Age Slider- An alter who may be a different age sometimes, but doesn't always act that age even when they're that age.

Age Regression- When the brain makes you littler than you already are and you act that way too.

Ageless Alter- A friend who is realllyyy old or isn't an age.

Alter– Another headmate friend who is part of the system in the brain.

Archivist- An alter who knows a lot of things, like a librarian about the system and life.

Architect- An alter who has the ability to change the inner world.

Amnesia- Not beign remembery of something important like your name or where you live. Extensive memory loss.

ANP- The alter who normally fronts who can get some stuff done.

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Big– an adult or someone older than a little/middle.

Blackout- The time when someone else is fronting that you don't know what happens or remember.

Blending– A temporary type of integration, where persons inside can tap into each others abilities, memories and skills. Often hard to tell who is fronting. (edited)

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Caretaker- Alters who take care of others in the system, the body and/or outside of the system. Can get exhausted easily often due to forgetting about their own self care. They are a type of protector. (See Protector)

Co-conscious– When several alters are aware of each other, what is happening, and what others are doing when in front. Often shortened to co-con.

Co-Fronting- When two or more alters are aware and able to interact with the outside world.

Co-hosting– Where two or more alters are in a host role.

Core/Original– [Obsolete term for DID/OSDD] What used to be seen as the original person/ identity born with the body. An obsolete term due to the theory of structural dissociation, but can be a comfy term for the main host / alter who identifies most with the body.

Cross-gender– Alters in a system who are of a different gender to how the body presents.

D

Depersonalization- Detachment within the self, regarding one's mind or body, or being a detached observer of oneself.

Derealization- An alteration in the perception or experience of the external world so that it seems unreal. Things can seem foggy, or like you're piloting a suit rather than it being your own body.

DID- Dissociative Identity Disorder. It is a trauma-based dissociative disorder that is characterized by the presence of two or more distinct identity states that have the ability to take executive control. (edited)

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Dissociation– An experience where a person may feel disconnected from themself and/or their surroundings.

Dissociative Amnesia- Memory loss that's more severe than normal forgetfulness and that can't be explained by another medical condition (See Amnesia)

Dissociative Fugue- Amnesia along with sudden unexpected travel away from an individual's usual surroundings and denial of all memory of his or her whereabouts during the period of wandering.

Dormant/Dormancy- When an an alter is non communicative, disengaged or is an inactive state for a longer period of time. Some alters may describe this as taking a nap or break from being an active member of the system.

DPDR- Depersonalization / Derealization Disorder: When you persistently or repeatedly have the feeling that you're observing yourself from outside your body or you have a sense that things around you aren't real, or both. (edited)

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Emotional/Memory Bleedthrough – When one or more system member experiences emotions or memories that are not their own and have come from a different system member.

Endogenic- A catch-all term for systems who see themselves as not created from/caused by trauma; System without trauma origins.

EP- Emotional Part. Holds traumatic memories and/or traumatic responses.

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Fragment- An “incomplete alter”, or a kind of extreme form of compartmentalization of thought and action. Often holds a single memory, handles a single/small range of emotion or does a specific task. Usually sortof 1D.

Fronting– "Being out front", Where an alter is in control of the body and able to interact with the outer world; Taking executive control of the body.

Frontstuck- The alter fronting is unable to communicate or switch out from fronting.

Frontrunner- A habitual host.

Fusion- Two or more alters becoming one. (See integration) Can be permanent or temporary.

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Gatekeeper– An alter role within a system where they can: control who is fronting; who can or cannot front; and/or who can hold/access to specific memories/ feelings.

Grayout- Partial amnesia between two (or more alters) that switched with eachother and might have some recollection of what the other experienced during that time. Usually its just like bulletpoints or a vague understanding. This comes along with having dissociative barriers between alters.

Grounding- A strong self soothing tool to bring a person into the present moment or help take attention away from what may be triggering a undesirable reaction. (dissociation, panic attack, anxiety, spiraling etc.)

Holder- A role where an alter keeps memories (can be traumatic or not), feelings or feelings associated with memories isolated from other alters in the system.

Host- A main/habitual fronter. Can have more than one alter who hosts.

I

Informant- An alter who has access/can share specific information to specific people.

Integration– 1. Where two or more alters start breaking down barriers between eachother in regards to dissociation and communication.

2. When an alter reduces their barriers with one or more alters to become a part of them or someone new. (see fusion)

3. The reduction of dissociation and other barriers for the improvement of communication of the system.

Internal Self-Helper (ISH)– A protector or leader in the system who has extensive understanding of different alters and how they work together, other system knowledge and works to maintain stability/ help everyone within the system. Don't usually front very often.

