I just read this

What the he** does it mean?????

"Host alter (see ANP) "The host is an alter that has the function of living daily life. [3]:58 There is almost always more than one alter who is an ANP and performs the job of host. It is important to understand that hosts are lacking in self awareness and functioning - they are not a complete personality. No alter, including the host is the "original/core," since there is no such thing. Different hosts can be in charge during various times in life, and new alters can be created if needed."

Is it saying that there is no one original? Has anyone heard of this before? Who am I working to be if there is no original?

in rare situations the person in which alters live with in have been do traumatized that the result is this person's brain protects their self by the body person retreating into a completely separate mental created world and creating alters that take over the job of being a host...(one in control most of the time to give the appearance of being normal. in other words the Apparently Normal Part (ANP)

it doesnt mean there is no original one, it just means the original one was so traumatized, for their protection, safety and survival they are rarely in control, rarely aware and the ANP is the one that acts/takes on the role of appearing to be the host.

That's not what I get from this at all. To me the infromation is trying to stress that all of the parts make up one whole person. Therefore, when the first alter is created, walls are built up between the experience/job of the alter and the other parts of the original. So altogether, they make up one whole person. The alter isn't created from nothing to add to the person's whole being, it is sectioned off from who the whole being was. So the part that others would call the original, isn't technically the original anymore because part of who they were has been sectioned off to become an alter. Each time another alter is created, it is the same thing: walls being put up to stop conscious awareness of certain things (memories, jobs, emotions, etc.) The idea is to get people to understand that the 'original' as others call it, is not actually the whole person he/she was before the trauma. They are now parts of the whole as well.

As for your goal for therapy, most therapists want to help their patients break down some (or all) of the barriers that are making parts necessary. You want to become a whole person, with all of your parts either integrated, or communicating with each other so that you can access any jobs, experience, emotions or memories needed to function well in life.

Many therapists feel the need to stress that all personalities/alters are part of who you are, no one is a whole person, they each play a part in your system. I think that is where they are coming from, looking at it holistically. One of the roadblocks in therapy that people come up with is that they can't identify some alters as being part of who they are, and they need to overcome this in order to bring them back into a highly functioning person. So this sounds like they are trying to prevent that from being too ingrained in people's minds as they learn about their different parts.

I hope that makes sense.

That's not what I get from this at all. To me the infromation is trying to stress that all of the parts make up one whole person. Therefore, when the first alter is created, walls are built up between the experience/job of the alter and the other parts of the original. So altogether, they make up one whole person. The alter isn't created from nothing to add to the person's whole being, it is sectioned off from who the whole being was. So the part that others would call the original, isn't technically the original anymore because part of who they were has been sectioned off to become an alter. Each time another alter is created, it is the same thing: walls being put up to stop conscious awareness of certain things (memories, jobs, emotions, etc.) The idea is to get people to understand that the 'original' as others call it, is not actually the whole person he/she was before the trauma. They are now parts of the whole as well.

You have given a very insightful perspective. Personally I have a lot of consciousnesses when having to do things in the world. I have noticed that not everyone knows what the others do or say when it does not pertain to the outside. I understand the concept you described of the "original" now being a part because he/she created others to do certain jobs. It makes sense. One of my worries was how would the original be if she hasn't had to do all the jobs we have been doing for so long. It kinda makes me sad that Sue isn't the me I was looking for. I am seeing my t on Thursday to talk about all this. I have three hosts that are in the world, they work, they problem solve and get tough when needed. They watch over us but they don't communicate much with us individually. We have someone who will talk to us for them. You know like pass on information that we need to know so we don't get seen. Last night I was freaked out and crying today I am trying to wrap my head around it. Your insight helped. What I don't understand is who do we integrate into if there is no one alter or original. There is someone who we have who loves someone but she doesn't seem to be aware of us. Not that I can remember. When she is out everyone is quite, no cross talk just her in the moment. It's weird but it always feels safe. I would want us to be her but if she knew all the stuff we know maybe she wouldn't feel safe anymore. It's all so much to think about.

As for your goal for therapy, most therapists want to help their patients break down some (or all) of the barriers that are making parts necessary. You want to become a whole person, with all of your parts either integrated, or communicating with each other so that you can access any jobs, experience, emotions or memories needed to function well in life.

I hope that makes sense.

