Different parts react differently to the same person because they have different backgrounds. Parts have different memories, roles, fears, needs, and experiences. A part whose job was to maintain the relationship with caregivers might see someone as a person who might be caring or nurturing. A part who had to protect the young part from the caregiver when the caregiver was dangerous may see only danger in the new person. One part may see someone as safe, comforting, or helpful, while another sees them as threatening, controlling, or dangerous.
Sometimes, parts may react strongly because the person reminds them of someone from the past. Parts may also react differently depending on their age, trauma history, attachment style, or role in the system.
This page is part of the Attachment Survival and Relational Survival Patterns in DID section of the CommuniDID site, which explains how attachment fear, fawning, and relational hypervigilance develop in dissociative systems.
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