Are alters "metaphorical"?

Dwelt wrote:To us, it's the inner world and visualisations of the inside that are metaphorical, not the alters.

Wow, that is a great distinction.

Many of our alters -- from the youngest to adults -- have become known to us because they suddenly wake up. At some point in the past, they went to sleep or, more accurately it feels, they went into hibernation. We're aware we're a DID system and actively seek to include everybody, so it's like when we find or stumble across someone new in the mind, they awake. When this happens, they're confused and experience a jolting loss of time.

For example, Luke was me, or a part of me/us at age 8. He was active, with friends of his own in our small town, and he went to sleep for reasons we don't yet understand. Then one night a few years ago he was jolted awake, in control of his body (much older, he would discover), in the middle of an unfamiliar urban area. He is a child because he was me as a child, a part of us back then. Jack, who's a bit older, explained what happened using a metaphor that was understandable and comfortable to a boy his age: he must have gotten into a space ship and traveled through time to the future.

Everyone who has returned has gained some understanding or abilities that are beyond their original age. But we've watched and recorded as they picked this up over time. This seems to be because their (our shared) brain contains certain procedural or "how to" knowledge and, over time, they can access it. So littles eventually can type on our computer if they need to but they're slower than the adults.

@fireheart

I do look at it like having an inner child or two. An alive one, I suppose, not an imaginary one. I don't know what Young meant when he said inner child but I'd prefer it was an alive one than a half forgotten idea of what a child or how a child is.

I do let go of the past. I let go and forgive others, forgive myself, forgive the world I suppose generally. Let go and forgive. When in a situation of danger - being attacked or whatever it seems to go in slow motion, I don't fight or flight, I think. I'm calm and I think. Generally if I think about the past I'll talk about it and it's gone. Emotions are like clouds also and pass. I have meditated alot and prayed alot. I wouldn't say I'm mindful. I wouldn't say I'm a Buddhist - it seems a pretty cold feeling faith, mentally cold I mean - I'd say I'm more in the moment. I have to appreciate moments while I live them because I might not remember them.

With this brain-damaged idea. People appear constantly stressed and seeking possessions for their brief time on this planet. They seek all different things. They are ill. They have minimal healing capacity. They care less and less about eachother, government has to care or government created that - I don't know which came first. If that is what "not brain damaged" means - stress, wanting stuff, lack of compassion and care - then I'll stay brain damaged thanks.

Hi,

Sometimes Host just HAS to know everything about DID and why we are the way we are and get a diagnosis etc. Mostly that's ok and it goes away after a while because he has to deal with us anyway whatever. I think it's because he needs a break from us and thinking about how we aren't really real is like taking a break. I try not to take it personally but it does kind of mess up our teamwork for a while.

Iain (who's not feeling particularly metaphorical right now)

I relate a lot to what people have said about denial, it's incredibly de-stabilising. I've been trying to accept that I can't initiate contact with my alters, which was my biggest hang-up lately and it's hard but I have to try and accept that all I can do is reciprocate their communication when they give it, and I feel like it's helping. I was getting very distressed and thinking that if I can't initiate communication on my end that all of this is clearly fake, despite everything on the contrary. It's still hard not to lapse into that kind of mindset, it's not like I want to be in this situation after all, but I can already feel it doing some good for me and my alters to change how I view things.

I like things being clearly defined and knowing how to frame my experiences with regards to other people and it's been really exhausting dealing with that and DID because so much of it is very personal and individual, which drives me up the wall when dealing with my brain

My therapist also doesn't make much of a distinction between DID and OSDD with regards to me and my treatment. I was getting very hung up on the definitions of certain things, like amnesia/losing time, and in the end it became clear that the ways I'd have to deal with such a thing are very similar regardless of whether it "counts" or not.

I guess the symbolism/metaphor thing comes from people using certain things as general terms, like "oh I have an inner child" or "my inner voice argued with me" which endlessly confuses me

Johnny-Jack wrote:

Dwelt wrote:To us, it's the inner world and visualisations of the inside that are metaphorical, not the alters.

Wow, that is a great distinction.

I have thought that, too… that the inner world, and even some of the life events that make up the alters' lives and character (what defines them and shaped their personality I mean), are metaphorical or symbolic in nature many times.