On multiples
I was reading Dewy's blog, Dewy Knickers, and had some new thoughts I wanted to share about what I've learned about multiple personalities over the years. Dewy is a woman that lives inside of a man named Brian. Dewy keeps a blog of her own, and Brian keeps a blog of his own. In her last post Dewy wrote that she wasn't "some symptom out of a book" to be thrown in her face, or something to that effect. I then reread my last post about my sister, and I thought about how that might make a multiple feel. You see, I lumped having a second persona under my sister's various illnesses.
I shouldn't have. It really isn't an illness. Multiples have enough bad press, they really don't need more.
In general multiples develop when children within a specific age range are abused in ways that are beyond their means of coping. There are lots of different theories about how exactly this happens, but they read like psychobabble. It just does. Also in general, psychologically speaking, something is really only a problem if it keeps you from functioning. I've known enough multiples to know that "same great tv, 12 different channels" as one husband of a multiple put it, doesn't necessarily impede someone's functioning.
My sister is pretty uncommon as far as multiples go. It was never being a multiple that made her violent. It just complicated things. You see, from what I can tell, Savannah is a part of my sister that was frozen in place at about age nine. She is a hyper jealous bully who operates with the thought processes and moral code of a small child. Anybody who remembers the schoolyard can get the concept. From what I can tell, every persona of my sister's suffers from the basic chemical imbalance that she has, namely bipolar disorder. So basically, within my sister lived (and possibly still does) a small girl who is a bully, uses child bully logic, suffers from bipolar, and at the time was bigger and much more powerful than me in outward form. My sister has the only violent multiple that I have ever heard of, and I don't think that Savannah was inherently violent. For example, my sister at present quite healthy and happy, collects dolls, my little pony figures, and other toys. Whatever else I may feel about her, I like to think that this is Savannah, all settled down, presenting herself benignly. I haven't seen her openly present herself in years. I was thinking after reading about Dewy grappling with the issue of her existence that I hope this doesn't mean that she's gone. Savannah may have been the malicious bogeychild of my youth, and I may loathe her (she did try to kill me in all fairness), but she is still after all a child.
I shouldn't have. It really isn't an illness. Multiples have enough bad press, they really don't need more.
In general multiples develop when children within a specific age range are abused in ways that are beyond their means of coping. There are lots of different theories about how exactly this happens, but they read like psychobabble. It just does. Also in general, psychologically speaking, something is really only a problem if it keeps you from functioning. I've known enough multiples to know that "same great tv, 12 different channels" as one husband of a multiple put it, doesn't necessarily impede someone's functioning.
My sister is pretty uncommon as far as multiples go. It was never being a multiple that made her violent. It just complicated things. You see, from what I can tell, Savannah is a part of my sister that was frozen in place at about age nine. She is a hyper jealous bully who operates with the thought processes and moral code of a small child. Anybody who remembers the schoolyard can get the concept. From what I can tell, every persona of my sister's suffers from the basic chemical imbalance that she has, namely bipolar disorder. So basically, within my sister lived (and possibly still does) a small girl who is a bully, uses child bully logic, suffers from bipolar, and at the time was bigger and much more powerful than me in outward form. My sister has the only violent multiple that I have ever heard of, and I don't think that Savannah was inherently violent. For example, my sister at present quite healthy and happy, collects dolls, my little pony figures, and other toys. Whatever else I may feel about her, I like to think that this is Savannah, all settled down, presenting herself benignly. I haven't seen her openly present herself in years. I was thinking after reading about Dewy grappling with the issue of her existence that I hope this doesn't mean that she's gone. Savannah may have been the malicious bogeychild of my youth, and I may loathe her (she did try to kill me in all fairness), but she is still after all a child.
posted by jen at 6:58 PM
3 Comments:
I have come here via DK's blog... I know very little about multiples, but something of bipolar as my son suffers this condition. It is interesting to read and learn more about these conditions, but there has been a lot of mistrust through people not understanding that any condition, be it mental or physical manifests itself differently in every person.
My son is not violent, but he has been hospitalised during episodes that were dangerous to him... I heard of a friend whose husband attacked her and innocently asked him whether someone with bipolar could become violent... I was shocked when he said yes, it was possible.
Similarly with multiples, I am guessing, that there are some whose multiple persona, like your sister, are aggressive and others, like Brian, who are gentle souls.
I believe all and every one of you and wish you and your family well.
lotsa luv ann xxxxx
Jen..just wanted to say hello and thanks for being there for Dewy and all those she resides with, you are a true friend, non judgemental, which seems as if there are fewer and fewer people who live their lives doing what the say and who stand up for what they believe. I read your last post and am very sorry for what you had to deal with but am very happy for you that you choose the right path, even though it would have been easiernot to, instead you choose the path that was best for your own growth and healing..keep on your path as it seems to be the right one for you..m
little brian- sorry, but I don't have any littles. It's just the one of me in here, although I wouldn't mind having an alter who loved to write all of my college term papers.
ann- you're right, bipolar does manifest differently. most people i know with the condition become violent, either with themselves or someone else, if not treated properly. But my pool is very limited, and there's plenty of room for variation. best of luck with your son.
madd-thanx.
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