[gammaxgoblin]

Is it known to happen that one can dissociate for very long periods of time, such as weeks, months or years without coming out of it?
Also can it be the case that that extended dissociative state persists for such a duration that it becomes the default state and subsequent dissociations back to what was the natural default are not recognized as the prior normal?

yes, and yes, at least in lur case. has been weeks, months, and years, and yes, w are permanently switching, dissociated is our default state since we were about six

[LexiKitty]

i do this, my teen alter is always out and it makes it akward when i have to be an adult but he the mentalilty of a teen

[dlantern]

I agree with starry, because so much has change with folks systems and other people deal with. We have gotten to so much how can you expect host when you study other folks and are awakened to life in such a new way. How can we expect anything less the hurts are oweee way long the need to tough it outweights the host...We lose some abilities and also gains some knowledge ......We feel a switchyness that will probably either be a very long time away in such ways and not really knowing where the host has gone...

[Michael W. Harris]

In my case I do not have long extended periods when I am in an alter. But when I put myself in the Charter Hospital in Plano, Texas in1994 I met a woman who had five colleges degrees but only remembered getting two of them. She obviously had long periods when she was in an altered state.

[Solnutty]

I had about seven years in front following a massive life-change. Looking back, I see that as an extended switch/dissociated state, especially since I now accept myself as one of many. My others were so deeply buried I didn't have any clear sense of self. I couldn't say what music I liked, I had no preferences for food, clothing, and almost no access to memories of my childhood. People who knew me then say I was very withdrawn, and a relative says she doesn't even know "who that other lady was," (she doesn't know about my parts). I was like a blank slate for all that time. I was also very depressed and numb. This state was broken by the reemergence of an angry alter and created a lot of conflict. I felt a little insane.