i don't know how well received this will be, but i need to say something to all DID/OSDD systems because i needed to hear it and was told too late.

there are many systems who do not function the way you see represented online.

many systems don't work best having names and individuality and focus on division and purpose and each having their own "corner" of the body's life being different.

many systems function best without individual names or focus on unique identity.

many systems function best as one formless blob that works as a whole.

many systems function best allowing some alters who prefer it to have their individuality while others choose to melt into a larger blob of operation, nameless.

for so long i've tried to label and categorize my alters for my own comprehension and recently i've realized some of them don't want that. they couldn't easily tell me and some didn't want to stop me from doing what i needed to do to process this, but they didn't

want to be individuals. they still don't, and i'm going to give them that. we have to remember not everyone is the model Social Media System with an aesthetic carrd of each alter and their very distinct identity.

take the time to look at the parts of your system that don't feel quite like they're settling comfortably. look for those who slink back and just want to blend in. ask them if they prefer this option, ask them if it's ever even been given to them.

hell, give yourself the same mercy. do you want to be an individual person separate from others in your system? if yes, great. that's perfectly fine. but remember it's an option to Not go that over-represented route.

you can be multiple without being strictly individual.

this doesn't change the diagnosis, either. these parts are inevitably distinct personalities, they'll have differences and their own memories and amnesia and opinions. but there doesn't need to be so much focus and attention paid to these traits if it feels like

that's starting to overshadow the more important focus, which is being happier and more functional in daily life. if your days are spent focused on individualizing and that seems to exhaust or overwhelm some or all of you, maybe you are one of us.

i don't really think this is "overt vs covert" either. i think systems with individuality for their alters can be covert and it means something completely different, while systems who operate in "blob mode", as i lovingly call it, can still appear overt.

this is about how it feels to exist and to understand yourself. you might present very different from another alter but both of you are comfortable nameless and/or not paying much attention to these differences.

you can be multiple without being strictly individual.