Well, today we're going to talk about giant robots. Ya' know the kind that always pop up in anime (a style of Japanese cartooning) shows? Those really, really, really massive ones where the pilot always sits in some cockpit conveniently positioned inside of the robot's head (though, why someone doesn't just lop it off and be done with the whole series, I don't know). But! Back to DID!

Imagine you're sitting in one of these giant robots. Somehow, you know how all of the controls work. So, you're minding your own business, walking your giant robot around your giant robot kitchen, when suddenly-- OWW!

Some other pilot shows up and pushes you out of the way! Darn. Now you're stuck sitting on the floor watching.

A few minutes later, yet another pilot shows up. They don't even bother trying to take over the controls (hey, the new kid's making strawberry shortcake-- no one would interfere with that), but instead they lean up against some random and strategically placed empty wall-space and ask you what's going on. You kind of mumble something about having your reign of the controls usurped. They nod.

Another pilot comes in! Except this one's roughly four. She doesn't try to take the terminal either (what can we say; the shortcake's a favourite), but instead plops right down on the 'driving' pilot's lap and starts chattering.

Finally you're kicked out of the cockpit completely! The next time you see it, a week's elapsed and the house is a total mess. =X__X=;

Welcome to the brain. This is how a good deal of people with DID go through their lives. For us it's all about management: making sure everybody's needs are met-- that they have enough time 'in the cockpit' (we generally call it being 'out'), that there isn't anything they're anxious about or that they need explained, and making sure that everybody shares. Of course, since everything is all spliced up, that's not all that everybody manages, just me and a couple of others out of the rest.

The Question and Answer-styled Section
((A.k.a., 'hi, Circusdoll is lazy))

Q.) Why go to all the trouble, though? Is it really that bad if someone doesn't have their needs met?
A.) Hellz yeah! Imagine going to work and having someone that's four suddenly take over your little giant robot-controls! All the paper on your desk would turn into smiley little snowflakes. Cups would become hats! More importantly, you would get fired! =^___^=;;;

Q.) Wait, so they can pop out at ANY time?
A.) Yeah, that's the idea. When the system was originally made, everyone had a purpose. Now that the purpose (survival/badness management) is gone, the system has no purpose. Sadly, since it's how a multiple's sense of self developed, that's not going away. It's just going to get a little aimless. Because of this, all of the people in the system don't exactly know when's a good time to pop out.

Q.) But I've herd that DID is treated with like.... 'merging'.
A.) =X___X=; I freaking hate that word. And theory. It's probably the shite-est one around. Even the docs have caught on that the whole 'merging [bleck!]-thing isn't exactly how it works. Now, most doctors work on giving the system a new structure and getting everybody in it talking. Think psychoanalytic brain-mapping. =^__^=

Q.) But that merging-thing-- some people did it, right?
A.) Yeah, of course. I've yet to meet anyone that stayed like that, though. Even famous 'multiples' such as 'Sybil' and 'Eve' ('The Three Faces of Eve') un-merged after a while. The brain's hard-wired. It's like training yourself to write with your left hand when you're naturally a rightie while you're arm's broken. The hand switch-- it ain't gonna stay that way for long.

Q.) What's with all the warning quotes?
A.) Oh, around 'multiples', 'Sybil', and 'Eve'? Different things, actually. The ones around the names are there because those aren't the actual names of the ladies involved. The ones around the word 'multiples' is there because both were highly questionable in their states of multiplicity. One had a rather strange doctor that wanted everyone plural (and the woman after she was confirmed as being a highly-suggestive histrionic...), and the other was thought to be schizophrenic (among other things).

Q.) So, why are they so famous?
A.) Hollywood, baby. =^___~= Gotta love it.

Q.) Fair enough. Now, what about the hatred of merging? Don't you want to be normal?
A.) Define normal for me in a way that isn't related to statistics and I'll give you an e-cookie. XP We're all full people. Imagine 'merging' with your next door neighbour. Too bad if you hate them. It's 'normal'. In a sense, you'd die. Even if there were only two of you, half of each of your 'self' would go away. Now imagine that many, many, many times over. In the end, there'd be next to none of 'you' left. A system lives within one brain, but many minds exist in a system. None of us would like to essentially cease to exist. Strangely, some systems actually are fine with this idea. =X___X=; To this we say: WTF.

Q.) Uhh... yeah. That does sound kinda freaky... Random, but about that whole confirming DID-thing: is there any way to actually do it? I mean, isn't it difficult to diagnose because the experience is so subjective [to the patient's presentation, etc.]?

A.) Yes and no. Some genuine multiples can't do this, but others (such as our system) are able to have their 'switches' seen on CT/CAT-scans as well as other forms of active medical monitoring. Basically, the activity in the brain switches along with the 'personalities'. So can various rates of chemical excretion. In addition, things like muscle tension may change, causing the face to appear somewhat different, or (more commonly) the voice to become lower or higher (by pushing on or pulling away from the vocal chords). Even things like optical or auditory connection(s) may change.

Q.) You're BSing me. That's not even physically possible.
A.) Aww, hey! I resent that! Listen, ever seen some of the amazing demonstrations put on by monks? They can raise or lower their body temperature, become seemingly 'immune' to pain, and hold their breath for outlandish amounts of time. They spend years and years perfecting these techniques, of course, but when scanned, you can see changes in their brain activity, too. Actually, during deep meditation, certain monks have displayed brain-waves otherwise not seen in human beings. Neatness, huh?
Oh, and we haven't even mentioned martial artists! Some of those people can kick with forces equal to being hit by a car or break solid (not the ones with holes in them) blocks of concrete-- simply by directing force. Well, no joke that's not 'simple', but it's an otherwise 'impossible' thing that can, in fact, be done. Our brains and bodies are capable of so many things that we either never make use of, or have found evolutionarily (sorry to all you creationists and otherwise) obsolete. What/who's to say freaked out kids can't tap into some of this to stay alive? Makes perfect sense to me. =^__^=;;

Q.) Yeah, kind-of. =0___o=; But what about the robots?
A.) Those were to demonstrate what it's like having many people inside of one mind. Think of the robot as the human body. The pilots are all the people inside. X3;

Q.) So, there are always that many people 'in the cockpit' at one time?!
A.) I'm sure some systems experience that, but for the majority, the answer is no. There are different types of consciousness (and I'm not talking conscious and unconscious).

Q.) What are they?
A.) We'll save that for our next rant. =^__~= Cheers!

P.s.: sorry about any redundancies in phrasing... we didn't have much time to check this over. Fear not, it (and it's crap writing) will be fixed later. X3;

Until next time, all the best.