Models for Switching: Transfer and Retraction

[Guest Reilyn-Alley]

I'm trying to tear the concept of switching apart altogether to see if we can look at it's base parts and understand why it's likely to happen at all. That would make us more likely to be able to manipulate things to work in our advantage. Or try to help those who have involuntary switches (of which I know at least 1 system on here that has that problem, in a community this size, there are more).

[Guest]

That video insinuated that they couldn't switch on denand. That they needed a trigger. They say things like "switching ain't fun" and complaining of headaches, that's pretty different than our experience, that it's comforting, recharging and leaves us in a better state. We've never had any difficulty after it clicked for us, if anything it happenes when we don't necessarily want it to, but we also have full memory accessibility so we would never be frightened or confused. That's so very different.

 

Dashie technically got front stuck for a few seconds, it was like she didn't know how to switch back, and no one was active.

[Piano Soul]

I feel like we're trying to answer two different questions here then. These models don't explain "why," they explain "what," and that's useful to us at least.

[Guest]

I feel like we learned how to switch via the triggered switching with that force filtering experiment. Triggered switching doesn't happen forvus anymore because they taught me how to deal with the issues I had. Dashie was a boss with being able to shrug off most things. Ashley is better at it, but then just excuses herself instead of doing anything.

 

Anyway, good luck, as always.

[Guest Reilyn-Alley]

That video insinuated that they couldn't switch on denand. That they needed a trigger. They say things like "switching ain't fun" and complaining of headaches, that's pretty different than our experience, that it's comforting, recharging and leaves us in a better state. We've never had any difficulty after it clicked for us, if anything it happenes when we don't necessarily want it to, but we also have full memory accessibility so we would never be frightened or confused. That's so very different.

 

Dashie technically got front stuck for a few seconds, it was like she didn't know how to switch back, and no one was active.

 

I'd agree that being switched involuntarily "ain't fun" at all. Like they said, it's a terrible thing when triggers overtake someone and they end up booted in favor of someone else against their will. The people with DID I've read about who were able to take control of it, required patience, communication, and a monumental force of will and not being dragged into paralyzing depression or stuck in a victim mentality. It really is an empowering survivor thing to be applauded, imo. I'd also imagine that being thrown violently from front to back at what seems like random times would also be jarring and draining. It also sounds like the best that some people can do when trying to switch is try to want front less and try to convince a headmate to want front more. If that happens, then I'd say a switch happens, all other conditions being alright. Nobody front-stuck or whatever.

 

Also, hats off to the system in the video but they are working to deal with a condition forced upon them and try to be functional. I'd assume that most people on here are starting from a fully-developed singlet adding a headmate where there wasn't one before, not trying to pull together and develop pieces of a whole person which didn't join together or split previously and aren't all guaranteed to be able to deal with the stresses and issues of life. Their very condition being the brain decided to split off better-equipped alters to handle situations instead of better-equip the singlet to do so. That doesn't happen without things being... missing. Or messy to say the least. Sometimes basic ability to function in modern stressful society. Imo, tulpas are additive upon a brain, alters are subtractive.

 

You think I like going to work and being taken advantage of and mistreated? Makes me feel like I want to cry till their are no tears left and go numb. I'm not used to that kind of thing and not properly equipped to handle it. I need time to learn and develop and stuff that others took for granted, haven gotten kinda naturally over time and experience. I'm grateful to exist and all but learning to cope with day to day stress buildup takes an ability to adapt that has to be learned through experience and slow gradual trial by fire. Not all singlets can do that either, some turning to drugs and alcohol or whatever else and making things worse in the end, if they get overwhelmed.

 

What's amazing is that the things being pushed and taught on .info can work for anyone. Tulpamancer, singlet, alters, whatever. It's all very empowering and enlightening and gives control and power where there might otherwise be none. This place is amazing and I love it and everyone here.

 

Which, back to switching. Sorry about the tangent. Seemed like background info relating to the current topic anyway. The more we understand, the broader our foundation, the better equipped we are to discuss and theorize, anyway.