Hershel Walkers little secret...s.

[Q-tip]

Not to rehash an old topic but I ran across this and just had to post it here.



http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/football/ncaa/01/18/walker.personalities.ap/index.html?cnn=yes




D.I.D is a particular condition that I have taken a specific interest in for about the past eight years.  Initially I did not really know what to think about it but as I became deeper involved with it, the more I realized the necessity of it for some to survive.   

I understand that this is a difficult thing for many to accept.  I also know, that if someone is willing to step outside of their preconceived conceptions long enough to hear a basic explanation as to what is happening, that it really is not that difficult to accept.


God Bless.

Chris.


 

[newkris]

you must have read sybil as part of your research.  probably one of the best documented cases of the disorder.  if you have not already seen it, i'd recommend the movie with Sally Fields.  it's not hyped up, in fact it's played down some.  sybill was known to have at least 16 distinct personalities, all very diverse.  her history and the abuse she lived with as a child had a lot to do with her personalities. 

it's all very interesting to me.  it's interesting to see what the human mind will do in order to protect itself. 

has your research concluded that this is a chemical imabalance?  resulting from environmental issues?  what have you learned? 

[Q-tip]

Hi newkris.

Actually, I found Sybill to be a little over the top.  Alters ( in my experience)  do not express themselves as freely as seen in Sybil. 

I do not believe it is a chemical imbalance.  Here is how I explain it:


Everyone pretty much understands the idea that we have at least two levels of alertness.  These being known primarily as the conscience and the subconscience.  When we are not "consciencly" aware, the subconscience assumes command until the basic awareness returns.

For instance, have you ever been driving down the road and suddenly realize that you have driven a large distance but are unable to recall that period of time?  This is what is referred to as dissociation.   Meaning that we lost our basic awareness but our subconscience took over and made the decisions for us.

It is basically the same thing that happens when we are asleep which is only a more intense mode of dissociation. 


Hypnosis (also widely misunderstood)  is a form of induced dissociation.  The body is relaxed to the point that the subconscience takes over.  There is no threat of anything "bad" happening as this is no different than what naturally occurs when we are asleep or when we dissociate.  Nor is there a threat of demonic possession.    The issue of hypnosis could probably be an entirely separate discussion, but I had to mention it before I could continue my thoughts as to what is occurring in D.I.D.



To understand what is happening in D.I.D we must first recognize that the state of awareness that we all experience naturally is what is initially occurring when someone first "splits".

Split personalities usually begins in childhood with children who are severely abused over an extended period of time.  A child does not have the capacity to deal with, much less understand, what is happening to them.   Many who have been sexually abused will tell how they would find a spot somewhere (usually the ceiling) and focus on that spot during the assault.  This is one way in which they were able to escape the moment not realizing that they were bringing about a state of dissociation. 

I believe that the child somehow chooses not to immediately return from this state and the subconscience assumes command.  It then  begins to create a separate conscience to assume the role of the basic awareness.  Of course the subconscience will create this based on the need to cope with the situation.  As such the new "awareness" takes on characteristics of its own and its memories will not be shared with the "host" personality.  Once one alter is created, it becomes much easier for the body to create others. 



Many will cast this off as being demon possession.   I totally disagree with this and would further suggest that if it were possession of any kind that it would most likely be angelic possession.



That is my basic explanation in a nut shell.  I did not plan on posting it until I had the opportunity to write it first and then work it over.   But since I will be almost entirely occupied with work (nights) and Grand Jury(days) for a while I figured I might as well wing it.


God Bless.

Chris.

[newkris]

that's very interesting.  very. 

so treatment for the disorder would focus on getting the personality back to the point of creation to deal with the crisis and then move on.

there is a lot misunderstood about mental illness.  it's much easier to blame it all on spirits that we can't see than to deal with people who we can. 

why are you studying this? 

[Q-tip]

so treatment for the disorder would focus on getting the personality back to the point of creation to deal with the crisis and then move on.

Some chose the path of integration while others do not.  I don't know that treatment is the best way to describe it.  Each alter has a role in the system and is reactive to certain situations to which they were created to deal with.   Some alters may have destructive tendencies and need to be dealt with in a manner that will allow them to change their "role" to help stabilize the system.   Most of the alters are usually harmless but are victims of certain tragedies that need to be dealt with on a personal level with each one.

Constructive therapy is how I would describe it.  It is the process of bringing each alter to work together ( so to speak ) rather than acting on their own. 



I don't believe an alter can be forced to integrate.  If they desire it then they can be, but if they resist then it only creates more havoc.

why are you studying this?

Personal involvement with a couple of people who had a horrific childhood and have to deal with this.




Of to jury duty.

God bless.

Chris.

[Tsalagi]

The process of reintegration can only occur when all the alters agree that 'we' need to become "I" and strive toward that goal.  Fragmentation most often, but not always, occurs because of childhood trauma and some cases are far worse than others.

