Help anyone?

Well i'm writing a fictional book about a girl with MPD/DID and there are a few questions I need to be sure of before I can continue writing. I don't mean to be a jerk but all answers will be greatly appreciated


1) How long can the host be unaware of the alter(s)?

2) Can the host have flashbacks of memorys that another alter had? And if so, how do these flashbacks work?

3) With the whole 'house' thing, how does that work?

4) When someone is dormant, can you hear them in your thoughts? Is it like they are sleeping or in a coma? And if so, can you seem them sleeping in the 'house'?

5) Does the abuse have to be repetative in order to cause someone to split?

6) How do the thoughts work? Can your alters hear what you are thinking or is it more like your saying something, but not outloud?

7) How does it feel like when an alter takes over?

8 ) Are 'black outs' common? Meaning that when an alter takes over the other person just blacks out and doesn't know why when they awake?

9) How does the whole 'killing' an alter work?


Well that's all I can think of right now and i'm sorry if I have offended anyone.

1) How long can the host be unaware of the alter(s)?

years

2) Can the host have flashbacks of memorys that another alter had? And if so, how do these flashbacks work?

Yes. Like the movies. Something triggers it in your head, and boom, flashback.

3) With the whole 'house' thing, how does that work? I don't have one of those. I don't think anyone really does, it's just a very creative way of explaining what it's like inside our head.

4) Does the abuse have to be repetative in order to cause someone to split? Only took one bullet to make my mind split. So really, depends on the severity.

5) How do the thoughts work? Can your alters hear what you are thinking or is it more like your saying something, but not outloud? It's like sharing your head with a buncha other people. You're you, you know you're you, and you recognize the thoughts of the other alters by their distinct tones.

6) How does it feel like when an alter takes over? Your mind is off in space, and you're watching your body move all on its own.

7) Are 'black outs' common? Meaning that when an alter takes over the other person just blacks out and doesn't know why when they awake? Only if you're not co-conscious with your other selves.

8 ) How does the whole 'killing' an alter work? it doesn't They either get locked up in another part of your mind or intergrate with your personlity. Like fitting a puzzle piece in the right spot.

Ah thank you

No problem, good luck on the novel

1) How long can the host be unaware of the alter(s)?
Many years. There's no set time-line. I'd imagine some people never know.

2) Can the host have flashbacks of memories that another alter had? And if so, how do these flashbacks work?
Yep. For me, it's like watching very clipped-up movies.

3) With the whole 'house' thing, how does that work?
Not totally sure what you mean. My first reaction was to tell you that a "house" is just another synonym for "system" or "group". It's all the individual alters/people within one multiple group.

4) When someone is dormant, can you hear them in your thoughts? Is it like they are sleeping or in a coma? And if so, can you seem them sleeping in the 'house'?
When someone in our system is dormant it's like they're in hibernation. For me personally (I'm the core, or "original") I do not see them inside during these times, but other members of my system can see them.

5) Does the abuse have to be repetitive in order to cause someone to split?
No idea. I'm not a psychologist. For us, it was repetitive.

6) How do the thoughts work? Can your alters hear what you are thinking or is it more like you're saying something, but not out-loud?
If I want them to, they can hear what I'm thinking. Sometimes we converse in thought. However as far as I know, they do not always listen in to my thoughts. This is likely out of respect as I have no doubts they could listen to whatever they wanted to.

7) How does it feel like when an alter takes over?
It depends upon the situation. If it's by choice and they simply would like to come to the front and do something, going back inside is like a slow walk from one room to another (the outside to the inside). If it's not by choice -like if I'm triggered inside, they're triggered outside, or they feel I need to be inside due to a specific situation- it feels like I'm being dragged quickly under water.

8 ) Are 'black outs' common? Meaning that when an alter takes over the other person just blacks out and doesn't know why when they awake?
This varies by system from what I understand. Some people never black out and some do consistently.

9) How does the whole 'killing' an alter work?
Uh... what?

is it possible to be diagnosed as Schiophrenic wit hthe symptoms but really be Dissociative? because thats my diagnosis is schizo- and i display the symptoms but me and the therapist are still having a hard time deciphering where the voice in myhead is coming from other than my own voice. i cant make out if its seperate or its a part of me?

I was Dx'd as schizophrenic a long time ago, but by a seriously pill-happy, presumptuous, wacko psychotherapist. (No bitterness here. ) He never asked me if the voices were inside my head or outside my head. Seems like an important thing to consider when making a Dx, but apparently not to this particular scum of the earth.

Um, so yeah, it's totally possible. Especially if you're on anti-psychotics and they just, in turn, make you psychotic. But from my experience, if the voices are inside your head, it's not a psychotic disorder. If they're outside your head (and you can't find the source) it's probably a psychotic disorder (i.e. schizophrenia, schizo-effective disorder, etc.).

But I'm not doctor so don't take my word as gospel. This is something to investigate with your psychiatrist, psychotherapist, or whomever is doing the DXing.

-Leigh

1) How long can the host be unaware of the alter(s)?

For yearrrs... mine were story characters for like, all my life until I got to 17 years old.

2) Can the host have flashbacks of memorys that another alter had? And if so, how do these flashbacks work?

Like an ordinary flashback, like a dream, like watching a movie, or a story.

3) With the whole 'house' thing, how does that work?

House thing?
Seth and Deliah shared an apartment at one point ... I don't really have an 'inner house' though. We have places, and paths, and ways of communicating,. its up to each individual I guess!

4) When someone is dormant, can you hear them in your thoughts? Is it like they are sleeping or in a coma? And if so, can you seem them sleeping in the 'house'?

When someone is dormant I am not aware of their presence, as they are dormant. I know they're still there if I choose to think about it, but no, can't really hear them.

5) Does the abuse have to be repetative in order to cause someone to split?

Hmm... Well in my case yeah, but it's not just about abuse, it can be attributed to many other factors. Like, I was always a creative child, even aged 2. My sister living in the same environment grewe up differently because she had NO creative disposition and so handled situation differently...

6) How do the thoughts work? Can your alters hear what you are thinking or is it more like your saying something, but not outloud?

It's like reading a book, you know, the way youtalk inyour head? Because reading a book in your head, it's not always YOUR voice, it's the characters' voices.. Alters can hear if they choose to listen, if they can be bothered etc.

7) How does it feel like when an alter takes over?

I don't know. Like floating in space, ina bubble, far far away. Quite comfortable - especially when it's my agressor//protector, like I'm secure and all wrapped up!

8 ) Are 'black outs' common? Meaning that when an alter takes over the other person just blacks out and doesn't know why when they awake?

That has happened before. Not tooo common for me though. But sometimes, yes.

9) How does the whole 'killing' an alter work?

... don't wanna talk in detail about it. It's not nice, really. It's only happened once to us. It's not easy, it's not fun, it cannot be described.
In my situation it was a one off - it could not have ahppened with any other alter but him. Most of the time, no 99% of the time an alter will only go away through integration but he, he was different, and there was a very good reason for that, but it's not nice..


Anyway, good luck with the book. I'd like to know more about it!