip Hayton, Althea's son. What a blessing to have his help managing Althea's vast world of books which she published herself out of her determination to help womb twin survivors of all ages get the material they need, and which is available nowhere else. - Keep Spreading the word about this syndrome and Womb Twin organization in order to raise awareness, so that those who need help can get it, and hopefully to help prevent future cases. -Expand the work in guiding Therapists, which was Althea's last effort "Ripples from the Womb" yet which was only the beginning of a much-needed way to bridge traditional therapy with the special needs of this under-the-radar population. In other words, if those who need help don't seek us out, we can at least prepare therapists to identify and then treat womb twin survivors. Onward and Upward, it's time to reciprocate Althea for her generosity of spirit and pay her work forward into the world now...

Founder & Pioneer of Womb Twin, Althea Hayton, leaves rich legacy

With great sadness, let it be known that pioneer and "Goddess of All Things Womb Twin" as I liked to call her, Althea Hayton, has left our little world for the great beyond. She passed peacefully with loved ones, succumbing to ALS on Wednesday. Though this loss will be felt surely by all who ever came into contact with her, the impact of this loss long term cannot be measured. The progress she made to identify and treat a condition so off the radar, has not only saved and improved lives directly but has radically transformed everything we know about humanity. She did so much in the past seven years to establish this syndrome and its healing path, this leaves much for us to build on for an idea whose time has not yet come but is getting nearer. As the person who received the most guidance & mentoring from her, both personally and as a practitioner of her work, I shall endeavor to pass on the knowledge to keep the spark alive and to do the work, raise awareness, and continue to make Althea proud by helping people with her wisdom. It's up to all of us now to make Althea proud given the rich legacy she has left us and we know too much now to ever turn back... Farewell, Althea, Let us pray that you are at Peace with your womb twin, Ben, together again at last! Love & Blessings from Monica Hudson,Womb Twin USA

Althea Hayton, March 2014, at the womb twin capital of the world - the white structure is her Conservatory where many powerful breakthroughs occurred.

It All Originates from the Womb

Whether you are a living twin, a twinless twin or a womb twin survivor, your in-utero relationships gave you an awareness singletons don't have. These early imprints created dynamics that play out in relationships, which can be harnessed & healed, when made conscious. Many people find it hard to believe early loss of a twin or multiple in the womb can affect someone. In my experience of working with many twinless twins and womb twin survivors - of all genders, zygosities, ages - the earlier the loss, the deeper the trauma. That being said, let us be grateful that the twinless twins mentioned in this article, got to be born and have a relationship with their twin. Each sacred day, hour, moment they had together was a cherished gift before it all changed forever... https://abcnews.go.com/Health/twinless-twins-grieve/story?id=24780120

Precious Love Website

I have a website dedicated to twin loss of all types. It has other types of loss on it as well but mainly twin loss. I post twin loss articles from other websites as well as touching stories. I also have my twin loss story on there with pictures. Click here to view.

Womb Twin Spanish Blog

Hello everyone, I just wanted to mention that I posted a new blog to the "Womb Twin Blogs" page. The blog is in Spanish. Adrià has created this blog and did a very good job on it. Click here to view it.

A Hearing Miracle and Womb Twin Loss

Because our earliest sensory ability to develop is hearing, even those who lost a twin in the womb very early will have sensed their twin thru their ears and skin, before they even have a heart or brain. The perception of sounds of blood, fluid, movement, and later heartbeats (twins/multiples, mother) are where the primary relationships begin. When a twin dies at this stage it can be such a shock to the surviving twin they become deaf as a way to shut down this channel of communication. Sometimes deafness occurs on the side where the twin was positioned in relation to the survivor. One day I was approached by a living identical twin who had mild separation anxiety about his twin, which the other twin didn't seem to have, and on this particular day he seemed to be having a bit of an existential crisis so we went to his safe place in the park and sat under a tree. He was mourning who they would have been if their egg hadn't split and they had remained one omnipotent human being! This was an unusual sense of loss for a living twin so we did some work to discover there had been another one, a triplet male, who he had been closer to. We arranged leaves in a pattern on the grass to resemble where each was positioned in the womb and identified that this was behind his crisis, he went back to work feeling better. Over the next couple days a miracle happened via technology and this person, who had always been deaf in his right ear, was suddenly able to hear with the help of Google Glass. Please read the incredible story (featured with his permission) here: http://www.fastcompany.com/3015749/voices-in-your-head-how-google-glass-lets-a-half-deaf-person-hear It is worth considering that by acknowledging the loss of this third one, just before his Google Glass experience, something moved him closer to hearing so that when the opportunity presented itself his defenses could allow this moment of hearing in. Or perhaps allowed him a happy rather than painful experience at the very least. When we release the repressed pain, it gives us new energy to make new possibilities in our lives. And this story continues to have a happy ending and new beginning…Congrats to David on his recent move to San Francisco. He has purchased 6 womb twin paintings to take with him as he thrives far away from his East Coast twin.

