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The Support System

Hi! My name is Sydney Smith. On April 11th, 2022, I was diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder or DID (formerly known as multiple personality disorder) and one of the main things I have done to make sense of my alters (or "personalities") is write. Even before my diagnosis as a young teenager, I would essentially document what was happening inside my head for hours on end like I was conducting an internal social experiment. I'd go over every alter I was aware of and any new ones that might've popped up when I wasn't paying attention, their appearances to see if there were ever any changes over time, draw maps of the house they all lived in and the overall landscape, etc. And every time I'd do this, these pseudo-characters that I originally was familiar with just in passing would become more and more individualized to me. Rather than imaginary faceless figureheads that guarded my mind, they were becoming human.Now as an adult, I use my writing to not only help myself understand my disorder, but my friends and family as well (which has brought me here). I want my writing to allow people to see, at least from my perspective, the surreal beauty and humor that is woven into the DID experience. Too often is DID portrayed to be a victim's disorder. A disorder that is only meant to be viewed as a rare pitiful byproduct of the perfect set of unfortunate circumstances, when it is so much more than that. It is a result of resilience, creativity, and strength.It is a fascinating survival mechanism that can give you support when you need it most, even if you feel stranded.And it's the reason I'm able to type all of this out today.To help paint a better picture for anyone who doesn't have DID, I've structured each piece in a screenplay format since that's what helped me visualize it best when I was younger. Sort of like you're watching a live recording of an old sitcom or soap opera. I'm not a professional by any means, so I apologize in advance for any confusion that may come from my work, but I'm open to any and all questions you may have before or after reading it. My DMs on Instagram are open to the public.Thank you so much for your time and thanks for stopping by. :)

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Everything is categorized by year, but in my opinion, you can read them in whatever order you choose. It really just boils down to what you're curious about. :)

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