Dealing with the Voices of Alters
As anyone who has dissociative identity disorder (DID) can tell you, one of the worst symptoms is hearing the voices of the other alters as they vie for attention. These voices can be overwhelming, leaving multiples shocked and dismayed.
This article will focus on how hearing the voices of other alters changes one’s life and things you can do to ease them.
Runaway Thoughts
It is easy to understand why multiples hear the voices of the others when you consider that everyone, even singletons, hears the voices of their thoughts. Indeed, hearing the voices of alters ringing in your mind isn’t always unpleasant, especially after many years of learning to cope with them.
Sometimes, people who are seeing a therapist for DID are at first misdiagnosed with schizophrenia. However, the voices that people living with dissociative identity disorder experience are not the same.
Those living with schizophrenia tend to hear voices from without that are sometimes telling them terrible things and are highly disturbing. However, those living with dissociative identity disorder hear their voices speaking from within, and although they might ring negative and are sometimes loud, they are harmless.
Another difference is that people diagnosed with schizophrenia or even borderline personality disorder because they hear voices that are treatable with antipsychotic medication. Yet, those with DID will most often NOT respond to antipsychotic treatment.
The Noise, Noise, Noise!
One might ask, who are the voices, and what are alters? I shall endeavor to answer the second half of that question first.
Alters are pieces, pieces, or self-states stuck in trauma-time. No, they are not demons, nor are they other people living in someone’s head. They are what the person with DID was in childhood and adolescence that never grew up.
These parts fulfill many roles depending on the person’s childhood situation. One might have an alter who leads the others or goes to work for the system.
For those who have dissociative identity disorder and are just starting treatment, it is critical to remember that the voices you hear are you, and you are them. The alters are not your enemies. In fact, you might not be here if you couldn’t create them to save yourself.
Alters form because you were too overwhelmed by the trauma that was happening to you when you were a child who was unable to cope. In other words, alters are good, not evil or bad, as seen in the movies.
Alters Voices Interfering with Work
Working with the noisy din of your alters talking or even laughing in your head is very distracting. Indeed, it may be tough to hear what is happening around you or pay attention to what you are doing at work.
It is vital to gain some sense of control over the cacophony of sounds ringing in your head to give your full attention to your job, and one way to achieve this is to gain the trust of your alters.
The only way to gain control is for the others to trust you, and that trust is gained through communication. You need a safe place in your mind to meet with your alters, like a meadow, island, or, as with me, a warm sandy beach.
Don’t expect your alters to communicate with you automatically; they need to know you are a friend, not a foe. They need to understand that they cannot go to work with you but must remain on the beach or in the meadow while you take care of business.
It takes some time but keep going to the safe place and wait for them to approach you. When they do, welcome them, and don’t fear them. Talk about how difficult they have made things and that you cannot buy them nice things if they keep interrupting your workday.
When you experience runaway (racing) thoughts at night, keep a piece of paper and a pen beside your bed. Write them all down When racing thoughts begin spinning in your head. Don’t worry if it makes sense; keep writing. You will find that you will sleep better once you have downloaded all the thoughts onto paper.
Ending Our Time Together
I completely understand what it is like to have the voices of my alters continually talking and singing in my head. I am polyfragmented, meaning I have more than one hundred alters, and boy, can it get noisy in here.
I’ve learned through 30+ years of therapy that my alters are not my enemies. On the contrary, they are my best friends. I am never lonely because I am always in the company of my alters.
I’ve also learned to ignore the worst of my symptoms, including the voices of others. I realized that I would be very lonely without the others and enjoy speaking with them.
Unfortunately, I had to go on disability because of the rowdiness and unpredictability of my illness. I also suffer from major depressive disorder and an anxiety disorder. All this, combined with the fact that I am polyfragmented, has caused me to need help from the government because I cannot work.
If you are like me and have gone on disability or think you might try for it, do not be ashamed. Sometimes, we all need help. My full-time occupation right now is advocating and writing for people who have dissociative identity disorder and the accompanying diagnoses that come with it.
You are worthwhile. You are important. You are wanted. You are brilliant.
Remember that.
The secret is not to give up hope. It’s tough not to because if you’re doing something worthwhile, you will be pushed to the brink of hopelessness before you come through the other side. – George Lucas
Hope lies in dreams, in imagination, and in the courage of those who dare to make dreams into reality. – Jonas Salk
Thank you for your much needed articles on DID and for sharing your story. I greatly appreciate the content and your honesty. Your musings keep me grounded and from feeling alone in my journey with DID.
I’m so glad you are enjoying my writing. That means the world to me. 💓
Loved this shirley! I wish more seen your work! I try so hard to explain too that maybe those alters did some bad coping skills before and caused some chaos, but to heal people have to learn about them theough therapy and love them and give them a new home and new tasks. Your words deserve to be known. I cant wait for christmas as put I do beleive 3 or 4 if your books on my wishlist for my family. I’m excited to read them and share them! Hugs.🥰
Also sorry for the misspellings, had a small surgery a few days ago and my fibro is flared up.