How to Help A Very Young WTS? A Brave Mother Asks, Heralding A New Day for WTS Everywhere

To Womb Twin US - Monica, My husband and I have two sons, a 3 year old and a 19 month old. Our youngest is a twin, and unfortunately we lost his brother 6 months into the pregnancy. I have often wondered if the difficulties he is facing is linked to losing his brother. After today and reading blogs and information, I am almost sure of it. For the most part he is a happy and healthy child. He laughs and runs and does everything little boys do. He isn't saying as many words as the "typical" child his age, but I am not worried as I know he understands a lot. The "problems" are with his sleep and moods on some days. He will not fall asleep without me next to him. There have been times he has taken a nap on his own, but that is rare. He has now dropped his nap altogether. He still wakes up every 2-3 hours at night, and cannot sooth himself back to sleep. It takes me laying with him again to get him to go back to sleep. Frequently he wakes up screaming and is hard to sooth. He is also very attached to me. Which is fine. But he wants to be held all day long or be right next to me. He will go off and explore around the house, or play with his brother, or play on his own, but it seems like he "checks in" with me a lot more frequently and intensely than his brother did. I know he is only 19 months old. I know he can't go to therapy. But I was wondering if you had any advice or knew of anything I could do to help him. Anything you can provide or any direction you can point me in would be greatly appreciated. Thank you so much, WTS Mom --------- Dear WTS Mom, First of all, let me say that being the kind of Mother you are to research this is validating to your son and to us all. In fact, it heralds a new day for WTS (womb twin survivors) and their families everywhere. For you to have the inquisitiveness and courage to ask what you can do to help your son, regardless of your own feelings about this loss, is hugely rare and I can’t thank you enough for contacting us. Baby WTS are in extreme twin replacement mode. In order to manage the shock of living on earth without their twin, mother becomes “m(ain)other” as do the primary relationships in succession of their twin. The pain of loss is buried in adapting to making these relations their twin since that’s all they know. They are here so they must cling to survival but they have already learned it is a perilous journey and people cannot be trusted because they disappear and cause pain in ways too big for a tiny baby to navigate. Toddlers get worn out with separation anxiety, checking to make sure the world is reliable. Trust and consistency are huge in a world where things come and go without saying goodbye. Where mastery of the universe is hard-won but empty without their twin. Incessant crying and irritability, seeking mom out, unable to self soothe are all signs that a WTS needs assurance that the people with whom they are bonding, won’t disappear forever. They are frustrated with good reason, they are vulnerable, insecure and limited and must cling to life. They often feel their twin got the better end of the deal as they learn to navigate solo. They need constant assurance that they will be ok, others will be ok, life is ok. Sleep becomes a regressive womb time when babies can feel the watery world of their twin memory, not bound by air, time or light or people who aren’t their twin. This regression to their true nature is important for their replenishment as they sleep, it soothes them from the shock of living solo. On the other hand, this can be the time when PTSD-charged memories are accessed – where the baby relives the unspeakable horror they experienced during, and following, the demise of their twin. Depending on when and how this happened, all details will shape the complex which continually gets laid down as the brain develops, since much of the original trauma is stored in body memory due to timing of the trauma against limbic embryonic development. Your son was already 6 months a twin before they were separated (to put this in perspective, I was born at 6 months and am a fully functioning person developmentally.) The key is to download it into the brain as it develops, so that it can be expressed and healed, rather than repressed and buried. What you resist persists, ignoring it won’t make it go away, it will most likely make it worse. Thus begins a lifetime of synchronistic extreme duality, which is also an expression of his twoness. Although nighttime/dreamtime is synonymous with the subconscious, and can be scary for all little ones learning to be conscious, it sounds as though your son may have lost his twin at night and