A Subtle Sign That Healing Has Begun
(Summary) Noticing voices, notes, or new forms of communication from alters can feel alarming at first — but it’s actually a hopeful sign of recovery in DID. In this video, we explore why system communication means dissociation is loosening, why that shift matters, and how even small steps toward awareness signal healing. We’ll also talk about the difference between systems who’ve always known others were present and those who are just realizing it, and why both show important movement toward recovery.
If you are someone who has recently suspected that you have DID or recently realized you actually do have DID, and you are hearing alters in your head or finding notes from them, this is a sign that your recovery journey has started. But why is that?
For years you had no communications from other members of your system. In fact, you were unaware that you HAD a system, right? Then you start hearing one or more voices or you start finding notes intended for you. As shocking as these communications might be, they indicate some recovery. Back when you had no communications and had no idea you were a system, this was because the dissociation was so strong, at least between you and the others. The experts refer to this as you having a phobia of the other parts because of what they might hold in terms of memories or what their experiences might mean. At the time of the traumas you experienced, this complete separation was necessary in order to minimize danger to the body. Some parts couldn’t know about what was happening so that they could go on about normal life.
Now, however, you are experiencing communications from others in your system. As startling and disconcerting as this might be at first, it’s also a hopeful sign that shows dissociation is no longer as strong as it once was. Dissociation is at the root of DID. If there is no dissociation beyond normal, everyday dissociation, there is no DID. So the fact that some communication is occurring indicates at least a small decrease in dissociation. This is good news!
So what if you are someone who has been aware of others in your system as far back as you can remember, where you don’t recall a time of ever believing you were alone in your body? This situation indicates that your dissociation, while problematic for you and severe enough to be DID or OSDD, was not quite as extreme or severe as someone who had no interaction with others in their system and therefore didn’t know they existed. I want to be clear here: if you have DID or OSDD, your dissociation is severe. I’m not saying that it’s not severe if you never were without awareness of others in your system. I am saying that it indicates slightly less severe dissociation than someone who was unaware of the others in their system for years.
As communication strengthens and improves within your system, this is further evidence that your recovery is continuing. Increased communication within the system shows that the dissociation between members of your system is decreasing. Dissociation is still present and probably still problematic but I hope you will focus on the significance of the improvement. DID and OSDD are conditions which require so much healing and it can be very slow. It can be easy to get discouraged. So I think it’s important to notice even small signs of recovery and to celebrate them, especially in the early days of recovery when the condition may seem so overwhelming.