HERE'S INFORMATION!
This was originally made for my super cool English teacher for a writing assignment about what I was passionate about.
It will be mostly unedited. The last paragraph is the most edited.
Enjoy! <3
SO, WHAT IS PLURALITY?
Do you ever wonder what it’s like to be in a body that isn’t yours? A body in which you wake up in, breathe in, and live in, but it doesn’t truly belong to you? That’s a reality for people affected by DID, who have been thrust into a life that they didn’t choose or want.
Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) is a dissociative disorder caused by repetitive childhood trauma, often being betrayal trauma. It’s said to only be able to be formed before a child’s ego states, or personality states, have fully developed (some say that it’s up to 6 years old, and others say 9-10, in terms of when personality states are fully developed.) This causes barriers to form in between these personality states, which eventually become alters, or other voices in a child’s head. These alters have their own personalities, genders, and so on, thus becoming their own identities, along with becoming known as a ‘system.’ Alters often don’t wish to be viewed as the alter that is in control the most, also known as the most frequent fronter - front means to take control of the body, by the way - or host. However, they may still mask as the host. There are a lot of different roles for alters, such as protectors, littles, trauma holders and persecutors.
Protectors are alters who protect the system, or body and alters within it. In fact, according to DID research, “Protectors are alters that protect the body, system, host, core, or other specific alters or groups of alters.” They can be sorted into several categories, such as emotional (protects emotional health, I believe,) physical (may defend themselves physically or take care of the body,) spiritual protectors (protects self spiritually, in the case of a system being spiritual,) and verbal (uses words to protect self.) Some protectors can be mean, but that does not make them bad. A system was formed to help protect the child, and while some alters may not, a majority of them do. Protectors can also be caretakers or caregivers, those who take care of littles.
Littles are child alters. While the age may vary, many people think of littles as 0-10 years old in a system’s head. It’s sort of like an inner child but sentient and able to take front (control, if you have forgotten.) Other age groups include middles/teens (often 11-17,) bigs/adults (18+.) Note that alters can be different ages than the body is, and often are. This is often caused due to mentally being stuck at one age due to trauma, and is common due to systems being caused by trauma in the first place, especially at such a young age. Littles can have other roles, such as the ones that I listed and more.
Persecutors are alters that harm the body. This does not mean that they are all bad or evil, but that they just fail to help. Misguided Protectors are a type of persecutor, but they – as the name suggests – try to help but unintentionally cause harm instead. They could try to defend the body but end up getting themselves in trouble, say the wrong things, leave or befriend the wrong people, and so on. Persecutors are often demonized, said to be the dangerous ones or the evil ones. However, harming people or themselves does not mean that they aren’t still able to be cared for, nor does it mean that they don’t deserve to be cared about. Have you ever done something that you regretted, or something bad by accident, only to be called a bad person? That is often the experience that persecutors experience, even by their own headmates (“headmates” are another term for alters; it means to share the head with another person, similar to roommates.) Persecutors may be trauma holders, as well.
Trauma holders are alters that hold trauma. This means that they’re the one(s) holding traumatic memories that other alters do not have access to, or any knowledge of. They may also hold emotions from the trauma that they hold, triggers, and so on. They are seemingly often persecutors or protectors due to having knowledge of trauma, or may simply front during traumatic times. There are labels for littles who hold trauma, although not known as well as the basic few, such as bunnykid (littles who hold or carry trauma specifically related to abandonment and/or neglect,) and doekid (littles who who hold or carry trauma specifically related to family and family dynamics.) However, do not think for a moment that DID is the only way to be plural, for there are several others.
DID is a very complex dissociative disorder, and there are bound to be other people who experience plurality. Imagine having so much difficulty with your life and people in your head, but you don’t fully fit the criteria. How frustrating, right?
That’s when OSDD comes into play. OSDD includes dissociative disorders that don’t fit quite right, and the first part (OSDD-1) relates to DID, with OSDD having four parts in total which you can research if you simply look for it. OSDD-1 is for systems who do not fully fit the criteria for DID, as stated above. People can get diagnosed with DID and OSDD, but not OSDD-1, OSDD-2, OSDD-3, or OSDD-4. So, if they said that they were, they’re lying. OSDD-1 is also separated in 2 parts, A and B.
OSDD-1A is when alters are present, but less distinct and amnesia is still there. OSDD-1B is when alters are present, and are distinct but amnesia is not there— though emotional amnesia can exist, just not the general "memory"-related amnesia. Note that the most noticeable symptoms for DID is having gaps in memory (amnesia,) having 2+ identities in your head, dissociation, and is often confused for Borderline Personality Disorder, C-PTSD, and Schizophrenia, which DID can of course coexist with, but is often diagnosed with C-PTSD and occasionally BPD. Yet, despite all of this pain, this suffering on a daily basis that they cannot avoid, there are still people who fake plurality or misunderstand it.
Endogenic systems are people who claim to have formed their systems without trauma. This is impossible, as DID & OSDD are dissociative disorders caused by trauma. The same applies to the following: Demo systems, Xenogenic systems, and Parogenic systems. Demo systems are people who claim to be ‘trying out’ being a system, or plural, somehow. Trust me, if systems could just stop, many of them would. Xenogenic systems, seemingly inspired by xenogenders (genders that do not fit the human gender spectrum,) are systems that are neither endogenic or traumagenic (the actual DID and such) somehow. Parogenic systems are systems willingly created. None of these are real except traumagenic, seeing as you cannot have a trauma-related disorder without trauma (same applies for xenogenic systems,) cannot pause being a system (it is constant plurality until death,) and cannot will your system into existence. Other ‘origins’ for systems likely exist, but these are just the main ones. As someone who experiences all symptoms, it sucks. I am also very close with a few systems, and have researched both for them and myself.
