common vocab!

note that not all alters will have a role it's important to know.

first the body is the physical body that the system inhabits.

system commonly used as another term for somebody with did or osdd1a/b. refers to all of the alters within one body.

source refers to the person, character, or concept that inspired the alter's formation or characteristics. Alters called introjects are based on external figures like actual people for example kpop idols, actors, etc. Alters can also be based on fictional characters (called fictives) or even external "facts" or "things". Gaining or dropping a source can influence an alter's behavior, and they may gain new sources or drop them over time

innerworld/headspace is technically an imaginary space in a systems brain where alters can go and live when they arent fronting, it’s different for every system and many systems do not have this !
the innerworld often reflects on trauma or wishes for the future of the system and holds symbolism.

fronting means being in control of the body and able to interact with the world and/or other people.

switching is an alter taking control of the body, the way a system shows a switch can vary.

co-conscious is when an alter is aware of outside events at the time of them happening, but is not actively fronting. may or may not be giving passive influence to the fronters.

introjects are alters that are based off of an outside person or figure. introjects may or may not see themselves as the individual that they represent. introjects can be based off a family member or adult caretaker who supported the system and provided a positive influence on their life

factive is an introject of a real, living person. this person may be a close friend of the system that is a large comfort to them, or can be an introject of the systems abuser. there are a lot of reasons factives form, and why a factive formed depends on each individual system. it's important to note that most factives understand the controversy behind identifying as a real person. most factives will do their best to not interact with who they're a factive of, and some will often take nicknames, or entirely different names, to lessen the discomfort

fictive is short for fictional introject. it is an introject of some sort of fictional character, or other form of fiction. these may be video game or cartoon characters. not all fictives act exactly like their canon counterparts, and it's considered 'rude' to treat them as if they are exactly the same.

passive influence is when an alter who is not fronting's traits or abilities are temporarily influencing the alter that is fronting. may take the form of gaining or losing abilities.

black-out is the complete unawareness of the events that have occured while another alter was fronting. often accompanied by extreme time loss.

gray-out is partial amnesia of the events that have occured while another alter was fronting. usually results in knowing the basic timeline of events, but not the details or emotional aspects of what has happened.

dissociation is a break in how the mind processes and handles information. can cause a disconnect from one's surroundings, thoughts, or feelings. often will impact your sense of identity and time.

professional diagnosis also commonly referred to as prof-dx. can range from a verbal confirmation of an individual's suspected disorder to an official diagnosis confirmed by a team of therapists.

self diagnosis also commonly referred to as self-dx. this is when a person is suspecting that they might have a disorder, but they have not seen a professional yet or are still working out possibilities with their professional.

anp, known fully as an apparently normal part. deals with daily life and remains grounded. these parts typically handle social interaction and handling of bodily functions.

ep, known fully as an emotional part. does not deal with daily life and cannot handle the stressors therewithin. these parts typically hold trauma in some way, and may be stuck in a flashback.

mixed anp/ep, these parts are more commonly found in systems where abuse did not stop at any time during childhood and bled over into everyday life. they may present as eps who are more mature or grounded, or anps that have trauma memories or more severe ptsd symptoms than typically seen in anps.

frontstuck is pretty self explanitory. it's when an alter is stuck in front. that alter is usually (but not always) alone in front (without someone co con) and can not switch out with anybody. this can happen for a variety of reasons but the most common seems to be stress.

dormancy refers to when an alter lies dormant. a dormant alter may not be able to be seen in the headspace, and may not be able to communicate with other alters in any way, and will not front. alters can not "die" and can only integrate, fuse, or go dormant. an alter may lie dormant for years before resurfacing, and an alter may lie 'dormant' forever. but a dormant alter always has the chance to come back.

blurry a community term. when one or more alters/parts are fronting, but are unsure who they are due to a lack of distinct barriers between.

integration is the opposite of dissociation. information and emotions being accepted and processed. integration is a healthy process that happens to everyone, and people with complex dissociative disorders have a lowered ability to integrate information due to trauma.

fusion is two or more alters integrating. this involves the barriers between them being permanently lowered, so they are not separated from each other by dissociation and amnesia. fusion cannot be forced, but it can happen without consciously trying.

final fusion is all alters in a system fully integrating. this involves the barriers between them being permanently lowered, so they are not separated from each other by dissociative and amnesiac barriers. like fusion, final fusion cannot be forced, and is typically done in later stages of therapy. it is still possible for new splits to occur after final fusion, but much less likely than before, due to a heightened ability to integrate information. not every system chooses to pursue final fusion, but those who do should have their choice respected.

DID , OSDD , Roles , Courtesy , Stereotypes

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Pub: 10 Aug 2025 08:02 UTC

Edit: 22 Aug 2025 22:27 UTC

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