More questions...sorry

I had some more questions for you all and I know I am going t get different answers so here it goes.

Can DID be active and then go dorment for years until it is triggered?

How long can alt be in control? (hours, days, weeks?)

When alts come out can the fool other people into thinking it is you so they don't know anything has changed?

Can you bring out you alts at will or is it random?

Everyone will probably have their own answers, some the same and some different, as no two people(s) are exactly the same, but here is what *I* think and how it applies to me. . . .

1. I'm not sure dormant is quite the word I would choose, but similar. I think if you have it you have it - its just whether you realize it or not. It's a protective mechanism and you are the person its protecting, so it is totally possible to be "in the dark" so to speak. For others, its just so normal to them that they don't realize its not the way everyone else is, so they dont recognize it for what it is. Also, one alter or yourself could be out front for a long time without knowledge of insiders (conscious knowledge or just thinking its "normal"). In this way it would "appear" dormant.

2. Insiders can front for as long as they want or as long as you or your other insiders let them.

3. Absolutely they can. Not all of them mind you, and not in every situation, but as I said before this is a "protective" mechanism. We would be pretty unprotected if everyone else around us knew! I think this part is where a lot of the denial people with DID encounter comes from. . .

4. This is a sticky one. I, personally, cannot control this yet. I do believe with work on the system and once I finally get to know everyone and am able to communicate with them all that perhaps I might be able to. I know others who can, and others who can't. I wish I could control it!

Hope this helps in some small way. Like I said - this is just *my* experience though. I'm sure it's different for everyone. . .

1. Yes, this happened to me. My alters were forced intergrated, but the loss of my grandpa brought back one of my alters, named Frank.

2. Depends how strong you are, and how strong they are. My alters can only stay in control as long as my mind stays drifted out. Which usually is until I feel like taking back control, or sober from drinking.

3. Yes, they know you better than anyone else, so yes they can imitate you.

4. Yes I can, I like to let Frank drive my car when I'm too tired to drive home from work or wherever.

cheadberg wrote:Can DID be active and then go dorment for years until it is triggered?

It did for me. It was dormant for several years before it was triggered again. That is, as far as I know.

cheadberg wrote:How long can alt be in control? (hours, days, weeks?)

The longest that I know of, in my case, was my entire childhood. In the past year, since it was re-triggered, the longest anyone else has been out front (I prefer this to "control", which makes it sound like demonic possession to me) was 3 weeks.

cheadberg wrote:When alts come out can the fool other people into thinking it is you so they don't know anything has changed?

I'm sure they can, but mine rarely try to. People just don't seem to notice much with the older alts in my system. If it's a kid, it's pretty obvious. You got to remember that people, in general, are really too wrapped up in their own $#%^ to notice much.

cheadberg wrote:Can you bring out you alts at will or is it random?

It's generally due to being very triggered, very distressed, or for whatever reason they feel I am not safe. I can ask someone else to come out and deal with something and there's a 50/50 chance they will comply.

i don't know how you guys get though stupid blue box thingies up. so guess i'll have to rely on my crummy memory.

i have had alters as far back as i can remember. but, i have alters that are in denial. if you were to ask them they would give you a completely different answer. they may not even be aware of the abuse. they come out when things get too painful and hard to deal with, to save me from a complete mental breakdown. while they are out it may seem as if my d.i.d. is in remission. sometimes one of my angry alters will say sometime to trip them up, and break through the denial. like mentioning several facts and physical evidence of the abuse. i think it's because they don't like being egnored and unvalidated, like they were in the past. to them the past is now.

i switch often. i can't control it. but i try to learn better ways of dealing with my problems. i go to 12 step meeting, read books, and try to stay around "safe"people, who can give me advice. i can control my actions much better when i do. i have a partner and small group of friends i can confide in, that help me to know things i might have missed. that makes life i little less confusing.

i don't know if that answers all your questions, but it is good of you to ask them. it's the only way i know how to get better. you may not be able to use, or relate to all the info you get. you just take what you need, and leave the rest.

benny