Internal Mapper- An alter who explores, finds, and maps out places in the inner world. (See Scout)

Inside / Inner world – A headspace where alters can be when not being with the outside "real" world. (edited)

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Introject- An alter who's percieved appearance, name, personality, and/or role may represent an outside source. They can differ greatly from their source and take on many different roles. Fictives and Factives are common types of introject.

Fictive: Based off of a fictional source.

Factive: Based on a real source, either historical or currently living.

L/M/N/O

Little- A young/child alter, usually under 7/10 years old.

Middle- A young/child alter, usually not a teenager, but over 7-10 years old.

Neurodivergent- Having a brain that functions in ways that diverge from the societal standards of “normal.” for example Dissociative disorders, ADHD, ADD, Down Syndrome, and Autism are a few covered under this umbrella.

Nonhuman- An alter who doesn't see themself as human. May themselves as animals, robots, fantasy creatures, demons, ghosts, objects, hybrids, etc.

NPC- Non-playable Character, gap filler in the inner world. There are different theories on their purpose.

OSDD- Otherwise Specified Dissociative Disorder

OSDD type 1 is split into two subtypes OSDD-1a and OSDD-1b.

OSDD-1a- The different members of the system typically present as different ages or different modes of the same person. Can experience amnesia between switches.

OSDD-1b- The members of the system are differentiated from each other but don't experience switch amnesia. They may, however, experience emotional amnesia

P

Passive influence- an unintentional effect on the actions, thoughts or emotions of an alter who is fronting from alters who are not fronting.

Persecutor-An alter that may do things that are harmful to the system and others around them. This behavior is not always on purpose. They are often hurting, angry. and trauma holders. With work they can gain a more helpful purpose in the system and stop their destructive behaviors.

Polyfragmented- A term to describe a system that has over 50/100 alters. There may be many aters that share the same name or have no name. (edited)

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Presenting Self- The singlet facade, what would be the "main personality" that other alters would try to replicate when fronting around others.

Projection- A negative self-defence mechanism characterised by a person attributing their own issues onto someone or something else. Can happen consiously or unconsiously.

Protector– An alter who’s role is to protect the system. There are various different types of protectors: Emotional, physical, sexual, internal, etc.

PTSD/ C-PTSD– [Complex] Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. diagnosed before/with DID/OSDD.

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Scout- An alter who explores, finds, and maps out places in the inner world. (See Internal Mapper)

Secret Keeper– Alters who keep information of abuse or other information away from the rest of the system. A type of Gatekeeper and Holder.

Sexual Alters- Alters who formed to help the system cope with sexual trauma, take on sexual situations or that are sexual in nature. 2 Types are Sexual Protector, and Sexual Persecutor.

Shell- An alter designed to be a fluid switch helper, who is always usually in front and is a standby. Can also be a host ANP.

Singlet– An individual identitied person; a person without alters.

Split/Splitting– Reaching the level of dissociation that causes the creation of another alter; The process of the creation of a new alter.

BPD also has an experience called splitting, but that is seen as a period of time of Black and White thinking about how they view someone/something. These two uses are unrelated.

Sprinkled- A result of a fusion/integration into the system; where an alters traits, memories and feelings were spread into different alters in the system as a whole rather than resulting in a new alter.

Sub-system/Subsystem – Used to describe a specific group who are a system within a system. There are 2 types: Separate internal groups within one larger system; Alters who have their own alters.

Switch– The change in who is fronting; where another alter fronts.

Switchy– The feeling that you’re about to switch.

System– A collective term for the alters/identities that make the group consiousness. Describes a person who is a group of alters/ multiple identities.

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T

Theory of Structural Dissociation- The theory that no one is born with an integrated identity. Instead, infants operate based off of a loose collection of different ego states that handle their different needs- feeding, attachment to a caregiver, exploring the world around them. Over time, these ego states naturally integrate into one coherent and cohesive identity, usually by the ages of 6 - 9, but due to repeated interruptions 2 or more identities form.

Trauma- Trauma is the response to a deeply distressing or disturbing event that overwhelms an individual’s ability to cope.

Trigger– Anything that sets a series of thoughts in motion or reminds a person of some aspect of their traumatic past, and could cause a response such as panic attacks, flashbacks or another type of stress.

Trigger Warning/ TW- When something is written that could cause a trigger.

Twin Alters- Two alters who look the same or who showed up at the same time.