For me, pre-somewhat integrated, 'I' was never 'in' a certain personality. 'I' was always me. Others were others. For them, they were themselves, their own 'I'.

Some of us were aware of each other, and some of us were not, but each of us was quite adamantly our own self and NOT 'those other selves'. I think what I am trying to say is pre-'somewhat integrated' there was no continuous sense of self, although each self had their own unchanging histories.

During and after therapy we gained co-consciousness amongst many alters, and over time many of us became aware of each other and gained longer and more continuous awareness of time as well. This became stronger and stronger over many years.

Eventually we gained 'integration of some sort' and gained what I call ownership of the 'I's. All those individual 'I's that used to be so adamantly separate and 'not-eachother' became more and more familiar, like family, and eventually we came to accept and understand each other as all part of ONE 'I'. Now we are fully co-conscious. We still recognise parts of this 'I' as 'the I previously known as Jess' for instance - and this 'I' can even let previously known 'I's be themselves for a while, but we (I!) consider ourselves to be mostly integrated and operating as just one 'I' for the most part.

I hope that made sense!