Why can't we just be ourselves?

This is not necessarily about DID (MPD) but, if you want to look at it that way that is fine too.
Do you hide your true feelings around others or out in public?
Do you ever have an urge to express your true feelings or just want to laugh sometimes or even cry but, feel that you can't?
Look deep down inside for the you that is underneath all of the other you's and see that you's feelings. Do you ever let them out and if so, how does it feel when you do that and what kind of person do you see?

I see a funny guy who loves to make people happy and make silly faces at babies and snuggle puppies and share light-hearted laughter and play and joke around and just have a good time. He also likes to listen and give advice and be there to try to comfort others who are hurting. His sense of loyalty and honor are great and he respects his elders. That's what I see but, it is so hard to let him out sometimes and he so often remains deep down inside.
Do you ever feel that way? Like you conceal your true self?

Oh boy... could I write a book about this one... This is the story of my life! As I've written, here on PC, several times previously, somehow (I don't know how) I learned very early in life that there were things about myself I must never talk about with anyone. And so I didn't... until I outed myself just a few years ago in the process of making a second bid to extinguish myself from this level of reality. As it turned out though, no one really wanted to hear it. So, after a while, I just slunk back into the closet, so to speak, & closed the door. I don't plan to come out again.

Afraid too many loonies where I live,so have to take each person
as they present,but most do not have the intelligence nor the
inclination,or are too selfish . . .sad,but true.
Kind Regards,
BLUEDOVE

I do not hide myself or my feelings. People think I'm nuts and I really don't care. I need to be me. My friends and family accept me like that. They know that what they get is my authentic self, the good, the bad and the crazy.

Yeah... Sometimes it just seems that no one really cares what we're really like or could be like if given half a chance. You try to come out, be honest and open, unintentionally end up being a little too honest and they get scared and run away. Never mind that you're only that way on your computer and in the real world you wouldn't dare release some personalities because of embarrassment or because you don't want anyone to see some other bad side of yourself that you keep hidden like a dirty secret. Nope! Just "oh no! He/She said something really weird-sounding or maniacal! Better avoid them like the plague!" Yep. I know exactly how that feels. It's like other closet stuff. You try to show someone and all but, one turn tell and run for the hills. It's sad.

EDIT: I'm starting to become that way myself. I'm tired of holding back and hiding. I'm a person too, damn it! A very divided up person but, overall a person none the less! We didn't ask to be mentally ill or traumatized! It happened so why should anyone here or the rest of the world hide just to avoid making others uncomfortable?

I was punished so severely as a child that I can no longer even know what my real thoughts are, most of the time -- knowing my real thoughts brings up the horrible fear again, and I can't take it.

I have found out too in adult life that trying to express my real thoughts is unacceptable to most people -- even mental health "professionals".

To be honest this is why I've enjoyed being in patient in the past. You can be whatever you want to be and everyone accepts you because they get it. We need a world like this.

Unfortunately I am at a struggle with my identity. I am at a struggle of understanding whether my identity is what I am as a constant, or what I actually do in this world.
It's interesting to note that there are the identities which are responsible for doing, and the identities which are constant.
For example, we easily identify and see famous people as identities. What famous identities have in common is either doing allot or being responsible for allot of doing.
However, we find it harder to find identities in some people, as if they are nothing but shifting grains of sand.
I shake my head as I come to such realization. For I have no idea how else to see it. If someone could show me otherwise, then I'm open to hear...

I'm sorry to hear that, pachyderm. Some traumas are just too intense to want to try to deal with. I have a memory of one that's trying to break through lately that makes my skin crawl and feel like having a fear of being touched. It's scary, real scary.

That too is terrible. The idea that the very people who are there to hear us would turn away sounds like someone who would willingly let a homeless person freeze to death. It's just unthinkable.

I don't think anyone is all that interested in anyone else. I try my best to be authentic with myself. That is what matters most really, isn't it?

Well, yeah. People should try to be who they feel most comfortable being but, it's not always that simple because we live in a world were people are also quick to judge and I know from experience that when you're real honest about your true self and what you want out of life some people will treat you like you're odd or strange or something and start avoiding you. I was raised to believe in honesty and to always tell the truth but, the older I get the more it seems to me that most people dislike hearing the truth. It makes me wonder just how many people there are out there lying to each other without giving it a second thought. I have an honest heart. That's just me. I can't help it.

I agree with this and I am the same way.

I believe that people like us are a dying breed. Where are the feelings and the more important interests like wanting to help people in need or comfort someone who's hurting or just listening to someone who needs to talk about what is on their mind? No, it's all about entertainment and people getting what they want. It's not right. I'm not perfect. I have my selfish moments too but, I try to make time for those I see who are in need.

We pretty much have that here on this website

This is a hard one I think, because it simply isn't appropriate for people to be 100% honest about their inner being in all social situations. With close friends and family it is more appropriate to be more open and honest about yourself more often but it just isn't appropriate to always be honest and always tell the truth in social interactions. I don't mean its appropriate to lie. I mean its very often not appropriate for anyone to reveal their whole truth to everyone, and I don't just mean people with dissociative disorders.
And I want to reiterate the importance of being open and authentic with ourselves, because with dissociative disorders that is most often a contributor to the dissociative problem.... we can't accept the full truth of our own experiences because they are too much to bear, so they are dissociated. That inability to face my own truth is what drives the whole dissociation thing for me. If I could face my own experiences and truth then I wouldn't need to dissociate them!
For me my need is to learn to be able to accept my own truths within myself. And I know I don't yet. But I can't even hope to be "real" and open with others if I can't even be "real" with myself yet. Which is why I am so alarmed by that other thread. I didn't know I had to be diagnosed as being real and as far as I know I haven't been so does that mean I am potentially not even real? What hope is there for me if that is the case? I will ask my therapist next time I see her.

You make good points about sharing too much information. I believe that part of that is a flaw in me partly because of being naive and young-minded or it may be connected with my child alter. I'm just so trusting sometimes and feel like I have to describe everything in detail but, part of the posts I and my alters have made here at PC recently where we revealed too much about ourselves was related to being under so much stress and a need to be understood. Another alter was very upset about all of it because we made him feel like a fool by revealing so much. Finally finding a mental health forum after years of being online just sort of made us let our guard down, way down and before we knew it we were spilling our guts. Some other alters are not too happy about it either. The only reason I chose not to delete those posts is because I did get some responses to them that made me feel not so shameful so, I figured I would just let it go. Normally I keep stuff like that locked up tight because I know how illogical and irrational some of it sounds.
I've kept V a secret for an extremely long time and still can't believe that I talked about her. She's irritated with me over it.
But, anyway... Getting back on topic...
Does anyone feel like they have to hide who they really are around others? And if so, why do you feel that way?

You know, this got me thinking.
I'm really wondering what we can do to tackle this. I tend to have those kind of thoughts about people.

I can think of many causes. Perhaps emotional maturity would be the way?

I have alters with this POV too but, the way it works is kind of strange. Those alters don't seem to see themselves as human beings which makes sense about one of them but, the other I'm not sure of. I still have so much to learn it would seem.