Presentation/form changing over the years??

I was doing a bit of research, trying to work out where DID would come from when I have no memory of my early years and found this page.

https://www.nurseslearning.com/courses/ ... /index.htm


The terms are probably considered old-fashioned now and they use MPD rather than DID but I was intrigued to find this description as a type of 'alter'.

Reincarnation/Mediumistic MPD – Alters who are experienced by the patient as having a supernatural quality and communicate with the patient in such a manner.


As many will know by now I experience 'Juno' as my mothers spirit reincarnated as my twin.


Reading the other definitions and from reading past posts I can see similarities in several different presentation styles.

eg sequential seems to fit the years of 'Thea' taking over for like 10 years, then 'Maddie' for around another 10 before Maddie and Kit became aware of each other (this was I believe when peri menopause hit and others started to emerge also)

However Thea and Maddies 'time' don't take into account my memories of being out (mostly at home or alone in whatever bedroom we had at the time) during the same years with no realisation of them or that 'I' was behaving completely differently in public life.

This also fits

SECRET MPT

Closely related to Atypical MPD. The host is unaware of the alters, who only emerge when the host is alone. One might suspect this in a patient who cannot account for his or her private time.


(where 'Thea' or 'Maddie' are the 'host here unaware of the rest of us)

or possibly

Ostensible Imaginary Companionship MPD – The patient has an adult version of the imaginary companion who is friendly and supportive with the other socially constricted host. What the patient is not aware of is that this entity does assume executive control and that there are other alters present as well.




Now I realise there are newer sites and newer terminology and they like to lump things together under one 'umbrella' these days...but this is the first time where I've seen all the different forms written out like this in a short easy to read form that I instantly understood as some of the reading on this subject matter can be very complex and tends to be written for the professional rather than 'the patient'!

I just wondered if any other system have found the way you function has changed over the years? ..particuarly if the physical body is female and you have gone through (or are going through) the peri-menopause/menopause. (or any other 'hormonal transition' that may trigger a similar reaction)


For me the triggers in change of functioning or more appearing seem to be related to epileptic medications (past) and hormonal transitions.

'Kit' first appearing happened after been put on epilepsy meds again in the last year of uni when we seemed to be experiencing 'complex partial seizures' due to stress (found in a car park with no memory of how I got there giving a name nobody knew me by!)..I think because I had a history of epilepsy in childhood they figured the stress of uni/exams was triggering seizures again and was put back on medication.

There was a period where it seemed we switched almost constantly just before the stroke and knew about each other, now we seem to have gone back to passive influence with the few that were left 'up front' ..I know of the others and they experience things 'through me' without taking over the body completely. (I have full memory of playing the easter egg hunt and eating the potato smiles and ice-cream so 'little Susie' could experience them and knew it was what she wanted to do not what 'I' wanted to do at that time).

I'm wondering what's going to happen next now we know others can safely get closer to the front again and how that's going to affect future daily functioning?

Yuna

It does get kind of crazy as other parts are able to get closer to the front. Hopefully you'll find a balance as they emerge, though. The more parts that become co-con, the easier it is to function as a whole integrated life, rather than each part trying to do their own thing.

K

*edited to remove a comment. I had misread something you said.

Regarding the interpretations of the source of the alters:

It's pretty common that the "background story" of the alters explain how their identities came to exist the way they do. It is common / not unheard of to have itentities imitating spirits, demons, ghosts, loved ones, abusers, fictive characters, and so on. The can develop a "backstory" that is spiritual / paranormal.

As an example, Ulysses, one of my pars, is an introjection of the Pokémon Mewtwo. They started their existence with a background story explaining they played too much with their psychic powers, created a wormhole through the realities, and teleported inside my brain by accident.

Other parts of me are introjections of fictive characters who are dead by the end of their storyline, and came with the backstory of "This is what happens when we die in our universe: our afterlife is, existing in someone else's brain."

Alters can have the subjective, symbolic "backstory" of being spirits, ghosts, walk-ins, and so on. It is NOT in opposition with the psychological point of view of the mechanism. It is "just" another layer of symbolism that is important for the system because it holds meaning for reasons.

Regarding the evolution of a system:

It's impossible to predict how a system is going to evolve through time, what shapes the alters are going to take in the future or even if the alters are going to change shape in the future, or stay the same. IMO it's part of the beatiful adventure of DID. I got surprised with a level of integration I did not know was possible. My QPR is presently being surprised by discovering a lot of ressources she did not know she had, by discovering what happens when she allows some of her alters more front-time, when she allows herself more blending.

Of course it comes with its share of difficult emotions and remembred traumas to deal with. But it's not too bad, because the more ressources one has access to, the more painful memories one can deal with and recover from.

The only thing that can be said for sure is: the more one reconnects with one's different parts/alters, the more one discovers one's own diversity, abilities, complexity, and inner beauty. And I think it's pretty neat.

BritPlus6 wrote:It does get kind of crazy as other parts are able to get closer to the front. Hopefully you'll find a balance as they emerge, though. The more parts that become co-con, the easier it is to function as a whole integrated life, rather than each part trying to do their own thing.

K

*edited to remove a comment. I had misread something you said.

At the minute most (that it seems I previously knew about) have decided to stay inside because even if there is now a path to the front some seem nervous of getting stuck or damaged if the body has another stroke. It seems triggers are still not working for everyone so I'm unsure how I could become co-conscious with everyone if many are reluctant to come forwards for one reason or another.

With patience.

We can need time to realize fully that it's safe here and now. Therapy takes time and patience and self-love and self-compassion.

One step at a time!

