Confusion, Triggered.

I, we, are very confused.
I'm starting to think maybe this is all just one big imaginary friend thing that has followed me from childhood. Which is upsetting and sad because I love my headmates they take care of me and I don't want them to be fake. That would mean nobody is really there for me and thats scary

Both is a way to cope with things, so even if it is imaginary friend, it is not fake, just way of coping.

Imaginary or alter, it does not matter. They are here to comfort and support you and you really get these feelings of comfort and being supported. That's what matters the most: that you can get this comfort and support.

Also like AW10 said, alters and imaginary friends are both coping mechanisms. Alters are made subconsciously and imaginary friends are made consciously and there are all the possible shades in between that can exist and coexist in the same brain. What matters the most is how it is helpful for you, the comfort and support and warmth and happy feelings you get from it. Getting to feel this comfort and love is super duper important because it has a real and positive effect on your mental health.

Your brain has the power to give shape to headmates in order to help and comfort you. Does not matter where they come from: they are here to help and love and support you. And I think it's awesome that the human brain can do that. It's like a brain-powered miracle, in my opinion.

puzzlebrains wrote:I, we, are very confused.
I'm starting to think maybe this is all just one big imaginary friend thing that has followed me from childhood. Which is upsetting and sad because I love my headmates they take care of me and I don't want them to be fake. That would mean nobody is really there for me and thats scary

We have both. The ones that are 'created' are more likely to remain seperate even after alters created from trauma have re-integrated.

That's what we've found anyway as the more we've found about DID and spent time working out where they came from some have re-integrated, But the ones that seemed more like 'imaginery friends' based on other people. or fictive or non-human characters etc they have remained seperate and become sentient in their own way.