Are you a singlet who’s partner or friends are a system? Are you a new system who has been slammed by all the terms and no one wants to explain? are you just confused?
Same. So let’s fix that. This isn’t a comprehensive list and if there’s multiple terms for a role, i’m only doing a couple. Also I’m including Endo and tulpa cause they’re in syscourse. K? K.
As always, let me know if I missed something.
DID/OSDD: abbreviations for Dissociative Identity Disorder and Otherwise Specified Dissociative Disorder. MUST BE CAUSED BY C-PTSD
System: multiple people in one body as a result of DID/OSDD.
Alter: Stands for alternate states of identity. Caused by dissociative barriers during trauma.
Traumagenic: System caused by trauma
Endogenic: System not caused by trauma, often “willed” into existence. Often seen as ableist. Often shortened to Endo
Tulpa: Ancient Buddhist Practice.
Syscourse: Discourse surrounding DID systems, often discussing the existence of Endo systems.
Host: Alter who’s in control of the body the most.
Co-Host: Second alter who controls the body
Gatekeeper: Alter who can control who fronts, memories, etc.
Protector: Alter who often fronts during traumatizing experiences to protect the host.
Caretaker: Alter who takes care of the body, host, or rest of the system
Sexual protectors: Alters who protect during sexual moments.
Religious protector: Alter who protects during religious moments.
Littles/Syskids: Alters who appear as children, have a child-like conscious, and processes things like a child. Can hold traumatizing memories and double as caretaker, protector, persecutor, etc. Ages vary but usually between 0-12
Teens/Middles: Alters who are appear as teens and process things like a teenager would. Usually between 13-17
Persecutor: Alter who harms the system as a means to protect them, whether through starving, self harm, sex, etc.
Perpetrator: Alter who harms people outside of the body as a means of protection. Also called Prosecutors
Trauma Holders: Alters who hold specific traumas
Symptom holders: Alters who hold specific symptoms of other disorders if applicable.
Age-slider: can also be called age-regressing. An alter moving ages for the situation needed.
Innerworld: Also called headspace. the world that the alters live in if not fronting. Not all systems have this and not all hosts can access this.
Splitting: Creation of a new alter during a stressful or traumatizing time.
Front: Taking control of the body
Co-Con: Near control of the body, but not complete control
Introject: alter based from an outside source
Fictive: alter based on fictional character. Also called fictroject. Originally endo term claimed for the DID community
Factive: alter based on real people. Can be family, abusers, celebrities, etc. Also called factroject. Originally endo term claimed for DID community.
Non-human alter: Alter who doesn’t appear human in innerworld. Can be animals, biblical characters, fantasy characters, etc.
Headmate of Color: Alter who appears a different race than the body.
YOU ARE THE RACE OF THE BODY. IF YOU ARE A POC ALTER IN A WHITE BODY, YOU ARE WHITE. I’M NOT FIGHTING A DAMN SOUL ON THIS
Fusion: two alters fusing together during healing
Integration: increased communication
Functional Multiplicity: Living as a functional system with little to no ptsd memories/responses
Final Fusion: where the entire system fuses to one identity. This isn’t a cure and the host can still split if needed.
