So I’ve been working on a literary pet project for quite a few years now wherein one of the major players has DID.
Up until now, I’ve avoided writing on anything in her POV because I’ve been scrambling to thoroughly research DID so I don’t misrepresent the disorder (I don’t have it, myself). So far, that’s meant rereading the DSM-V chapters on DID and PTSD. I’ve also attempted to interview two of my friends who have DID, which has met with marginal success; both view their alters as individuals with separate personalities and motivations, but one has mostly had the same alters since it realized its alters were there, with a few exceptions, while the other experiences erratic melding and splitting and discovery and disappearance of alters on a nearly biweekly basis. Aside from the fact that the former friend claims it can deliberately call on specific alters to front and describes its alters as having interpersonal relationships with one another and having “rooms” they sometimes lock themselves in to be alone, I haven’t learned much else (what for all that they have I Forgor My Name Sometimes Because My Life Was/Is Hell Disorder).
I’m wanting to branch out to get a sense of other peoples’ experiences to the best of yall’s abilities to describe them, so as to get a better idea of what DID feels like from the perspective of someone with the disorder. Do your alters have “rooms” that they can retreat to? Are they always present and giving you their input, wanted or otherwise? Do you have alters that don’t seem to fulfill a “role” (ie protector, persecutor, caregiver, etc)? How do you feel about them? Do your alters have opinions about each other? Do they even know about each other? Do they speak to you with words, or do they mostly communicate through emotions/vibes and pictures? Do they communicate with you at all?
Genuinely, I’m not sure what to ask about because of how little information I have on what DID looks like for people who have it. I don’t even know if the questions I asked were insensitive or not! I’m kinda blind here.
If anyone wants to share their experiences with me, I’d be forever grateful, and you have my word that I will keep whatever information anyone gives me between us, even if explicitly and without doubt given permission to do otherwise. And, for extra security and comfort, I have anon activated if you wish to keep your username to yourself.
Regardless of if anyone reaches out to me, I wish you all the best.
(Endos need not respond.)