may be waking up in terror at that time for this reason. The realization that he is alone while suffering the PTSD loss of his twin causes him to need a twin replacement and mother more than normal. You are doing the right thing by being this "twin surrogate" and bless you for having the courage to face this in light of the fact that you suffered the loss of a child and have your own grief process. On that note, any info you can share about how the twin went at 6 mos would be helpful in understanding the dynamics of the womb imprint. I strongly encourage you to stick it out – you must walk through the flames to get to the other side, not around them. Avoidance, ignorance, separation only adds fuel to the fire. Meanwhile here are some tips: -Give in to being the twin replacement as much possible, in order to ease his transition to trusting relationships again. Play peek-a-boo games to remind him that people disappear but come back smiling. -Leave your scented scarf in his crib at night to ease the pain of sleeping alone. Sleep with him as needed (no Ferber Method) knowing this is a surrogate bonding time that helps your son, which you both will outgrow when it’s right for you. -Teach boundaries, yes, by all means this is crucial to WTS who have little/none, but give in to them without beating yourself up for it. WTS need constant duality as an expression of their twin nature, so don’t feel hypocritical, tune in to their flip-flop game so you can honor their alpha/beta duality and not get worn out in confusion. -Give him several twin replacements so that he learns to rely on more than one, this will give you a break and allow you both to transition from each other – it also provides an all-important back up if one gets lost. On that note, whatever symbols you use as twin replacements should be replaceable, this means buy several and store them away so that if ever one is lost there is another to avoid retriggering the trauma of loss. -Allow your son to put his favorite stuffed animal into a pillowcase (or cover it with a laundry basket) and then reveal it, this control over such events will go a long way in helping him feel secure following the uncontrollable disappearance of his twin. -Use the power of symbol over words and engage all senses: sight, sound, smell, space. Recognize his hypersensitivity and brilliance. -Use aromatherapy: lavender and marjoram in baths, in room at night, will calm his separation anxiety and promote sleep. -Recognize your own grief/loss and keep it separate from his; when appropriate, bring it together with his so that he isn’t alone with his loss. -Elicit info about his womb story while it’s fresh, figuring out the dynamics of the intrauterine imprint will help us help him. Talk about what you remember of his twin too, commiserating may seem like bringing up pain but it has the opposite effect to a WTS who always feels pain, it helps them feel less alone with it which is a huge comfort when being alone is the problem to begin with. Identifying details that will help guide his course of treatment: was his twin identical or fraternal? male or female? how did his twin perish? how long was the twin in distress? what name shall be given to this lost twin? birth details? premature/nicu/incubator? (provide timing) IVF/ART? other complications/circumstances? -Be the vehicle of expression for the unspeakable, encourage him to talk thru you and then speak very matter of factly about his twin, the WTS energy and verbal reactions will guide you and you will be amazed at what he knows. -Read “Two Little Birds” and “Koko’s Magical Gift” to your son, it will go a long way toward bridging his inner and outer realities. See more age appropriate info and resources by going to Womb Twin Kids: http://www.wombtwin.com/womb-twin-kids/4578498382 -Read the work of Allesandra Piontelli. John Bowlby’s work on Attachment & Loss, Louise Kaplan Oneness to Separateness: From Infant to Individual. Consider contacting Claudia Pinheiro of Womb Twin Portugal, she has extensive knowledge about working with babies and is a WTS as well as the mother of a WTS. What you are already doing for your son is on track and beyond what any of us could hope for. Thank you for this tremendous gift. I look forward to advising you as your little WTS grows, so do keep us posted. This work can begin at any age, in fact it already has so let’s keep our blinders off as we walk the road of preventative healing together. Please feel free to share more about your son and how these techniques may have worked for you both. Monica - Womb Twin US

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Vanishing twin and womb twin survivors (playlist)

Vanishing twin and womb twin survivors (playlist)