Alters?

Can someone help me.. How did you figure out your alters, and there personalities and how to classify them? I understand you don't always have them all out at once, but the ones you know of.... My head so jumbled I can't seem to do it. And I need help

Shadowpriestess22 wrote:Can someone help me.. How did you figure out your alters, and there personalities and how to classify them? I understand you don't always have them all out at once, but the ones you know of.... My head so jumbled I can't seem to do it. And I need help

Hi Shadowpriestess22! I can sure try to help you out! My story of "mylovelies/alters" discovery is very different. I knew I had brain fog (just a sense of being tipsy and foggy) for years...from 2006-present and I tried everything to figure it out and then someone told me it was possibly depression so I stuck to believing that because that made sense. I didn't have any "lovelies" yet or an idea of it yet either. UNTIL...I was randomly watching a movie my mom was watching called '"The 3 Faces of Eve" which is a movie about a woman with 3 different personalties. While watching the movie, I felt comforted and felt somewhat normal. After the movie, I started to cry and then saw my own personalities/lovelies in my head and in that same week, my Mom asked me to describe them and we did (we did this as soon as we could too) and it finally all made sense to me, well, to an extent. DID doesn't always make sense to me but it makes more sense than not knowing what I have or just "depression". Your lovelies will also help you to understand and classify them more as well. They may let themselves be known.

I don't always have them out without my host/core/me control but I do have it sometimes where I can't remember certain periods of time after a switch etc BUT during a switch, aware or unaware, I am safe because I am SOME what aware and I wish I could explain this more but I can't because when I am aware that I lost my memory of days, after coming "back", I break down, cry, get angry and try to figure out what happened. Knowing I was still in control the whole time has helped me severely. I don't believe i have full DID but then again, how does one know? Do you see anyone about this??

I hope I have helped!

mylovelies

Well, I don't have many alters, and 1 (2-3??) are introject and one is Jen, who came and insists on taking over a lot, and makes herself known at all times. And the last one is a little, and that's the only one I have trouble with because she's sometimes co-hosting with me and doesn't come out regularly. But it seems to me that whenever I find myself thinking of a song from some kids cartoon and can't stop, or when there is a strong urge to color, play candy land, or hold the stuffed bear I got for her, she's probably there. And if she wants to come out and I'm laying down to sleep, that's when it's the most clear to me - I just hear her and feel her trying to take control.

As for classifying them, Littles are the ones that seem like kids - that's easy enough. Protectors are always trying to look out for you, but it doesn't always seem like looking out for you, so that can be tricky. Introjects will feel more like something that's not a part of you, but exists outside of you. Internal Self Helpers, I've never had one, but I imagine they'd be the hardest to pin down, because they never come out. I can't help you with that one, since I've never had one.

Hope this helped you.

1) Try writing about them. Cassandra writes about us, and then updates it whenever there's a change. Write out all you know and think is important/defining of them- names, ages, physical appearance, purpose/why they're there, sh*t like that. Sometimes you might find that someone comes out to help you write or to write about themselves. You can also "listen" for answers that are "given" to you by your alters. Try asking yourself things like, "what do they look like?", either inside your head or outloud to yourself, and see if anyone responds.

2) Try talking to them, communicating with them. If you can't talk to them, try writing/leaving them notes/letters. Ask them questions, get to know them. Ask if there's anyone who'd want to come forward first, that way if there's anyone who's eager to let you get to know them, you'll find out, and it'll help break the ice. Even if they can't respond back by talking, either inside your head or outloud, they could still be able to hear you, so don't stop talking to them. They could respond in non-verbal ways, such as "sending" you thoughts, or feelings, or even images.

3) Try drawing them, or searching for pictures online that look like them. You might not hear a definite "that's me", but they can always send you feelings and such to tell you if a picture's "right" for them. Sometimes it helps to know what your alters look like, and sometimes they like drawing themselves or looking for a picture that looks like them. It can help you get to know them a bit better, you'll have an idea of what they look like, you'll have a better grasp of who they are, and they'll feel acknowledged. It might also help communication between you.

Basically, "map out" your system the best you can, see if you're able to get any help with the "mapping", then update it whenever you get new information, or if there's any changes. That will help you to stay organized in your knowledge of them, and it will give your alters the knowledge that something exists that they can add their information to if ever and whenever they feel like it. Hope this helps. ~LC ~Luna