Types Of Alters

Meeting your other selves can be frightening, exciting, painful and joyous.

You may find some who you like a lot, others that scare you. You may have alters who are talented and sophisticated, others who arc autistic, silent, or fragmented. They can be babies, young children, adults, Older people, male and female. Some systems even have animals or inanimate objects, gatekeepers and internal self-helpers. You may discover alters who are destructive or who act in sexually inappropriate ways. You're almost guaranteed to have children in your system, as well as protectors and persecutors.

The most important thing to remember is that every one of your inside people helped you survive. Even if you don't like them very much right now, they are your friends. They're a part of you, and you've been together for a long, long time. You've made one hard journey together.

Alters may be full-fledged people or they may be a fragment with only 1 or two memories.

Not all alters have names. Some are called by there function or personality trait, like the destroyer, the sad one etc.

Sometimes the alters know about one another and sometimes not. Part of the job in therapy is getting to know the entire system and getting them to accept an work together. To become a cooperative unit. Until that happens a large part of the hosts life my be lost to the other alters in the system.

Its important to remember that no two multiples are totally alike. Each alter has its own history within the system.

The number of alters you have is not important. What is important is that everybody in the system is vital, every single one of you.



                        Fragments                                         

Most alters are full-fledged personalities. But some called Fragments are there only to carry certain memories, deal with emotions or situations.

Ex... If a child is yelled at for not cleaning there room right. An alter fragment may be created to only clean up the room perfectly. When the room doesn't need cleaning that alter is inside.

Fragments usually never come outside unless the situation they were made to handle is there. They are also the easiest to integrate if you choice to do so.



Core Personality

Some systems have a core personality or "original child". This person is often said to be sleeping or dead. Alters are usually very protective of the original child an will do almost anything to protect him or her.

Gatekeepers

Some systems have Gatekeeper. The Gatekeeper directs which alter goes to the outside world. They might control the length of time an the numbers of times a alter comes into the body. Gatekeepers hardly ever come out on there own they seem happy just to watch an direct everyone else.

Animal Alters

Some systems have animal alters. Animal alters where created to be powerful protectors. Larger then life who don't often speak but may roar or growl.

Inanimate Alters

Inanimate Alters are like rocks, trees, or walls. They are unseeing and unhearing and unfeeling. When your being abused sometimes it helps to have a alter that cant feel anything.

Child Alters

The children in your system may be any age and many ages. You may have infants, toddlers, older kids and teenagers. Each one carries a piece of your past, a bit of your memory, and a lot of strength and courage.

Child alters create their own special situations. A 3 year old alter will act an talk like a 3 year old. He/She may be unable to hold a crayon or even talk. It can be very embarrassing when a little one pops out at the toy store and says "I want a toy!" and throws a heel-kicking tantrum on the floor. Or puts a few dozen candy bars in the cart at the store. A child alter may be playful. Have a favorite stuffed animal or blanky.

But threw all of the tantrums there is a joy and peace when you get to watch a alter learn an grow in a safe environment.

A child alter needs to be spoken to and treated like a child there age. They need firm boundaries and lots and lots of love. They need a lot of help when they relive a painful memory. They may cry inconsolably, scream in terror or huddle in a ball. These children who live inside you are the ones who carry the hurt, the pain, the terror and the memories.

You and your therapist will probably work with your inside kids a great deal.

They need to share what happened to them with you and with the rest of your system so that everyone can heal.

Teenagers

What else is there to say besides teenagers are great ;o) They have their hurt and pain and try to hold it in and be tough to the world like most teenagers. They may crack there bubble gum, listing to heavy metal, call people names, flip the bird. Teen alters like any teenagers are masters at getting into trouble.

Teen Alters need very firm rules and boundaries. Like all teens they need to not be allowed to disrupt life in the home or work. Inappropriate behavior for outside teens is not acceptable. It is the same for inside teens as well. You need to help teens become responsible for there own actions and consequences for their behavior.

I find my teens do better when they have a direction to focus there energy. This applies also for the child alters. I try to give mine small projects that they can do to feel good about themselves. A lot of my teens enjoy building on Active Worlds and putting together models.

Give them some time to talk to the therapist and get to know other teen alters online so they can grow and learn.

Adult Alters 

Adult alters may be talented, mute, destructive or protective. A lot of the time they have a life outside of the host's life. With there own circle of friends and things to do. For a MPD, that might feel like they are living a double life.

Adult alters like there individuality and some boast about there talents that the host does not possess. One might be good at painting or music, but none of the others are.



Cross-Gender Alters

Some systems may have alters that are the opposite sex of the body. This can cause some problems if a male alter uses the men's room in a female body. Or a female alter use the women's room in a male body.

Cross-Color Alters

Some systems have Cross-Color Alters. A white women may have a black male alter as a protector to ward of danger.

Talents

Some alters have special talents like playing the piano or writing and drawing. Give them the time they need to do those things. They will help tell the story of your life and lead to healing.

Check out:
Boyy's MPD/DID Informational Page

This information is copyrighted to Boyy Spendlove.



Back To MPD Page