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Plurals, learn all about Mixed Origin Systems and Headmates!
Hi, we are the Stronghold System and this is Skylar (they/them) writing. We got diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder over 10 years ago and also self identify as Plural. We are the founders of The Plural Association Nonprofit. A nonprofit for people with DID/OSDD and all other forms of Plurality.
This article is about Mixed Origin Systems, based on our own lived experience.
Mixed origin Systems are Plural Systems or Headmates with multiple origins. The term origin is a noun used to describe the source which is the place where a person comes from, was created or where they originated from.
But this term can also mean the reason why a person is the way they are, such as their personality and their way of thinking. Their names, ages, genders, personal interests as it is described in the Theory of Structural Dissociation (ToSD) with the word ”elaboration.” This word can also describe a person’s identity, which is a sense of belonging that is formed as a result of culture, family, and personal experience, including their origins.
Some people seem to think that either all mixed origins have DID/OSDD and another forms of Plurality, or the opposite, that mixed origins Systems are Plural but don’t have or can’t have DID/OSDD. Both can be true and personally we think it is a lot more fluid as one might imagine, especially if we look at the PluralPedia definition in a second.
Every System and possibly every Headmate defines origin and mixed origin in their own way, from their own perspective, experience and understanding. Which means that 2 systems could have a similar experience but both use a different terminology to describe a similar thing.
At the same time, no System is alike and no mixed origin System is alike either. There are currently over 250 terms listed on PluralPedia, so you can image how many mixed origin combinations there are.
PluralPedia defines Mixed Origin Systems as ”Mixed origin refers to a system that has multiple different system origins. This could be because their system formed from a combination of factors, or that not all of their headmates are of the same origin.” Synonyms mentioned are Multigenic (adj.) and Polygenic (adj.)
I brought up elaboration earlier, not because I am a fan of ToSD but because I believe that the more elaboration a System has, the bigger the chance for mixed origin to be an applicable label. I also believe that the more Headmates a System has, the bigger the chance for mixed origins. These are just my thoughts, observations and ideas and in no way scientifically proven. However, I have personally answered over 5000 questions by Plurals and support 3000 Plurals on a daily basis. So I’m sharing my observations here with you.
I’m doing this not only because I think people and that includes Plurals, should know more about mixed origin Systems, but because it was recently brought to my attention that people didn’t realize we are a mixed origin System. We usually explain we use the Plural label because we believe we are individual sentient beings, not parts of the 1 same person as the current DSM-5 and ISSTD guidelines explain our existence.
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Back in the day we had our inner world series on YouTube, now its available exclusively in The Plural Association Community. So, as you might know our innerworld hosts multiple different planets that only some of us have access to. This to us means we have different origins. Some of our Headmates believe they were born Plural. We have 2 Headmates who say they have been Headmates elsewhere, in a different System in the past over a 100 years ago. Some of our Headmates have a spiritual explanation of why they are here.
10 years ago when our Headmates started sharing about these experiences we didn’t know how to deal with them. It made it very hard for some of us, not only to believe their stories but also to deal appropriately with their customs, cultures and life experiences, here and elsewhere.
To be honest, for a long time it was a lonely Plural System journey. It is upsetting that it is so often not acceptable to speak about these very real experiences that many Plurals have. It is denial and judgement, possibly shame and internalized Pluralphobia and it is hurting real people and real Systems.
Hence, we have decided to speak up more clearly about our origins, with all the risks associated with that. But if we can’t be clear, honest, upfront, authentic, than how can we expect others to and how can we claim to create safe(r) spaces, if we don’t feel safe enough ourselves to come out?
It was a long journey, and we fell many times, we hurt ourselves and didn’t know how to get out of the shame spiral. We truly believe if we had, had access to community and support, our experiences would have been easier, and we would have felt less alone with this.
I think most of us experience Headmates sharing their origins with us, their histories, without us realizing we are or might be a mixed origin System. We might not even realize those Headmates are talking about their origin. We can only use the language we have access too and learned.
One thing that can greatly help you on this journey is to listen to each other with the goal of understanding rather than agreement. It builds trust and report. As Bailey in our System explained to me once ”it’s weird how in our System we can accept all these things about each other, gender, sexuality, likes and dislikes, interests and so much more. But each time we talk origins you close up and stop the conversation. My origins are about my past, it doesn’t change anything about your current day reality.” Realizing this made it easier for me to listen.
When Katherine came forward in our System all those years ago, I was cocky, arrogant and to be honest mean. I thought it was ridiculous how she demanded respect. Where I come from, respect is earned. We could not be on the same page and hence we could not be in the same room. Which can be a problem if you are Headmates and share an innerworld. For a long time I denied Katherine access to the castle. Told her she had to earn it. But the others didn’t have to earn it. It was a great dis balance in power and I greatly regret it.
Therapy back then taught me to stay in control if I wanted to see my child grow up. Staying in control was easiest when being mean. I don’t think I did it consciously, I just didn’t know how to do it better. But it leads to so many problems. Because me not respecting Katherine, lead to Katherine not respecting me. Me not listening to her, lead to her not listening to me. Me not being interested and believing her, led to her not being interested in me and believing me.
Once Katherine and I started talking with the goal of understanding rather than agreement, we learned about our common grounds, our common pain points, our common trauma and triggers. But also our common victories, that we are proud about the same things, that we have a similar parental vision, that we both share some of our hobbies. I learned Katherine could be angry and I could be mean. She taught me I was mean because I couldn’t get or allow myself to feel anger, so it leaked when my bucket got too full.
I’m so grateful for the many lessons our Headmates taught me and that we collectively grew to the point where we are able to be more open and authentic in public.
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As always, we encourage you and your System to follow your own truth, to soul search, to find words, labels, visions, theories and communities that aren’t only within your values but also match your lived experience and/or long term goals, so that you might find belonging and don’t have to try to fit in.
Thank you for investing the time to read this article. Please, feel free to leave comments or feedback in the comment section.
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Disclaimer: Thank you for reading our peer article; we hope it was empowering, informative and helpful for you and your System. There are as many Plural experiences, as there are Plurals. So not all information on this website might apply to your situation or be helpful to you; please, use caution. We’re not doctors or clinicians and our nonprofit, our work, and this website in no way provide medical advice, nor does it replace therapy or medication in other ways.
About the authors
The Stronghold System are the proud volunteer founders & CEO of The Plural Association Nonprofit. They are from the Netherlands and reside in a 30-something-year-old body, are nonbinary, parents of an amazing child & 3 cats. They got diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder over 10 years ago & also self ID as Plural.