Problems within the DID social media community that must be addressed.
Preface: The DID/OSDD community has the potential to be a great, supportive, informational place. I have found a support network between systems in this community, and for that I am grateful. However, there is much toxicity and misinformation present. Only a small handful of people (maybe around 5 on tumblr) seem to actively present correct information and uphold the standards of support and healing expected in any mental illness community. Below is a list of problems I have noticed once becoming active in the community. Hopefully this post will open some eyes and have people acknowledge that there is much progress to be made in the DID/OSDD community.
- The "all alters are valid" rhetoric that causes alot of harm
• Race, and how claiming "alters of color" or alters outside of ones race has become a "woke" form of cultural appropriation. This ties into how white people have always desired bodies of color without the consequences of being that race. Think body altering, big lips, darker skin, but as an alter.
1. White systems cherry picking the poc they want to listen to, aka whose opinion validates their racism, and taking that as the be all end all, saying they got their advice from systems of color to make themselves look "woke" but refusing to listen to those who talk about how harmful claiming "alters of color" is. I already dont take these systems of color telling you it's okay to have alters outside of your race seriously because none of them seem to know how to use "poc" correctly.
2. Most people in the community acknowledge that excusing an alter's abusive behavior is bad, but fail to realize that racism is systematic abuse and they are playing into it.
3. The excuse of "this alter formed from trauma so it's okay" don't use caricatures of an experience that is not your own to project your trauma onto.
4. Often these "alters of color" fit various harmful stereotypes, like a brown/Black woman alter who is aggressive or the sexual alter.
5. People saying that system diversity is good. It really says a lot about their healing process if they feel the need to make their system racially "diverse" to affirm their validity instead of working together and accepting that they are a collective
• Systems being fine with openly broadcasting that they have a socially inappropriate alter.
1. Alters don't form out of nowhere, they form based on your understanding of the world. Much of the community agrees with this, but the moment you say "oh then that means your n*zi alter reflects your beliefs" suddenly they switch it up and say there's no connection.
2. Alters are still connected to the system, they are not uncontrollable separate entities. Anything they would do is something the collective would do.
• Rise of n*zi alters in a community where many are the target of them.
1. Do i really need to say anything about this one?
- Fakeclaiming, misinformation, and the search for validity
• Quick to jump at anybody not displaying certain very specific symptoms. Most of the time, the things people call fake are other symptoms of DID not commonly spoken about, such as switching in an unnoticeable way, having many alters, and having introjects.
• The demonization and ostracization of alters who act out. Everyone reacts to trauma differently. And there's no point in demonizing a part of you, because that's what these alters are. To do so is basically a form of self-deprication and self-harm. It leads to further barriers between that alter and the rest of the system, impeding the healing process.
• Posts with bold, unheard of claims, with no sources, being presented as fact. Like ones saying there are 20 different types of persecutor/protector alters.
• The pressure to be as overt as possible, and if alters seem "too similar" or "too indistinct", you must be faking.
• The pressure for alters to fit into a label and if they deviate they're fake, alters expected to stay stagnant and adhere to their "role", the pressure for alters to even have/call themselves a role, and the pressure to be a completely distinct identity.
• The fear surrounding the concept of integration. It does not mean alter death, it doesn't even necessarily have to mean alters fusing into one. It can mean the breaking down of dissociative barriers and the facilitation of better communication. Sometimes integration even forms more alters as an act of healing.
- The feeling that you must disclose extremely personal information so others can judge whether you are valid or not
• Including but not limited to: discussions of trauma, alter roles, triggers, alter names, number of alters, treatment status
1. Not only is this a complete violation of privacy, it is also impossible and inconvenient for some systems due to dissociative barriers and number of alters.
(And another that may not seem as important but I feel as if it's a direct result of the others:
Much of the community being focused around memes. Normally this wouldn't bother me too much but the fact there is so much misinformation going around and all people are doing is reblogging every single dissociation meme they can find is alarming. If someone is questioning whether they have DID or not and they go into the tags and see nothing but memes about hosts and persecutors fighting, they wont get much out of that. What you put on your blog is up to you, but if you have a big, impressionable following, seeing memes that often present DID as being the same way for everyone is harmful.)