In some cases, the alters most needed to deal with the most horrific events are those whose function inhibits reintegration, simply because they recognize no others.  They are most often male "alpha dogs" meant to shield the others by denying their existence.

Some children can manipulate dissociation and deliberately choose to compartmentalize.  As long as the core remains, gestalt cognizance [individual "groupthink"] is not too terribly inhibited.   It is also my opinion that many 'imaginary friends' fall into this realm [the kid is bored, so he creates a buddy].  The tradition of tulpa among Tibetan monks is also of interest.     

Many kids are capable of entering and leaving this state [aka in adult disciplines The Void, The Abyss, Center State, Zero State et c] voluntarily but usually lose this ability in adulthood, it can be re-learned with enough discipline.  It is an area of interest of mine to do more research on the Aboriginal "Dream Time" as relating to this.  TM, martial arts, psych, hypnosis...

It is my opinion that some cases of 'autism' involve prolonged or permanent dissociative fugue, perhaps biological in nature.

I would be interested in exchange of ideas or thoughts regarding this field.

***edit***

PS Just thought of something.  Please tell me in your experience whether any of these alters have been, say, left-handed while others were right-handed and if so, was the gestalt ambidextrous upon reintegration?

[newkris]

you guys are facinating me with this.  it's all very interesting.

i've long wondered about autism, too.  i've known several autistic children and young adults and it just seems to me that they are more "checked out" than incapable.  dissociating would explain that.

i understand the idea of shutting down and tuning out to survive, too.  been there.  my sister and i just call it "shut off mode" - didn't know there was a real term for it. 

hhmm.  interesting. 

why do you study this tsalgi? 

and, what role do think spiritual influences play?  and i don't mean "the devil made me do it" spirits, although i think there is some validity to that, but what of the soul?  what role does the spiritual side of a personality play in this, if at all? 

[Tsalagi]

why do you study this tsalgi?

Because I'm like the rat in the maze always poking my nose into odd little corners, on the odd chance I might find a nibble of the weird, the fascinating unknown.  Because I don't KNOW, and that's the most frustrating thing in the world lol

Unanalyzed data!  Unsorted facts!  Danger, Will Robinson, Danger!! 

Heh heh.

and, what role do think spiritual influences play?  and i don't mean "the devil made me do it" spirits, although i think there is some validity to that, but what of the soul?  what role does the spiritual side of a personality play in this, if at all?

As I am unable to satisfactorily parse "spirit' into quantifiable data, that's a side of the equation I'm afraid I will never know in this life.  Sometimes I wonder if those who seem disconnected from the 'rest of us' have those to whom they ARE connected, maybe those like themselves. 

[Q-tip]

PS Just thought of something.  Please tell me in your experience whether any of these alters have been, say, left-handed while others were right-handed and if so, was the gestalt ambidextrous upon reintegration?

I believe that there are probably cases where one may have an alter who favors a different hand than the others, but I have not seen this myself.  It really is not that easy of a thing to observe because only 2 or 3 of the alters really deal with other people for prolonged periods of time.  Others only come out long enough to voice a concern.  So I don't see much writing from the others.  However there is a very noticeable difference in the expressions of each alter.  So different that it is something that can actually be noticed by only looking in the eyes. 

what role do think spiritual influences play?  and i don't mean "the devil made me do it" spirits, although i think there is some validity to that, but what of the soul?  what role does the spiritual side of a personality play in this, if at all?

I would like to return to this one in a few days when I am not so busy. 

Spiritually speaking I like to address the issues of: forgiveness ( its real role ), Free will, the age old question of "why does God let bad things happen to children or good people" and the purpose of angels.  I have hit on some of these before but not quite in the detail I should have.  While I feel that my views on these are scripturally sound I find that they are difficult for most people to accept.  None the less they are very interesting if you lend an ear.

Off to work.

God Bless.

Chris.

[newkris]

i am very interested in lending an ear to your thoughts on this.  very.

i think there is a whole level of mental illness and spirituality that the "church" (generally, not only A/P) has overlooked.   i think it's something we need to know more about.

i guess i'm like you in that, tsalgi, i just want to know because i don't.

however, unlike you, i want to explore the intangible, water-color edges of emotion, experience and spirituality.

[Tsalagi]

however, unlike you, i want to explore the intangible, water-color edges of emotion, experience and spirituality.

...and paint with all the colors of the wind?

[newkris]

you got it man, for real! 

[Tsalagi]

Eh, I can say with some degree of confidence that I am a pragmatist almost by temperament, and while I do not deny the ephemera of emotion I see it as symptomatic of spirit working through flesh. 

I see spirit [GOD] as causal, flesh [all things] as the medium [core 'mind' as the point of contact] and mental constructs of all sorts [thought] festooned around it in a bi-lobed matrix of multidimensional proportions.

I could blab about this all day

I actually became involved in the study of the mind because of a passion for computational semiotics, and while every last crumb of data is analyzed, it is also savored.

[newkris]

ok.  i'm listening.

blab some more.