People misunderstanding plurality is very common. On occasion, people who are against plural people are called, “pluralphobes” although this is not an official term or anything. Most misinformation comes from endogenic systems, or the others mentioned above. Some say that DID and OSDD are not real and started on TikTok or other social media. This is wrong, in fact, the earliest case of DID is said to be in 1584, in a nun named Jeanne Fery. However, diagnosis did not exist back then. Still, if it was so fake, why would it be included in the DSM-5? Not to mention, one of the earliest diagnoses of DID was recorded in 1880-1881, with the patient being named Louis Vivet.
Many people have been, or are, fascinated by the concept of a bunch of people sharing a body. Yet, systems have endured so much trauma and survived. So, be nice unless they’re mean first, and simply treat them like you want to be treated. A good resource for DID is “heretohelp.bc.ca,” which also provides other resources at the bottom of the page. It makes me wonder, seeing as systems can begin to discover themselves as a child or pre-teen, how many systems might there be in your school?, or workplace? The number is unable to be known, and systems often don't figure it out until adulthood, or simply never do. So, if a friend or family member comes up to you and are affected by DID / OSDD-1, try to support them. They'll appreciate it.
This is not a part of the essay above. The essay ended when I stated, "They'll appreciate it."
What are fragments?
- Fragments are defined as, "any alter that could not survive if left on its own or that could not pass for a fully developed individual without the help of other alters."
This means that they can/could be:
- Lacking a personality, unlike other alters, who have more of a personality than they do.
- Only existing to fulfill their role, hold trauma, hold a memory, or just a singular thing.
However, they are often said to be:
- Two dimensional.
- Without full identity, or any at all.
They can become full alters, and I personally believe that they should be treated with as much respect as you would with any other alter.
Fun fact! Polyfragmented, or Complex, DID is when a person with DID has a lot of fragments, explained by the name-
Poly = Many/Multiple.
Fragmented = Relating to fragments.
Complex DID is the same as Polyfragmented DID, and is often shortened to, "C-DID."
- Do not shorten Polyfragmented DID to "P-DID." P-DID, or Partial DID, is when one alter is the dominant one that is usually, if not always, fronting.
Can people with OSDD-1 be polyfragmented?
It is said that they cannot. As said by Reddit user Mof13, "Nope. OSDD-1 is on a lower level of structural dissociation than DID. Polyfragmented DID is the highest and most complex level of dissociation. I'm not sure how to word this but basically, the level of dissociation needed to be a polyfragmented system is too complex to be OSDD-1. That being said, OSDD-1 systems can absolutely have high alter counts. It's just being polyfragmented is more than having a high alter count and it's more about the structure." However, this is not an official site (Reddit is not, in any way, professional or trustworthy.) So, OSDD-1 systems could, in theory, be polyfragmented!
Still, other users backed them up, stating that, "They can't be because the level of dissociation that is required for polyfragmentation would indicate DID. Polyfrag is more than just having a lot of alters, it has to do with the complexity of the system." As well as, "No, it's not possible. Key features of polyfragmented/complex systems could only fit DID. You can be a large (100+) OSDD system but that doesn't mean you're complex. Complex DID is the highest form of dissociation in the PTSD scale. Complex systems are characterised by the system patterns and specifics, not just alter count."
Are there any controversial terms?
Of course. A "core" is said to be the original, first alter. Keep in mind that all alters in the system are alters, 'the first child' in the body is also included. The core is controversial because all alters are just shattered pieces of the same mirror, there is no first one, but many. Yes, there may be the first few alters, but they are not the core because that is selective. Some may claim that multiple alters are the core, which makes more sense, but why not just call them original or the first few alters? That would be far better, seeing as it doesn't use a controversial term and is less likely to get the system fakeclaimed.
What are fakeclaimers?
Fakeclaimers are people who fakeclaim, or invalidate, people. It is not limited to plurality, but is common in autistic and plural spaces. There are subreddits [on Reddit] that simply fakeclaim, such as r/systemscringe (more directed at systems) and r/fakedisordercringe (more directed at just neurotypical people.) Fakeclaimers often are either: in denial of their neurodiversity, are ablest yet reject that term, target people, or a variety of other reasons (they harrass people so much, which is punishable by jail time, yet nobody [Reddit] does anything.) They claim to help 'real' neurodivergents and such, yet they are why neurodivergent people are scared of unmasking or getting help, even getting to the point where people leave servers in fear of this happening (as I have genuinely seen before.) They do not help us, they only harm. They claim that people are faking, often. In fact, r/systemcringe has its description set as, "For all the cringe associated with those who claim to be "systems" - faking or not." They target systems, faking or not. People with DID/OSDD-1 even go on their side sometimes, it's genuinely insane how hate has separated the community.
NOTE
I ask that you do not use this rentry to self diagnose yourself. Please do research before anything, and act from there. You could have it, you could not. Do not rely on just this rentry, thanks! I hope that I can help you, if you do begin questioning, but I strongly recommend using the DSM-5 and going to page 492. If it still sounds like you, keep doing research. Note that being diagnosed can be dangerous and cause you to potentially lose your job due to misinformation and other factors, but I do not discourage you from seeking a diagnosis. I hope that you get the help that you need, and therapy WILL help that, as long as you have a therapist that knows about DID and/or OSDD-1. Blessed be!