Curiosity *Might Trigger?*

So, I was wondering how alters develop their names and appearance. What is the psychology behind it? I've noticed that some of the voices I hear sound a lot like me, but some sound entirely different or similar to people I've known in my life. I know the little one is exactly like me at the age of three and is called by an old nickname that I had almost forgotten I had at that age, Lulu. I've heard that people have animal alters, spirits, and other forms. Is there a known reason for this?

Hornet339 wrote:What is the psychology behind it?

I don't really know the psychology behind it......

Hornet339 wrote:I've noticed that some of the voices I hear sound a lot like me, but some sound entirely different or similar to people I've known in my life. I know the little one is exactly like me at the age of three and is called by an old nickname that I had almost forgotten I had at that age, Lulu. I've heard that people have animal alters, spirits, and other forms. Is there a known reason for this?

I have noticed that some are separated parts of myself when I was going through hard times...
Purple a nicknamed little has just appeared since we moved away from home/Dad.. we moved abit when we were younger. being torn away from friends when we had settled so she has an extremely strong attachment to are dad and moving has always been upsetting...so she must have been how I coped with moving and feeling like dad was the only thing we were ever going to know......

Grace I have always felt invisible,had low self esteem bullyed in highschool and primary when I feel invisble she comes out to help cope.

My nickname was nellie though out are entire life so me I'm host I'm here to deal with everday life aswell as channelle.
she developed late in high and has are legal name to finish school and to get us a job.

there parts to cope and that's why your system/you created to deal with life.

Hornet339 wrote:So, I was wondering how alters develop their names and appearance. What is the psychology behind it? I've noticed that some of the voices I hear sound a lot like me, but some sound entirely different or similar to people I've known in my life. I know the little one is exactly like me at the age of three and is called by an old nickname that I had almost forgotten I had at that age, Lulu. I've heard that people have animal alters, spirits, and other forms. Is there a known reason for this?

Usually, the alter goes by that name because they were around during that time and were being called by that name because they chose it to be their name. Like Cassandra used to go by "Cassie" when she was younger, and now that we've learned more about ourselves, we found out that it's because Cassie was the host/main one "out" during childhood.

As for choosing names, there's many different reasons for why alters are named the way they are, and there's a couple good threads around here about that (I'll try to find them for you, they were rather recent).

Alters are based off of their influences and what the child needed/wanted at that point in time when they were "called upon" to help. Influences can include books you used to read, movies you really liked, people within your life, characters you'd write about for school or in free time, what you learned/knew in general, and of course you're own imagination.

Like for animal alters, those are developed when a child feels the need/desire to be that animal to help with the situation. Like a cheetah to run away, or a wolf to bite and fight, or a snake to squeeze and hurt, or something. Or, if they're treated to feel like that animal, like if a child is treated more like an abused dog or something, an alter could develop as a dog.

If someone is very spiritual, that could be a factor in developing a spiritual alter, like if they feel they need/want an angel to protect them, or something like that.

Same with people in the child's life. Say there's an aunt that they really like and feel safe around. If they're put in a situation where they feel they need/truly want that aunt to be there, an alter could develop that's similar to that aunt, or an actual "introject"/"alter version" of that aunt.

All alters are developed for a reason, including the way they are, and the names they choose/have usually hold some clue to either when they were around, or when they were first noticed, or are symbolic in some way, or something like that (sometimes, though, names are just names. Everyone's different).


Hope that helps some.


~Phenix

This isn't the thread I was thinking about/looking for, but it might be interesting to you all the same.

~~ About the names of alters?: http://www.psychforums.com/dissociative-identity/topic106220.html



~Phenix

Thank you so much. I hope that I don't frustrate you guys with these questions. You all are just so understanding and knowledgeable since you deal with it first hand. Thank you for the thread! That helps. I know that Lulu was my nickname at age three. The thing about Logan is that I am **Trigger warning?** bigender, or at least I think I am. Logan was this 'guy' side of me that I named myself.**End warning** Lori got her name randomly. I've never even thought of the name Lori, but knew it was her name. I don't see Lori around much anymore. I need to somehow let her know that she doesn't have to hide. I guess with time, she'll see.

*Possibly Triggery*
Many people have opposite gender alters either due to sexual preferences they weren't allowed to express, or being raised in a certain gender mold, or because of an "opposite gender-ish side" they have/had, or other similar reasons. So, you're not alone in that one. Really, for the most part, anyone here on this forum is not alone in anything they experience. That's what's nice about this place.


-KAT