for me there was no question of whether to choose cooperation or integration. integration just happened as a part of my healing...

example rainy was my alter who's job, purpose, reason for being was depression, sadness, hold the memories that caused me to feel depression, sadness that I could not handle/deal with, without using dissociation. with the use of antidepressants for my depression and therapy to learn how to deal with my depression, learning things like grounding/breathing and other therapeutic techniques that enabled me to face my problems without dissociation (numbing, spacing out...) I was now able to do those things that was rainy/was rainys job, purpose reason for being. this lead to rainy naturally merging/becoming one with me so that we are now one whole person again.

thinking back to how I was then and how I am now theres still no question. today thanks to the integration of my alters I am so much more stronger, able to do more, and at the same time have full awareness of what I am doing when and where and in full control over my thoughts actions/behaviors.

example this weekend a friend got married. my wife, children and I traveled to another state in which I had never been to (before integration, this would have in the past caused me to dissociate and the alter who traveled would have taken control leaving me stranded gosh knows where with gosh knows who), I met many people that I did not know (before integration this would have led to another alter taking over and acting out inappropriately) I was able to attend the wedding and reception (again before integration this was not possible due to triggers causing me to dissociate and alters taking control, getting drunk and acting out inappropriately) ...my children wife and I had a fantastic time and I was in full control and remember every single moment and detail of the trip, wedding, reception and all. its just amazing how much better things are for me with integration.