ArbreMonde wrote:Regarding the interpretations of the source of the alters:

It's pretty common that the "background story" of the alters explain how their identities came to exist the way they do. It is common / not unheard of to have itentities imitating spirits, demons, ghosts, loved ones, abusers, fictive characters, and so on. The can develop a "backstory" that is spiritual / paranormal.

As an example, Ulysses, one of my pars, is an introjection of the Pokémon Mewtwo. They started their existence with a background story explaining they played too much with their psychic powers, created a wormhole through the realities, and teleported inside my brain by accident.

Other parts of me are introjections of fictive characters who are dead by the end of their storyline, and came with the backstory of "This is what happens when we die in our universe: our afterlife is, existing in someone else's brain."

Alters can have the subjective, symbolic "backstory" of being spirits, ghosts, walk-ins, and so on. It is NOT in opposition with the psychological point of view of the mechanism. It is "just" another layer of symbolism that is important for the system because it holds meaning for reasons.

Regarding the evolution of a system:

It's impossible to predict how a system is going to evolve through time, what shapes the alters are going to take in the future or even if the alters are going to change shape in the future, or stay the same. IMO it's part of the beatiful adventure of DID. I got surprised with a level of integration I did not know was possible. My QPR is presently being surprised by discovering a lot of ressources she did not know she had, by discovering what happens when she allows some of her alters more front-time, when she allows herself more blending.

Of course it comes with its share of difficult emotions and remembred traumas to deal with. But it's not too bad, because the more ressources one has access to, the more painful memories one can deal with and recover from.

The only thing that can be said for sure is: the more one reconnects with one's different parts/alters, the more one discovers one's own diversity, abilities, complexity, and inner beauty. And I think it's pretty neat.

Thanks, we will share some of this info with the inside and see if others are willing to work towards a long term goal of blending.

YunaTheSummoner wrote:

BritPlus6 wrote:It does get kind of crazy as other parts are able to get closer to the front. Hopefully you'll find a balance as they emerge, though. The more parts that become co-con, the easier it is to function as a whole integrated life, rather than each part trying to do their own thing.

K

*edited to remove a comment. I had misread something you said.

At the minute most (that it seems I previously knew about) have decided to stay inside because even if there is now a path to the front some seem nervous of getting stuck or damaged if the body has another stroke. It seems triggers are still not working for everyone so I'm unsure how I could become co-conscious with everyone if many are reluctant to come forwards for one reason or another.

Just because they stay inside and don't want to front, doesn't mean they can't work on being co-consious if it's what they want. I would simply just try to talk to them. For me that looked like thinking "at" them, using their names, picturing them. We created a family room in our inner world and invited them into it. It took time, and work. I'm not saying this will work for you. I'm just letting you know what worked for us, in case you wanted to try it.

Picture a house. Each person has their own room. Just like in a real house, that person can go in their room and shut the door and ignore everyone in the house. Or, they can leave the door unlocked and allow people to come in. Or, they can leave the door open... when the door is open, a part is in her room, but can sort of hear what is going on in the rest of the house, and can choose to pay attention to it or ignore it. Other people can walk past the room and see in, and interact.

Taking it a step further, we made the family room. Anyone in the family room can talk to anyone else who walks into the family room. There is also a big "picture window" that looks out onto the real world...so even thoug one person is "driving" the body... anyone in the family room can see out, and can communicate with the person who is fronting.

Like I said, I dunno if it'll help you... but that's how we started working towards co-con. Our manager set up the system and over time it became more and more effective.

BritPlus6 wrote:Just because they stay inside and don't want to front, doesn't mean they can't work on being co-consious if it's what they want. I would simply just try to talk to them. For me that looked like thinking "at" them, using their names, picturing them. We created a family room in our inner world and invited them into it. It took time, and work. I'm not saying this will work for you. I'm just letting you know what worked for us, in case you wanted to try it.

Picture a house. Each person has their own room. Just like in a real house, that person can go in their room and shut the door and ignore everyone in the house. Or, they can leave the door unlocked and allow people to come in. Or, they can leave the door open... when the door is open, a part is in her room, but can sort of hear what is going on in the rest of the house, and can choose to pay attention to it or ignore it. Other people can walk past the room and see in, and interact.

Taking it a step further, we made the family room. Anyone in the family room can talk to anyone else who walks into the family room. There is also a big "picture window" that looks out onto the real world...so even thoug one person is "driving" the body... anyone in the family room can see out, and can communicate with the person who is fronting.

Like I said, I dunno if it'll help you... but that's how we started working towards co-con. Our manager set up the system and over time it became more and more effective.

That's an interesting idea! I've been struggling with 'seeing' the inner world since the stroke, although we did create a 'secret garden' on this side of the bridge (front) for one's stuck out front to escape to. I guess there's no reason why we can't create a house there too!

We have got 2 houses on the animal crossing island, although we're still in early stages of the game so haven't reached the point we can change the design of the outer walls yet. (its slow cos each stage involves loads of paying back the bells (mortgage!).

One is up on the cliffs and will be a farm...no ladders/slopes up to it yet so don't get other villagers roaming round. The other is on the beach front next to the other villagers and shops. They can choose the location depending how sociable they're feeling or 'call a resident' so 2 can play together. We can also leave each other messages. 'Little Susie' in particular seems to like this game as a way to communicate with us.

'Bobby' used Minecraft to show us where Kit was ...building a log cabin in the middle of nowhere! ..and there's a replica of the house we grew up in ...but we've never built a house for all of us to live together in! I feel some of us would need a lot more space to even consider sharing a virtual house, like their own floor!