I haven't ever tried to explain to a nonDID what it's like. So it might be beneficial to try. Most I think would run from your question. Wondering why u want to know + fearing ridicule cuz it's really been used as a plot line for so many Hollywood stories. Herschel Walker, the football great, has just released a book about his DID. It's different for everyone but is the result of intolerable abuse for everyone. This is how it is for us. It's like a multigenerational family living in one house. Only we may not be cognizant of everyone. Think a college student who has a 4 year old brother at home. Not much of a relationship but still a member of the family.Each member has different likes, dislikes,abilities,jobs within the family, fears. Big football player-like brother comes out to protect his little sister from a bully for example. Some pay the bills, clean the house, fix the car. One may be allergic to strawberries. Just like in any family. There are males and females regardless of the body wherein we live. We have a female body. A male alter went when a MD unexpectedly ordered a blood test. The MD started to go over the results with us, suddenly stopped, and said the lab had mixed up the tests. These were obviously from a male. So DID is not just something made up in our head. Our goal is to be a functioning happy, successful inside and out in the world family. A great many DIDs are very successful, highly functioning, multi-talented individuals. Like Herschel Walker. But to reach that goal means we have to know each member of the family, understand their contribution to the history of the family, their role in the operation of the family now. That's the biggest hurdle. A DID may not know about all the others. How the bills got paid..don't remember doing it...don't recognize the handwriting OR don't know about the bills. Certainly don't know how that ugly dress ended up in my closet cuz wouldn't be caught dead wearing it. Just think of the complexities of getting a multigenerational family working or a big committee completing daily tasks! Add to that the fact that many members have emotional problems,even physical problems from severe abuse. Hope this gives u a framework to understand it. And no we may not be aware of our others when one is out doing their thing. Know also DIDs are strong. They survived the abuse when many others did not.