Communication between parts of the Self

In those with Dissociative Identity Disorder communication between the parts of the Self (alters) is one of the most impart goals of therapy initially. It helps in various ways to resolve conflict. The level of communication gained will vary from person to person, but it is often very difficult at first.

Sometimes, communication comes naturally. It is mostly just like talking in real life (with words), but may also contain mental images, feelings, thoughts etc. In the latter cases, it may be difficult to know who it is that the feelings/thoughts come from. Thoughts may become 'mixed up'. This kind of 'thought-sharing' happens quite often before the host is aware of the dissociationThis explanation refers to pathological dissociation only; which is dissociation which is a symptom of or causes a mental health disorder. For normative dissociation see Dissociation page. Dissociation is a compartmentalization of experience, where elements of a trauma are not integrated into a unified sense of the Self. {{Rp|4-810, 127}}The lay persons idea of [[dissociation]], that which exists in the normal mind, is not what is referred to in this document. True or pathological dissociation requires an experiencing Self. {{Rp|233-234}}, because it seems normal. Communication with thoughts are sometimes called 'loud thoughts' because they just seem bigger/'louder'.

Direct (inside) communication can be on a spectrum, from intrusive thoughts (thoughts that seem foreign) to hearing voices (as if the voices were from someone standing in the same room, but also just like voices in one's head). Literally hearing voices as if they were real happens in Dissociative Identity Disorder, but it's not that common as in (for example) Schizophrenia.

Ways to Communicate

There are various ways to communicate. What works best depends very much on the person. When it are intrusive thoughts, focusing on where they come from and 'listening' closely to them may help in starting communication. Saying things is possible by just thinking the words much stronger/'louder' (just like people often do when making plans, for example). Writing in a diary often helps. Just writing (not necessarily in a diary) may help clearing thoughts.

• With heavily dissociated persons that mainly/only have full switches, each alter writing in a diary and writing back to others may be a way of communication.
• Some alters cannot or do not want to write. Drawing (art therapy), for example, may be a way to communicate that works.
• In less dissociative persons, writing may help clear thoughts. This may be either via quick switches, acting through or by just telling what to write (via intrusive thoughts, for example).
• Often, texts by altersAltered states of consciousnessExchangeable terms include parts, dissociative parts, personality states, self-states, states, identities, selves, or ego states. Alters are present only in those with dissociative identity disorder or similar presentations of other specified dissociative disorder, where the parts of the personality are highly dissociated and isolated. No alter, including the host alter, is a complete personality, even though an alter might feel as if they are. {{Rp|55-67}}Alters are psychodynamically interacting parts, each with their own separate centers of subjectivity, identity, autonomy, and sense of personal history. {{Rp|55}}An individual with dissociative identity disorder may have few or many |alters, which include a variety of ages, cross gender, animal or objects, with coconsciousness (see coconsciousness) at varying degrees, and [[communication]] can be limited to one direction. (one way amnesia) {{Rp|301}} are written in a different color to make clear who it was.

When the dissociation is strong, it may still be possible to ask yes/no questions. This may be via 'sending a feeling', moving a body part, or any other way, as long as the message is clear. Be creative with this one! It may still be possible to answer more complex questions, for example by going through the alphabet so alters can spell each word one by one. This is a tedious process, but it may be the only way available.

Meditation has helped some to communicate but there is also the danger of being flooded by (trauma) memories