It is difficult to compare other than by hearsay … because they are not my experiences. In our Inner Community (we have changed how we call ourselves as a whole) we have:
- The littles are in the median system(s), and I know their experience is completely different from mine because they are more like a hive. Everyone has a role and is distinct, but they don’t need to talk to each other to know what each is thinking or feeling. That is completely alien to me and even just typing it out makes me wonder if I understood it correctly. They’re like a bunch of sweet and funny little Borgs!
- The teens behave like a DID system, and I understand that a little better because when we switch in and out we do share some of their perceptions. They are separate, unique, and individual, and they are full personas capable of driving the body and sustaining IRL.
- All the other systems in our Community, including the overarching one, are OSDD-like. We consider ourselves the same person, just at different times of our lives. Each of our subsystems is specific to a single timeframe. In our POV, even the teens’ DID alters when taken together are one of our OSDD selves for that period.
Below are the diagnostic criteria for both DID and OSDD.
I have put the OSDD one because I think I might be able to explain how each of those 4 OSDD types are expressed by our subsystems and how that affects the Host, and parts, the subsystems, and the system as a whole.
Type 1
We experience type 1 when there are big system changes. These are not always due to trauma and sometimes are due to recovery. Amnesic barriers change depending on the need for separation.
As an example of amnesic barriers (type 1a), we have been working on some trauma with one of our littles. That in turn brought out two subsystems that have recognised the same type of ACE.
Our brain has therefore created a new subsystem where the ones sharing similar experiences can be together and support each other. The host working with them is fully aware when they are together. However, when they leave the group and join the other subsystems, they do not remember what has just happened. This is to ensure nobody is triggered. Externally this specific event could be interpreted as dissociative trance (type 4) followed by an OSDD switch.
When the host’s consciousness focuses back on the rest of the system, everything will be returned to the normal level of awareness.
As an example of managing parts/selves without amnesia, when a group is created that is not going to trigger anyone, there are no amnesic barriers even though the restructure may cause alteration of the sense of self, by for example merging parts, e.g. two parts of different ages may decide to blend. As a host, there is the process of becoming accustomed to the newly formed person while mourning the ones that are now missing. Also, as a system we are going to be different because our parts are different, which needs to be further managed.
Type 2
This is our thing, especially when looking from the top down of our Community, and the interaction of different subsystems.
From our personal experience, we believe that this happens because the intense conditioning (we do call it brainwashing, but whatever) created whole subsystems that are designed to control the behaviour of the host and other subsystems.
A common presentation of this is regression to an earlier conditioned state by activating dormant systems, or simply having introjects influencing behaviour to restore the conditioned state.
This can be quite scary because it can reverse months and years of healing almost overnight and the host would not be even aware of it. They would simply believe that they don’t need therapy and wonder why they began it in the first place.
There are ways around it, but they require being able to establish a sense of identity outside the restriction of coercion. So, it can be a little like a dog chasing its tail if not managed appropriately.
We have found that religious abuse and ABA have such effects, and believe that trafficking does too.
Type 3
I am not sure this is a thing. Almost all plurals will experience this in times of stress, right? We certainly have been going through hosts a lot lately …
I have not found much information about anything other than Type 1 A and B, so it is difficult to comment.
Conclusion
I hope I have answered the question satisfactorily. I guess the takeaway is that systems change over time and there are lots of factors at play.
How do others experience it?
💙
The Lil’ Borg’s Hive, by Teo and Bing
