Also actually okay I’m going to share my perspective on something.
So there’s a lot of debate about alter labels. And I think that people, especially on tumblr, can get way too invested in them and they can become limited and counterproductive. And it can get difficult when people are working with different definitions for the same label.
When we were first learning about DID, we ran across the term “persecutor,” which we learned as defined as an alter who harms the system, the body, or others. And Milo labeled me a persecutor, and I myself identified as a persecutor. This was not helpful. I felt trapped in it. It felt true, but also unfair and limiting.
But I do think there are sometimes personal benefits to labels. About a year later, after a decent amount of therapy and Milo and I improving our communication, we came to the realization that I was only hurting the body and lashing out because I was trying to protect us. And I consciously rejected the label of “persecutor” in favor of the label of “protector.” I’ve considered myself a protector for a few years now, and that protector label is very important to me. It has allowed me to grow and try to become the person I want to be. Obviously I could have just shed the persecutor label without picking a new one, but I like my new label and I find it helpful. I take pride in it. I have a role, and it’s not all that I am, but it’s important. I’m important.
So I guess my takeaway is, like all things, it’s complicated and nuanced and comes down to individual situations. Alter labels can do a lot of harm or they can be helpful, you just have to be careful how you use them.
