ANASTASIA

TERMINOLOGY wip

System
A term that an individual with a dissociative disorder uses to refer to all of the alters within a single body.

Singlet
An individual without a dissociative disorder. They are a single identity in a single body and mind.

Fronting
Fronting is when an alter takes the steering wheel of the body, being completely present and in control of the body.

Co-fronting
Fronting can be taken up by multiple alters.
We can look at the front as a car. When an alter or alters are co-fronting, they're in the passenger seat of the car. They're present but not in control of the body. For instance, if something were to happen and the alter(s) co-fronting needed to switch in, they could grab hold of the steering wheel.

Switching
The occurrence when an alter takes control of the body, or as we call it, fronts.
Switching can occur for an abundance of reasons, namely, being triggered by an outside source (can be positive or negative, willingly, or by force.)

Co-conscious
When an alter or alters are aware of the events that the body is experiencing but is not actively fronting.

Crowded Front
Basically what it entails - many alters being present at the front. Possibly causing blending and blurring (overlapping).

Blurring
Can also be known as blending, occurs when two or more alters overlap, causing dissociation, loss of sense of self or identity.

Bleeding
When one alter's memories or emotions bleed out to another system member. Often happens when a gatekeeper alter fails to manage and restrict memories from their system mates.

Splitting
A high level of dissociation where a new alter comes into light. Occurs when a child or pre-existing alter can't handle new information or experiences and forms a new part to cope. The vulnerability to splitting varies from system to system.

Dormancy
The inactivity or loss of communication with a specific alter or alter(s). Alters may not stay dormant and can resurface with time but there is no guarantee or time limit.

Dissociative Amnesia
The disruption or breakdown of memory, consciousness, awareness, and/or perception. This occurs when an individual's mind blocks out certain information, and in this case, trauma.

Pseudomemories
Also commonly referred to as false memories.
Somewhat of a misnomer, as most pseudomemories are still based off of actual traumatic events, and are present as a way for the mind to process the traumatic feelings without actually acknowledging the true event or accessing the memories.

Black-out
When coming back from another alter fronting, the current fronter is unable to recall the events that occurred previously. Often accompanied by time loss.

Grey-out
When coming back from another alter fronting, the current fronter is able to partially recall the events that occurred. Particularly the basic timeline but not the emotions or details resonated with the events.

Dissociation
The brain basically taking a break from processing basic aspects of function, such as, thoughts, memories, surroundings, actions, and identity. Dissociation can look like spacing out or nodding out.

Losing Time
A term for those with DID to describe the dissociative amnesia that occurs between switches.

Derealization
A type of dissociation in which an individual feels detached from their surroundings and environment.

Depersonalization
Another type of dissociation in which an individual feels disconnected and detached from one's own body or self.

Passive Influence
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.

Integration
A process in the healing of trauma for dissociative disorders.
Refers to all work made on overcoming dissociative mental processes through therapy.
Acceptance of events having happened to oneself instead of other parts, and becoming aware that all alters are parts of a whole.

Final Fusion
When all parts in a system fuse together into a singular, cohesive identity. Can be achieved without therapy, commonly misunderstood as otherwise.

Edit
Pub: 26 Jul 2022 23:28 UTC
Edit: 21 Feb 2024 01:39 UTC
Views: 1236