[Claritytoo]

How do I know the difference between a part and a "normal" thought process?
I have a conversation in my head where parts are discussing, debating, argueing. There parts as I know them. How do I know how a "normal" thought process sounds and feels? When does someone with DID know that their thoughts are thoughts and not parts? It seems impossible to me to be able to have thoughts from one point of view. I don't get it.

[artyaspie]

Originally Posted by Claritytoo

How do I know the difference between a part and a "normal" thought process?
I have a conversation in my head where parts are discussing, debating, argueing. There parts as I know them. How do I know how a "normal" thought process sounds and feels? When does someone with DID know that their thoughts are thoughts and not parts? It seems impossible to me to be able to have thoughts from one point of view. I don't get it.

I don't either, never have been able to understand just having one opinion, on anything And those opinions wildly diverse, feel that rather than thoughts I have debates!

[amandalouise]

Originally Posted by Claritytoo

How do I know the difference between a part and a "normal" thought process?
I have a conversation in my head where parts are discussing, debating, argueing. There parts as I know them. How do I know how a "normal" thought process sounds and feels? When does someone with DID know that their thoughts are thoughts and not parts? It seems impossible to me to be able to have thoughts from one point of view. I don't get it.

here in NY (the one in the USA as opposed to other locations) the difference is defined by how the person perceives the thoughts....

example....

when I was thinking my perception was ....I thought of something
when the thoughts, internal conversations, dialogue, debating, arguing was my alters my perception was.....Rainy is thinking this, Rainy is saying that, Sunny wants to go to this,.....

in other words when it was my own thoughts it was in the I perception
when it was my alters it was them not me....

my alternate personalities were completely separate from me, they had their own jobs, purposes, reasons for being created....they had their own way of being....

if this continues to bother you contact your treatment providers they can help you discover what the difference is with in you, and how you can tell whether it is you or your alters thoughts, your conversations or your alters conversations, your debating or your alters.....

[Claritytoo]

Thanks for responding. There is no "you". We are all parts. I believe the original is in there somewhere but I don't know. I am writing this now. I am a part trying to figure this out. Everyone else is a part. When I am trying to make a decision about something, parts with different ideas and preferences will express their point of view. The same happens for who ever is in control and trying to make a decision. So if their are no parts what is left. Who is doing the thinking?

[amandalouise]

Originally Posted by Claritytoo

Thanks for responding. There is no "you". We are all parts. I believe the original is in there somewhere but I don't know. I am writing this now. I am a part trying to figure this out. Everyone else is a part. When I am trying to make a decision about something, parts with different ideas and preferences will express their point of view. The same happens for who ever is in control and trying to make a decision. So if their are no parts what is left. Who is doing the thinking?

I see what you are getting at, not from the host point of view but from the alters points of view how did they tell who was things, who was talking, who was debating.....

short version each of my alters had their own way of being, their own jobs, purposes, reasons for being created therefore their own identity, their own perception of who /what they were/...

example
Sunny (not the alters real name just throwing names in here for example purposes) was my alter that was outgoing, happy, energetic, ..how she presented herself in the world and with in the system was like this.

Rainy was my alter that was depressed, withdrawn, .....everything that made up who/what she was and how she perceived herself was total despair.

Trixie was my sexual alter....everything she was and how she perceived herself was make up fancy dresses and ...well sex.

so how did these three alters know who was talking, who was debating, who was arguing.....

Sunny....(in a cheerful, happy energetic voice)...Its nice out I want to go for a walk

Rainy...(.in a weepy voice) no I hate being outside, its horrible, anything can happen

Trixie....(in her sexual voice)))) oh yea lets go find us some huh....

with DID each alter has their own special identity (their own way of being, their own job, purpose, reason for being created and perceive their self)

they all just know they are who they are and the others are the others and how to tell each other apart.

thats not saying some with in the system may not know everyone with in the system. how much and what each other knows about each other depends on what each one shares with each other....

example...

my alter martha (again just throwing names together for example purposes) didnt share what and who she was with Trixie because that was not part of who/what martha was, it wasnt in martha's job, purpose, reason for being created nor was it part of how martha presented and perceived herself and her environment... to Martha she was an only child, a solo identity that did not need others to survive, she relied on her wits, and self educating ways.

because it wasnt with in martha to share, co operate with others, need others those with in the system.... the others in the system did not know the strange voices, words, ....was Martha.

they never knew anything about martha and martha them because there was no sharing, no co consciousness developed between them. it just wasnt with in martha to do that.....

my suggestion is if this continues to bother you, contact your treatment providers, they can help you learn who is who and who does what with in your system and how to tell each other apart if its with in you to learn this information from your system.

[Claritytoo]

My question isn't who is talking or thinking. I know my parts. I have three seperate groups, young parts, older parts, and the parts that function in the world. Each group knows who is out. Sometimes someone from a different group doesn't know much about the one who is out but that is fine. My question is, If I stopped having parts, Who would do the thinking? How would I be able to intellectually assess things? My parts are thoughts with distinct ways, perceptions and preferences. If my parts aren't there to think. Who is thinking? How are things being assessed?

[amandalouise]

Originally Posted by Claritytoo

My question isn't who is talking or thinking. I know my parts. I have three seperate groups, young parts, older parts, and the parts that function in the world. Each group knows who is out. Sometimes someone from a different group doesn't know much about the one who is out but that is fine. My question is, If I stopped having parts, Who would do the thinking? How would I be able to intellectually assess things? My parts are thoughts with distinct ways, perceptions and preferences. If my parts aren't there to think. Who is thinking? How are things being assessed?

Originally Posted by Claritytoo

My question is, If I stopped having parts, Who would do the thinking? How would I be able to intellectually assess things? My parts are thoughts with distinct ways, perceptions and preferences. If my parts aren't there to think. Who is thinking? How are things being assessed?

the collective you would be ding the thinking.....

when person is born (im talking biologically not mentally) from a mother and a father that baby is one whole person. then somewhere along the way the child goes through some sort of extreme trauma. then what is that one whole childs mind is mentally split into many different parts of this child that eventually form their own identities with their own jobs, purposes, reasons for being this way. when their jobs, purposes, reasons for being created is no longer needed they again join back in together to form one whole person again. everything each of the identities are becomes part of the whole...

example when I was born to my biological parents I was one whole individual. then at a very young age I was abused in the most horrific ways in which I being so young was unable to handle.

everything that made up who I was as a whole person (my emotions, memories, happy events, sad events, horrific events.....) everything that made up who and what I was, became separated and each separated part of me (my memories, emotions events.......) all became individual identities with in me.

through therapy and other treatments I became more stable and able to handle what had happened to me and how to handle my present life. since each of my separate identities jobs, purposes reasons for being was no longer needed each of those identities merged back together with me to become one whole person again.

those identities didnt go away they just went back to the form in which I biologically began this life before all the trauma.

As separate identities I did not know how to cry. now that Rainy is merged back together with me I can now cry, because she became one with me.

As separate identities I could not enjoy laying out in the sunshine. I felt too exposed. but once Sunny merged back together with me I could lay out in the sunshine.

once integration takes place everything that is you and the other parts will become one whole person again. who will be the host in which has these thoughts, feelings and such as the collective whole ....well only you and your treatment providers can answer that...

for me it was the host (me) in which all the alters merged into to become one whole person again.