I'm holding all my blood inside this skin

[ex-khailitha846.livejournal.com]

Greetings to all!

I have a question.

Seems that almost every multiple I know has at one time or another dealt with a self-destructive system member that cuts, or engages in activities that are similarly dangerous to the body. The multiples I know have all been involved in trauma's of some sort (the most interesting one had for a father one of Fidel Castro's ex-bodyguards - serious freakiness there, but I digress).

Since interacting with this community, I have been introduced to the phenomenon of natural multiples, which makes sense to me and, I think, addresses some of the unanswered questions about why many horribly abused kids don't develop DID but use other coping mechanisms. I don't really want this to turn into a big discussion about the natural vs. trauma thing, but I am curious...

How many systems here deal or have dealt with self-destructive members and do you think is this an experience more closely linked with trauma-involved multiples or is it a trait shared equally across the full spectrum of all multiples? +edit: Or, do you think self-harm and multiplicity have no intrinsic connection, given the number of singlets who also engage in self-harming activities.

All comments and experiences would be greatly appreciated.

Sending good vibes to all!

Jess

Comments

[ksol1460.livejournal.com]

Point taken re Blue Morpho, but the fact remains that for thousands of girls (and boys), self-harm, particularly cutting, is an imitative, meme-like behaviour. They see friends doing it to relieve stress or express frustration, so they do it. That doesn't mean it's always that way, and I don't think that's how Shiu meant it.

"The important thing is to not place too much emormity on the behaviors, even as you set in place rules to control them." I couldn't agree more: emphasising self-injury as a horrific, monstrously evil deed just makes it worse. There is something about this in I Never Promised You A Rose Garden... the behaviour must be taken seriously, but not too seriously.