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Frontliner Resources

Here, we present resources to aid the Frontliners--or anyone--as you encounter questions or misconceptions of multiplicity. All of the following are adapted from responses that we have actually given publically, and we hope that they are of some use to you. Responses are categorized by subject, and contributions are welcome; please feel free to send in responses that you have given to people on these or other subjects.

General

• Distinction between multiplicity and schizophrenia
• Distinction between healthy multiplicity and MPD
• People as people, not alters/fragments/personalities
• Defining singlets, medians and multiples
• Are medians seen as "less multiple"?

Distinction between multiplicity and schizophrenia

The DSM-IV describes schizophrenia as characterized by delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, grossly disorganized or catatonic behavior, or avolition. The diagnosis also requires a marked decline in self-care, as well as social and occupational dysfunction. Recent research has shown that schizophrenia may be caused by abnormalities in the structure of the brain, or in its chemicals.

As for multiple personality disorder, if that is what you were thinking of, I believe you can see from the above that it is not schizophrenia. It doesn't pertain to us, though. We have removed the last two words, signifying that we are merely "multiple". Though there is more than one person present, we are not a disorder if we choose to take control of our own lives. We take pride in our functionality.

Distinction between multiplicity and MPD

The reason many multiples get unhappy when people start speaking of MPD, because that D stands for Disorder. We aren't a disorder if we don't allow ourselves to be. We don't need psychiatric help if we work hard at working as a group and take responsibility for our own selves.

Being multiple isn't necessarily MPD. Being multiple is a state of existence. I think the main difference between MPD, and multiplicity, is that calling yourself MPD implies that it's something wrong with you. If you think that's the way it is for you, well then you know best, but the point is that it doesn't have to be if you don't want it to. People CAN learn to work together and live as a group, it takes a lot of effort true, but it's possible. And it's worth it, I think. We are capable of things together, that none of us would be capable of individually.

People as people, not alters/fragments/personalities

We ourselves when we try to explain to our friends, often run into them telling us, "Oh well, it's only just a bunch of different mental states that you have." Each of us is a person in our own right because we have individual memories, individual opinions, individual moral values and ways of processing data. We even have different physical reactions to medication and different allergies.

If you suddenly gave each of us a body of our own, we could survive and lead separate lives in them. It would be a huge culture shock, but we could do it, because we are complete people. There isn't one original person that all of us split from, and even if some of us did come from another person, we grew into something more than that, into our own person. So since we are separate people, we call ourselves people.

The reason for the distinction between singlets/medians/multiples

The intent is to get people to see singlets, multiples, and medians as equals, while recognizing the different ways in which each operate. It is also an attempt for everyone to be accepted and recognized as real and valid. The names for various types are there to accommodate those of us who feel more comfortable learning new things if they can be placed in categories, but also to try to relate them to each other -- to see how they are alike, as well as how they are different. No one can claim superiority over anyone else for being more or less multiple.

Are medians seen as "less multiple" than multiples?

Absolutely not. We want everyone to see the members of a median system as people too, not just "fragments" or "masks." The distinction is simply made to show the difference in how members of various groups live and interact.

With contributions from members of the Hondas, Astraea and Amorpha Back to the armory ... Home

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