by tomboy24 » Wed Dec 05, 2012 8:25 pm

clemency wrote: How much emotional connection can there be?

There can be as much emotional connection and depth as any "real" person. Alters can be friends, enemies, sisters, brothers; they can even be in relationships with each other.

clemency wrote: Can one hate or wish ill for one of the others?

Yes. These are often introject alters, meaning that the alters are projections of an abuser from the person's life. Or they are abusive alters, who are not always introjects. For example, there can be protector alters that abuse other alters/the host because it's the way they know how to keep order and survive; it's how they know how to protect the system and the host. (A type of "I do this for your own good" thought process, if that makes sense).

clemency wrote: Can some people switch whenever they want?

Yes, some people can switch at-will, and some people can even do it fairly easily. For others, switching at-will is difficult and/or not possible (yet). Everyone and every system is different. DID is a very personal disorder with many variations.

clemency wrote: If the environment is completely open does that mean that for some, all personalities can see ( and think about) whatever the host is viewing?

It depends more on the system's ability to co-host, as well as the ability to be co-conscious, than the environment (though that can be a factor that affects a system's ability/desire to co-host or be co-conscious).

Co-hosting means there are two or more alters in control of the body at the same time, and they're all aware of what's going on in the "outside world". Being co-conscious means there's one alter in control of the body, while one or more other alters are still "up front" and aware of what's going on in the "outside world", but they're not in control.



Think of your body/mind like a car.

Co-hosting is when you have more than one alter driving the car.

Co-consciousness is when you have one alter driving the car, but there's one or more other alters in the passenger seats, watching what's going on even though they're not the ones in control of the car.

clemency wrote: Can the original personality decide to switch main role with one of the alts?





In a nutshell, every person has the same chance of having DID when they're first born/young. This is because DID is not only a result of trauma, but it is a result of an interruption in the personality-forming processes that happen when you are a child. We all have neurons that make up our personality. For a "normal" child, these neurons will go through structuring processes that will eventually build them into a whole personality. For a child that develops DID, these neurons are interrupted during the structuring process, and so a whole personality never forms, thus causing separate "sides" of a personality instead, which creates/develops into alters.



Think of it this way: "Normal" people's personalities are like paintings. They're added on to and finished over time, and when everything's said and done, you're left with a whole picture.

People with DID, their personalities are like puzzles. They've got to put all the pieces together first, find out what picture the pieces make, and then either glue those pieces together (healing without integration/without becoming only one person/personality), or paint the final picture from the picture the puzzle pieces made (healing with integration/with becoming only one person/personality).



This thread goes further into it:



But if you're talking about the "host"/main personality "out in control", then yes, there can be host changes within a system/a new "main personality". There usually is no "original", and people with DID don't actually "split", though it is possible in some instances for an "original" to exist and for the person to "split" in a way.In a nutshell, every person has the same chance of having DID when they're first born/young. This is because DID is not only a result of trauma, but it is a result of an interruption in the personality-forming processes that happen when you are a child. We all have neurons that make up our personality. For a "normal" child, these neurons will go through structuring processes that will eventually build them into a whole personality. For a child that develops DID, these neurons are interrupted during the structuring process, and so a whole personality never forms, thus causing separate "sides" of a personality instead, which creates/develops into alters.Think of it this way: "Normal" people's personalities are like paintings. They're added on to and finished over time, and when everything's said and done, you're left with a whole picture.People with DID, their personalities are like puzzles. They've got to put all the pieces together first, find out what picture the pieces make, and then either glue those pieces together (healing without integration/without becoming only one person/personality), or paint the final picture from the picture the puzzle pieces made (healing with integration/with becoming only one person/personality).This thread goes further into it: http://www.psychforums.com/dissociative-identity/topic101763.html But if you're talking about the "host"/main personality "out in control", then yes, there can be host changes within a system/a new "main personality".

clemency wrote: My goodness, is there sometimes a fight for control with some? Could the first personality become submerged against their will?

Again, no real "first" personality (it is possible for there to be one, but in general, it doesn't happen).

But yes, there can be fights for control, both for control in a situation and for long-term control as the host. And there can be some pretty major fights.

Yes, it is possible for the host to be forced out of control, and "locked away" or something. It's also possible for the host to force an alter out of control and "lock" them "away". And alters can do the same among each other. (By the way, the host is an alter themselves. "Host" is just a term to describe the alter that's usually "out" the most and that handles everyday life).

However, it's never good to "lock away" any alter, or to take control by force (unless it's needed in a situation). DID systems are a system, a team, and they function best when they work together as a team.

jon3001 wrote: I am very curious about the way you all describe the awareness of the other streams of consciousness. Can you be aware of the others WITHOUT hearing their internal dialogues/sounds? Meaning can you sense them WITHOUT them actually doing anything (without them interfering with your actions, dialogues, etc)?