My desire with this page will be to give you some common terminology used by the multiple, and hopefully a bit of understanding as to their meaning. However, since Multiple Personality Disorder, has been said to be the "Create Your Own Disorder, Disorder," only implying that each multiple and their system is as unique as anyone else is from another. So please bear in mind, that these definitions might vary slightly from multiple to multiple.
MPD
An abbreviation for Multiple Personality Disorder.
Birth person
This is the person that was present from birth, the one born into the body. For the majority of people, this is the person that began life before the multiplicity was created, though not for all. I personally have an alter who swears she was born with me. Other multiples have similar beliefs.
Core Personality
The general belief is that this is the birth personality. The thought held by some in the psychological community is this person is often asleep or at least very distant from the system. Believed to be fragile, and one of the last personalities to be found. Although, this is not always the case.
Host
For most multiples, this is the personality which most often is present and is in control of the body. This is the person who deals with daily functioning, and the system within, as a whole. Some multiples may have more several personalities that serve as their hosts.
Alter
One personality within a system of personlities.
Co-Consciousness
The degree of knowlegde and awareness that alters have with one another. They can communicate and work together as a group and have very little if any time loss.
Integration
This is the process of merging or joining alters so that the multiple becomes one person.
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