Quote:
Originally Posted by Luce
ES, I think you are referring to 'hidden' systems rather than those that are more open and 'florid'. I think it is generally accepted nowadays that the vast majority of DID systems are hidden, because that is their purpose, but initially books and films like 'Sybil' and 'The three faces of Eve' threw the psychiatric profession off the trail - they looked out for more florid presentations of multiplicity (and found few). It really is mostly a hidden condition.
AL - I don't think an alter 'covering a switch' necessarily needs to be dumped in the same basket as 'lying' or 'pretending' (and also, in your words, equated to knowing right from wrong). It really is just another way of a system doing what it is designed to do - protect itself.
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thanks Luce Im not talking about having to cover switching from alter to alter... my point is some people with DID when they get into hard situations they switch where as other people with DID rather than switching pretend....
heres what I mean....
when I was not integrated an intimate conversation with friends would cause me to switch into the alter thelma because it was part of thelmas job, purpose reason for being created (sense of agency stuff) to handle intimate conversations. my friends would not be able to tell the difference between me and thelma, I was triggered so I switched.
now lets put this same situation into say if my system was that of pretending (the other thread)
an intimate conversation with friends making me or my alters uncomfortable. instead of switching go into pretending to be ok mode, Rainy standing there with a grin on her face listening and pretending everything is ok, even though the conversation is scaring her she still pretends everything is ok, then pretends she has to go to the bathroom,... Hey guys excuse me for a minute I have to go to the restroom be back in a minute still pretending everything is ok, once in the bathroom let down the guard. whew hate that conversation maybe by the time i get back out there they wont be talking about that anymore, oops here comes somebody I better look like Im washing my hands even though I didnt go to the bathroom...this goes on an elaborate pretending rather than switching to another alter or host that can handle the situation.
my system of alters was the first kind where in situations that I could not handle or was triggering which ever alter who handled that took control. my alters didnt go through where they had to pretend to be ok or one another in order to get things done. we just kept switching.
see what I mean, Im not talking about covering up switching Im talking about having the kind of system where you switch .......instead of......... pretending.