multiplicity_archives | (no subject)

Current Mood: curious

Entry tags:

discovery,
naming

(no subject)

Wow. I really hope that I don't offend anyone by being here, and please forgive my use of terms because they might not be completely correct.

I don't actually have multiple personalities (that I'm aware of), but the main reason that I joined the community is because the subject fascinates me, and I would love to learn more about it. Who better to ask than those that have first hand experience with it right?

One question I have in particular would be how did you (your core identity) figure out/discover there were more identities? I have lots of questions other than that but I don't like to bombard people I haven't gotten to know yet, with tons of questions. I think it's a bit rude. Thanks. :)

- Kae <3

Edit: Here's another question for everyone. Where did the names of the identities in your systems come from? (Those that have names anyways) I don't really know how to word that, because I am aware that not all names are made up, but just are. If that makes sense.

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Hiya and welcome :)

Well, to answer your first question, it's one of those things that I'm sure varies from System to System.

For Our System, there were always hints and such since We were very little. (We started splitting at three years old..) My mom always said I was a "multi-facetted" child. Heh. Anyway, big pointers were lots of missing time, lost memories, blacking out and then my friends telling me what "I" had been saying/doing in the meantime, actually hearing "voices" and things like that. It was hard at first, lots of denial and all of that. Then problems with people not wanting to cooperate with each other and stuff. The fighting and conflict itself was a sign that We were different people all in one body.

Finally We started having more co-conscious. We could talk to eachother and figure out where We all fit in. Nowadays, We are highly co-conscious and there's absolutely no question as to whether or now We're multiple.

I guess you could say that I am the "host" of Our System. I'm not the "original", but I've been the most dominant person (as far as who is Out the most) for the last four or five years. It's strange, but for me it was the hardest to accept new people in the System, or the fact that I could be multiple. It seems like almost all the people in Our System who came out later (or even came out before I was around and then came back or whatever) already new about the others and how We were all multiple.

Anyway, welcome and feel free to ask any questions you have. :)

~Ash
of the ShadowEchoes

How many are there in your system?

There are about 60 that are known (including kids, fragments, and Spirits), not all are active currently, and not all of them come Out (some prefer to stay inside). We know that there are more in the "back" though, that We just haven't met yet.

~Ash

Doesn't it get confusing? How do you keep track of everyone?

Sometimes it is confusing, but it's easier to keep track of when it's you - if that makes any sense (I can keep track of my System much better than I can keep track of my girlfriend's System for example).

In a way it's like keeping track of 60 friends/classmates/coworkers or something. And the ones you see the most, you're most familiar with. For example, I don't interact with the System kids very much, so I have trouble remembering some of them. Feral however, plays with the kids inside all the time, and knows all of them and always remembers everything about them.

~Ash

How do you know who you are (if that makes any sense)... like when you are switching identities? I bet I'm making it sound more complicated than it really is. So many questions. Does everyone have their own set of memories, because you said that Feral interacts with all of the kids on the inside on a regular basis so he knows them all, but you (Ash) don't... sorry for all the questions, it's just so interesting.

Most of the time it's very clear cut - We're all individuals, and all unique. Some of Us are alike in a lot of ways, but We're all different at least somewhat. It's always easy for Us to tell who we are when there's just one person out. Just like if I asked you who you were, you could easily answer that you are Kae. If you ask me, I could easily answer that I'm Ash. Ask me tomorrow and I might easily answer Bones though. ;) Sometimes We co-front, which is basically more than one person being Out at the same time, and usually it's some sort of merge of interests. Hmm, it's hard to explain the sensation really. Say for example Feral and I are co-fronting, it'll usually be me being very silly and hyper like she is, but still mature enough to stay in control or be able to joke about adult topics. There have been times when it's hard for Us to tell who all is Out - sometimes I think it just gets all fuzzy when there are too many people co-fronting, and sometimes I think it is people joining in that We don't know yet.

As far as memories go, most people have their own memories that are added to the Collective Memory. Everyone can access the Collective Memory (although some things are restricted to some people, for example adult-topic memories are not accessable by the kids or Feral.) Some things are left out though, for several different reasons - some things are personal, some things don't want to be remembered by everyone, some things are trivial. Sometimes We share the memories, but little things are different about them, or the perspective is different (like seeing the memories in third person - where you watch yourself/your body in the memory instead of viewing the memory through your eyes).

Don't worry about asking questions, I don't mind answering ;)

~Ash

That's one thing that I find a little strange... you called me Kae... because I signed Kae and that's the name in my info and the name that I use daily... but it's not my name. Except it's almost like I have an entire 'image' or something associated with that name. My real name is Jennifer but I don't really like it (sometimes), and I am most certain that I would answer to the name Kae if I was called that outloud. I sometimes even act differently (especially lately)... it's all a little wierd.

Would you answer to an alt's name?... or would one of them come out if someone asked to speak to them directly?

Well, We've found that sometimes We have to answer to other people's names, even if We don't all like it. ;) In general, We all answer to the body name "Janna" (especially me) although some of the males in Our system are less fond of it. :P Most of Us have become accustomed to answering to "Ash" in person as well. Some of Us get more annoyed by being called the wrong name than others - this past October We went to a big campout and came out as being multiple to all of Our friends. One of my close friends told Kaylona that he was just going to call her Ash anyway, because it was easier for him, and of course she got really pissed. (Especially since he knew she wasn't me, but was just being arrogant.)

~Ash

That's really rude. I would have kicked them.

Well, Ash said I wasn't allowed to physically harm him, but I did get him back. ;)

We had a naming ceremony later and I (half-jokingly) named him TalksLotsaShit, and it's still his nickname in our tribe. ^_^

~Kay

Nicely done.

I like your name! It's said the same as mine. ^-^

Totally OT: you guys have the coolest icons. Is it your own art?

Unfortunately, no, We're not that talented at art. :P Almost all of Our icons are avatars from the graphical chats we go on that were drawn for Us, ones that We bought, or freebies that We had colored for Us. Our girlfriend(s) drew some of them too. Out of all Our icons, the only one drawn by any of Us Rhydan's "angry" icon which she drew herself. A couple are also portraits from Furcadia.

If there's a particular icon you have in mind, I can let you know who drew it - We've been pretty lazy about crediting Our icons on this System journal, Our private journals are more conscious about crediting things properly though.

Thanks for the compliments though :)

~Ash

Yours and Kay's. There are were friends of mine whom I'd love to gift with the appropriate-looking ones, if there be such. URL? Or artst's name? Or both? It would be a kindness. Thank you much.

Wildy

Mine was made by my girlfriend, Ralkarin (of the Shadowalkers), who also made (and/or helped make) quite a few of Our other icons. Ralkarin's pose page can be found here (http://shadowalkers.silentshadows.net/ralkarin/poses.html).

Kay's was drawn by Ithica (someone We know on a chat site We frequent) as part of a commission for an outline-only pose, and then it was colored and shaded by Ralkarin for Us. I don't think Ithica is taking commissions currently though. :/

Hope this helps :)
~Ash

Your lady mate is very talented. Thank you for the link. I downloaded one of the freebies, which will make a *perfect* card for someone else yet. (The coffe-drinking fox...*g*) Unfortunately, not owning a credit card, we find ourselves unable to commission anything. This might change once we get back to the States, though. I bookmarked the page.

Thank you for your help, and run well.

Wow... I play Furcadia too...

hehe small world huh? :p

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