The DID blog of the Synnie System

My pictures will be used to illustrate some processes. (Of course, real brain doesn’t look like that!)

Let’s say this is what a brain looks like that has not suffered a complex trauma.

All parts of such a brain are integrated because the complex childhood trauma did not take place.

In this picture we see what the brain of a person with DID (or other complex trauma, the roots of which goes back to childhood) looks like.

As you can see, the identity of such a person has been fragmented, not integrated into a whole.  

Such an event can only occur in childhood. Why? In the first years of childhood, the experiences of both cerebral hemispheres are relatively independent of each other, which is conducive to the potential splitting of ‘I’. Our elements of identity should later integrate. This does not happen as a result of trauma. Instead of integration, elements remain fragmented. Brain doesn’t want us to remember something the child should not be going through. As a result of fragmentation, we cut ourselves off from unpleasant memories. 

This picture illustrates integration between alters. 

As a result of integration, a new alter may arise, which will have memories, experiences and feelings of ‘’old’’ fragments. 

Sometimes fragments can access their memories without having to be integrated into a single whole- their characteristics get mixed up. 

It is important not to try to convince the alter that they have to connect for the sake of the system if they are not ready to do so. In such a situation, the alter may get scared and withdraw indefinitely.

Why alter can’t die? 

It would look like this:

Each alter has a role in the system, and all alters exist for a reason. First of all - each alter is an element without which the whole does not exist. The only possibility for alter to die is brain damage.

Why after going through the fusion (final fusion) I can’t call myself a singlet?

How I said before- your brain hasn’t integrated as it should from the beginning and nothing can fix it.

What does the final fusion looks like? 

All alters begin to connect with each other through therapy and recurring memories, until we no longer function as 'we’ and begin to see ourselves as one.

Our emotions related to traumatic experiences become one. We begin to feel compassion for the parts that must have been traumatized, but we don’t deny the events. It is not true that trauma must be relived to recover. Its effects should be taken care of, not the events themselves.

However

Our brain will never function as it should without experiencing the trauma.

I would explain it like this:

There will always be an element of fragmentation, but we can bring it close enough to form a whole.

After the fusion, the brain may fragment again as a result of stress / new experiences. It doesn’t mean you did something wrong. The world is broken and people with DID / OSDD are coping as best they can.

Why fusion is not for everyone?

Sometimes a fusion is not needed. The therapist determines individual therapy in accordance with the needs of a given person. We are all different and each of us has individual needs. 

Some people are afraid of fusion, they don’t want to lose alters. 

For some, the thought of a fusion is so frightening that they don’t want to continue the healing process and there’s nothing wrong with it!

It is important in the therapy process to enable the person to function properly and fusion is not a necessity or a final step in treatment.

Hey there! Sorry if this comes off as harsh since I’m pretty sure you mean well, but what is described there is nothing at all like an alter nor is it really (I mean one could argue that it is) dissociation if it is a cognitive intentional decision to distance and call them something else.

Alters aren’t really something that can be “made”, intentionally or not and there isn’t a such thing as a voluntary / intentional alter. Intentionally trying to make alters is typically considered unhealthy for people to do if they are a system / have DID and if you don’t have DID (or OSDD / UDD / usually when I say DID I mean those disorders as a whole) and you try to make an “intentional alter” you are really making light a very serious and really not-fun disorder to have. It’s really tasteless to intentionally want to have a DID or to have alters and it is really stigmatizing.

With that being said, intrusive thoughts are a real thing that is very common in a lot of mental health issues, where unwanted, uncomfortable and “bad thoughts” enter someone’s mind and it can be really hard to deal with. We personally deal with it a lot, especially considering internalized trauma and our OCD. It is actually somewhat a common form of practice to name and make an image for the “source” of your intrusive thoughts (at least with OCD as it was something my first therapist did to help us work through it) and to use that image to help take the intrusive thoughts less seriously and all. 

Personally we had 14 year old Timmy on the carousel that really plays too much XBox and is obsessed with “Your Mom” jokes.

Timmy is not an alter. Timmy was never an alter. Timmy was just a metaphorical concept and an easier way to understand intrusive thoughts and to see them as just that, thoughts that were kind of annoying and not based.

Based on what I’m given, I wouldn’t really even call that really dissociation as much as disassociation. Dissociation is a disconnect between self, the world, emotions, etc etc. Disassociation is removing the association with something. You are disassociating yourself from intrusive thoughts by recognizing that they don’t have personal weight onto you. You are not having a dissociated part.

I think if they can, you friend would probably benefit from talking to a professional about their experiences with their feelings, thoughts, and issues and they could probably help find a good way to cope with it.

If people feel comfortable answering they can let you know their experience.

You don’t need to like what they do. If they exhibit genuinely harmful behavior then it needs to be handled just as it would be with any other alter. But you don’t get to be rude to them just because of who/what they are.