That's not what I get from this at all. To me the infromation is trying to stress that all of the parts make up one whole person. Therefore, when the first alter is created, walls are built up between the experience/job of the alter and the other parts of the original. So altogether, they make up one whole person. The alter isn't created from nothing to add to the person's whole being, it is sectioned off from who the whole being was. So the part that others would call the original, isn't technically the original anymore because part of who they were has been sectioned off to become an alter. Each time another alter is created, it is the same thing: walls being put up to stop conscious awareness of certain things (memories, jobs, emotions, etc.) The idea is to get people to understand that the 'original' as others call it, is not actually the whole person he/she was before the trauma. They are now parts of the whole as well.

As for your goal for therapy, most therapists want to help their patients break down some (or all) of the barriers that are making parts necessary. You want to become a whole person, with all of your parts either integrated, or communicating with each other so that you can access any jobs, experience, emotions or memories needed to function well in life.

Many therapists feel the need to stress that all personalities/alters are part of who you are, no one is a whole person, they each play a part in your system. I think that is where they are coming from, looking at it holistically. One of the roadblocks in therapy that people come up with is that they can't identify some alters as being part of who they are, and they need to overcome this in order to bring them back into a highly functioning person. So this sounds like they are trying to prevent that from being too ingrained in people's minds as they learn about their different parts.

I hope that makes sense.

At first sight I look 'normal' but I'm not a whole person, not yet.

Bloem

That's not what I get from this at all. To me the infromation is trying to stress that all of the parts make up one whole person. Therefore, when the first alter is created, walls are built up between the experience/job of the alter and the other parts of the original. So altogether, they make up one whole person. The alter isn't created from nothing to add to the person's whole being, it is sectioned off from who the whole being was. So the part that others would call the original, isn't technically the original anymore because part of who they were has been sectioned off to become an alter. Each time another alter is created, it is the same thing: walls being put up to stop conscious awareness of certain things (memories, jobs, emotions, etc.) The idea is to get people to understand that the 'original' as others call it, is not actually the whole person he/she was before the trauma. They are now parts of the whole as well.

As for your goal for therapy, most therapists want to help their patients break down some (or all) of the barriers that are making parts necessary. You want to become a whole person, with all of your parts either integrated, or communicating with each other so that you can access any jobs, experience, emotions or memories needed to function well in life.

Many therapists feel the need to stress that all personalities/alters are part of who you are, no one is a whole person, they each play a part in your system. I think that is where they are coming from, looking at it holistically. One of the roadblocks in therapy that people come up with is that they can't identify some alters as being part of who they are, and they need to overcome this in order to bring them back into a highly functioning person. So this sounds like they are trying to prevent that from being too ingrained in people's minds as they learn about their different parts.

I hope that makes sense.

yes the sum of all alters make up one whole person. here where I live and work the term created means the same thing that you understand...the mind puts up walls between the person that was traumatized and the alters. here where I live and work alters are "created" I dont mean they become out of nothing and added to the system/person with DID...

the brain is an amazing thing. it makes it possible for human beings be "creative" in normal situations this creativity called dissociation allows a person to dream, day dream, space out when bored or under stress, numb their self or even go to the extreme of being creative by shutting off those traumatic events, feelings, memories. (in your words put up walls) around them and what causes them to be triggered.

some where, some time after the person goes through such a chaotic, stressful, triggering....the persons creative brain using the creativity skill of dissociation these walled off parts of memories, feelings events become alternate personalities that have their own jobs, purposes, reasons for being...in essence start interacting with in the internal system of alters and the outside world, just like a human being.

this is how Im using the term created. not to mean the alters just suddenly appeared out of the wild blue yonder to be added.

a person starts out in this world by being one whole person and then through the creative process of dissociation the one whole person is creatively divided into smaller parts called the host and alters.

Im sorry if my language usage is different than yours and may have caused you some upset. I was just using my locations and cultures terms for the dissociative process.

Innocentjoy, that makes a lot of sense to me! What I don't understand about my alters is that they seem so sectioned off from my life as a host overall that they don't know everything that I have been through...which seems good for them, but not good for me. My alters seem smarter than me, because although they have experienced trauma, they have not experienced all the trauma that I (the host) have experienced. From this, they seem a lot more sane than I am and smarter than me.
I'm not sure how to communicate with my alters when although they are all parts of me, they are not aware of much beyond what they know. They just see me as a dumb adult version of them who keeps ruining their lives.
They have trouble understanding me. I can understand for the most part where they are coming from...I only have trouble remembering what it was like to have some of their good traits.
Ugh, I don't even know if this makes sense to anyone else. Does it at all??