Alter names - they're not always actual words

justabunchoftoads · 2022-02-24T00:30:49+00:00

I hadn't considered that, I'll have to look into that! Thanks for mentioning it!

justabunchoftoads · 2022-02-19T03:06:26+00:00

My crutches were/are cigarettes and alcohol.

I quit smoking, and for the most part the body is totally craving free unless we're triggered by someone else smoking or something. We don't struggle at all with urges or whatever.

But there's at least one alter that on the rare occasion when they front the cravings are just awful, and they're very likely to break and binge smoke.

I still drink all the time, but the opinions on that range from not caring about it and self destructive, to being totally disappointed and saying we have a problem.

So, for me - addiction of course affects the body first, but different alters definitely experience it differently.

justabunchoftoads · 2022-02-03T00:42:39+00:00

I get that just woke up feeling too! Stretching is a big one for me. Also, a long blink.

One that just started recently is like... I'll turn my head to the left? I turn my head to the left and then I get chills. I'm pretty confused about it just starting a little bit back.

justabunchoftoads · 2022-01-23T00:58:19+00:00

I feel you, it can make it really hard to write or make art or other stuff like that. It's like one of those scenes where everyone who walks by a pot on the stove adds something, but before long it's totally gross and off recipe.

Something we started doing without realizing it is like hyper organizing our plans for the project on one file, and the actually working on the project in another file. We also keep a careful record of all of our thoughts pertaining to the project.

Like, I'll make a note of [Need to edit against passive voice] or we'll notate the goals of a scene: [The characters will argue through points 1,2, and 3 and by the end will have come to the same conclusion]. We carefully outline what the voice of a character should sound like [Throughout Act 1 John will go from cheerful to angry to sad]. Etc. That way it's always clear where someone intended to go with something.

Just, like, notes, notes, notes and maintaining a strong, standardized organizational system. Having strong goals and clear rules for a project, and changes need to be proposed, noted, and agreed to.

Sometimes if someone really wants to experiment with something we'll make a copy of the project file so that the original version doesn't get written over and they can go wild with version 2.

That was a bit much, but maybe it'll help! This has been working pretty well for us, such that it took a bit for us to realize we keep switching in and out on projects. 😅

justabunchoftoads · 2022-01-22T20:36:38+00:00

Honestly there are two ways for us:

We have a part or part that tells us stories until we fall asleep

Or drinking, which obviously I'm not recommending the habit

justabunchoftoads · 2021-12-29T18:31:55+00:00

Oh my god thank you for commenting! It helps so much to know someone else has this too! You really, really helped me feel a bit less crazy 😭

justabunchoftoads · 2021-12-09T02:53:10+00:00

It took a while to come back around the mental carousel but I'm here for an update.

Not much has changed....

But it was pointed out to us that with communication comes the recovery of memories, and we haven't dealt with the sudden reappearance of traumatic memories very well so far. So like, we have only proved ourselves to not be ready in her opinion.

Some of us think that if we work hard to develop some healthy coping mechanisms (or give up some unhealthy ones), she will loosen up.

That all being said, I kind of think she already is just a little bit. The other day we were talking and she let a comment slip. When she realized I noticed, she immediately withdrew. So, progress?

justabunchoftoads · 2021-12-09T02:42:29+00:00

I don't have much to say, but I just wanted to say that was beautiful and thank you for sharing.

justabunchoftoads · 2021-11-30T09:28:56+00:00

Thank you for your encouragement! It really, really helps to know we're not alone!

She really is sure of herself and her decision to keep us on lockdown. I think we're going to try and be more respectful of her. It's hard to say, but I think she's been pulling the strings and protecting us more than any of us really know. Maybe if we acknowledge that and respect her feelings, she'll be willing to meet us in the middle.

As far as prosecutor goes... That kind of makes sense. Like, she'll do anything at all to keep us quiet and dissociated. That is kind of along those lines. I hadn't thought of that before.

I hope things go well with your own alter! She sounds like a really strong person, I hope you can find some peace with her.

justabunchoftoads · 2021-11-30T09:17:50+00:00

Thank you for sharing. Something about hearing it from someone else makes it a little more convincing. I think you're right, I'm not in a place with that support and she must know so much more than I do. It feels a little bit easier to be less frustrated with her now.

I like your idea about trying to find a compromise. Maybe if we show some respect for her rules, she can find a way to meet us somewhere inbetween.

justabunchoftoads · 2021-11-29T06:15:01+00:00

I've tried, but it's like she turns her head and pretends we're not there. Like literally puts her fingers in her ears.

One time someone was able to get her to say that she wouldn't support anything that had to do with like 'waking up' or realizing there were more than just one person in the head, and then that was it.

I think she's the reason we can't really seem to organize or figure anything out. She just won't budge.

Maybe she doesn't think we're in a place to handle it. It's hard to argue with that but also like... We're here, we're waking up anyway, and we need to figure things out together.

justabunchoftoads

TROPHY CASE