Tackling Anti-Endogenic Statements
We donât like posting a lot of syscourse stuff, but we wanted to address a few common arguments anti-endogenic folks make.
âYouâre not allowed to use âsystemâ!â
The term âsystemââ as in, a group of people sharing a bodyâ has been an open-use term for over ten years now. Yes, the word system has been used in psychology for a long time, but the meaning is not the same. The current meaning is not medicalised, and was not created by/for those with DID/OSDD only.
âYouâre roleplaying!â
This is because anti-endogenic people assume all endogenic systems are faking, I guess, but itâs a bizarre argument anyways. Many endogenic systems are 20+ years old, and have known about their system for many years. We, ourselves are 30, and have known about being a system for 15+ years. If we were roleplaying, weâd be master LARPers at this point, having âkept upâ such a âcoverâ 24/7 for over 15 years.Similar can be said of other endogenic systems. Itâs not feasible, and itâs just not the truth.
âEndogenics are just confused teenagers!â
All systems were teenagers at some point. That doesnât make their experiences any less real or valid. Quite a lot of systems, however, are over 18. Including many endogenic systems. Downplaying them as âsilly kids who donât know anythingâ (because letâs be real, thatâs what is happening when you chalk something up to someone being young) is wrong. Furthermore, downplaying anyone as being âconfusedâ just because their experiences are different is not okay.
âEndogenics are abusive!â
⌠How? Itâs true that some endogenic systems behave abusively. Of course. Theyâre people, just like anyone else. However, traumagenic systems, mixed systems, and other types of systems are just as capable of being abusive. For example, several traumagenic systems have sent people death threats or told them to harm themselves. That is abusive behavior. Similarly, ANY system telling another system that theyâre not real, donât exist, etc, is behaving abusively. But no system is abusive just for existing.
Our stance has always been, and will always be: If you see a system behaving abusively, regardless of their origins, confront them (if possible). Report them as needed. Block them.Â
âYou canât be a system without trauma!â
We are unaware of any diagnostic criteria that specifically demands trauma as a qualifier for being a system. While DID/OSDD is currently theorized to be caused by trauma, it isnât actually part of the diagnostic criteria, and âmultiplicityâ in general does not require a DID diagnosis. We have heard stories of many different psychologists or therapists who affirm a systemâs multiplicity while admitting the system isnât, and doesnât have to be, diagnosed with a disorder. We have experienced this twice ourselves, including a psychiatrist who outright said that âDID usually requires trauma, butâŚâ It is definitely possible that multiplicity could be just another way a brain forms, like other neurodivergencies. Science doesnât know yet.
âEndogenic systems donât know what trauma is like!â
Many endogenic systems have experienced trauma in their lives. It just isnât what caused their multiplicity.
âWell if they experienced trauma, they must be traumagenic!â
No⌠Because for most endogenic systems who also have experienced trauma, their multiplicity existed before the trauma. Trauma canât retroactively cause multiplicity. However, it could be possible to have system members caused by trauma, even in endogenic systems.
âYou canât have DID if youâre endogenic!â
Many (if not most) endogenic systems absolutely do NOT seek any sort of clinical diagnosis of DID/OSDD. Most endogenic systems do not claim to have DID/OSDD. That is why the terms endogenic/traumagenic came to exist in the first place. As a way to say âI am a system that was not formed from traumaâ. That being said⌠again, DID/OSDD does not list trauma as a criteria for diagnosis. Is it possible that an endogenic system could be diagnosed with DID/OSDD? Yes, absolutely. We have heard of at least one case where this happened. We ourselves almost got diagnosed with DID, because even though we did not form from trauma, we have experienced trauma that has impaired our function to the point where we sought mental health help. This is especially likely if the therapist must enter a diagnostic code, and DID/OSDD is the closest âfitâ. But by and large, endogenic systems do not claim to have DID/OSS, and donât even seek a diagnosis out.
âEndogenics are just traumagenic and donât remember!â
Telling any system that their memories are wrong, and that they arenât what they think they are, is despicable. Stop doing that. Even if a system is traumagenic and doesnât remember, taunting anyone with possible trauma is horrible, and forcing them to try to remember (especially by causing an existential crisis with âeverything you think you know is wrongâ) is not at all helpful.
âEndogenics harm traumagenic systems!â
How? How does it hurt a traumagenic system for us, as an example, to sit here and just say we exist? Endogenic systems do not usually put themselves in traumagenic-only spaces. Most do not use traumagenic-only terms. Most do not seek confrontation with traumagenic systems, and only want to exist in peace and have their existence acknowledged as valid/real. Some endogenic systems do seek out the help of a therapist, but so do a lot of singlets, and an endogenic system in Ohio seeing a therapist isnât going to harm the chances of a traumagenic system in Canda from seeing a therapist. Some claim endogenic systems âmakeâ therapists not believe traumagenic systems, but no good therapist would do that. If a therapist doesnât believe you, that is the fault of the therapist. Similarly, singlets in general are to blame for singlets not believing traumagenic systems; many singlets donât believe in multiplicity at all, and are shitty about any sort of it. Again, if a singlet refuses to believe you, or is shitty about DID/OSDD, then they are at fault. They could chose to be more educated and understanding. They choose not to be. Blaming people within a community for the hatred and ignorance of those outside the community is just victim-blaming flavored nonsense.
âEndogenics donât exist!â
We think itâs reasonable to wonder why endogenic systems exist. And we can definitely understand having skepticism of systems that claim spiritual origins, if youâre already skeptical of spirituality. But there is little excuse for ever claiming that a system is âfakeâ, and there is never a reason to be rude and hateful to a system just for their stated origins. Regardless of how any system came to be, if they are here and talking and interacting and know theyâre a system, then they exist; maybe they are mistaken about their origins, but that is for them to discover on their own. Endogenic systems exist simply by going âweâre an endogenic systemâ. The only reason to claim endogenic systems canât exist, is if youâre claiming multiplicity can only be caused by trauma, which is completely untrue.Â
Multiplicity has accepted people of various origins for over 15 years now, across many different communities. We have helped each other, defended each other, and befriended each other. There have always been problems, of course, but for the most part, all different types of systems have welcomed one another into the community with love and acceptance. There is no reason that cannot happen here on tumblr, and other communities where conflict has been created. We can create a whole, healthy community with all types of systems.Â
This world is already difficult enough. We should be sticking together.