Q&A: About the Galaxy System
Q: How can I tell who's piloting?
A: Online, we use certain emojis as identifiers of sorts, typically somewhere on our profile such as in the description or status. The emojis in question are:
- 🌹 (rose) - Atticus
- 🌌 (galaxy) - June
- 🏵 (rosette) - Robyn
- 🕯 (candle) - James
- ⚔️ (swords) - Archie
- 🌌⭐ (galaxy + star) - Juju
- 🌌🖋 (galaxy + pen) - Simon
Please note that depending on your operating system, these emojis may look different or even not appear at all.
We also encourage asking if you're unsure! We actually really like when people try to know more about us individually.
Q: Do you have DID/OSDD-1?
A: No. Our form of multiplicity was intentionally created through conscious effort and shares none of the dissociative symptoms of DID or OSDD-1—or any dissociative disorder, for that matter.
Q: What's the difference between DID/OSDD and your created multiplicity?
A: Dissociative Identity Disorder and Other Specified Dissociative Disorder type 1 deal largely with dissociation, which is where the separation of ego states comes from. While both are charictarised largely by their multiplicity, that is not the only symptom; both also involve varying levels of amnesia, notably between alters (in DID and OSDD-1a; OSDD-1b experiences it to a lesser degree,) depersonalisation and derealisation symptoms, identity issues, and other problems such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, and more (Mayo Clinic). In addition, both are caused by childhood trauma, and although I have heard various explanations, one I have seen a lot recently is that the trauma creates such barriers in the developing mind as a way to cope with its effects. (Please note that I am not a medical professional, nor do I have DID/OSDD myself, so take this with a grain of salt.)
Now, I knew very well that I was singlet (non-multiple,) even as I developed an interest in plurality. My research never once made me question whether I myself was plural, because I had a stable, singular identity and no dissociation. Additionally, when I discovered Tulpamancy and later decided to employ it myself, I made sure to record the entire process so that I would never forget the details. Creating my first tulpa was a months-long process in which I was constantly making effort to will them into existence, to let them explore their own self and diversify further from me, and to help them realise their own identity over time. But that is all it really is—we have no separation of memories, and we do not feel as though we are "watching" our own body act while another is in control—we only share the simple trait of multiplicity.
Q: Why did you decide to become a system?
A: Put simply, I felt that having another conscious entity in my mind would help with internal management. For as long as I can remember, my mind has been constantly active, though not always in a productive manner; I am unfortunately prone to intrusive thoughts. I felt that if there was someone else in this brain with me, someone else who could react and with whom I could have a conversation with, it would help me distinguish passive, unwanted thoughts from active ones. For me, this did work! It did not quell the issue itself, but having more than one "self" has allowed me to better recognise what is a "real" thought and what is just my mind saying cruel things for whatever reason it has.
This is, of course, not the only reason, but it is the main one.
Q: Can you describe how multiplicity "feels" to you?
A: Sure.
- Each of us has our own distinct identities. We have our own "voices" and can tell each other apart with ease. Due to aphantasia, we cannot "see" one another, nor do we have much of an "inner world," but we are able to sense how close another headmate is to the forefront of the mind.
- When someone is fronting, or in control of the body, they are the only one able to access active thinking, but everyone is capable of influencing passive thinking (and especially introjecting with their own thoughts) at all times. Multiple people can front at once, and in those instances, we can usually tell who's more in-control by fluctuations in the front's inner voice. It is usually done best between headmates with different accents, otherwise things can get easily confusing, but even in those cases, we are able to figure it out through other means.
- Switching, to us, is more like, say, one colour cleanly transitioning into another rather than the colour going dark and another colour fading in. It is often very fast and almost always voluntary, though certain things can bring someone to the front by accident. This is more likely to occur if we are not paying to close attention.
- We can become muddled, where we're not sure who is fronting and who isn't. This is particularly common if, for whatever reason, the headmate in front is unable to reach the others. Commonly, this is because of stress causing too many racing thoughts.
- Because we lack dissociative amnesia, we all share a collective memory. Forgetfulness does happen, but not as a result of switching.
- Headmates each have different levels of "groundedness," which affects how well they're able to maintain their hold on the front without actively thinking about it, how well they can force their way in, etc. The longer one has been here and the more frequently they front, the better "grounded" they are.
- Rarely do we experience somatic sensations, but it has happened. For instance, if someone is harshly forced out of the front, we may feel a sort of "rubber-banding" in our head.
We are very open to questions! Feel free to ask us about anything, and we will try our best to explain.
Q: Why do you use so many synonyms and made-up words?
A: For one, we don't like being redundant, but it is mainly because we are making an effort to use less terminology that would get certain people pissed at us for "invading their space," even though we've been staying far, far away from it. If you know, you know. Personally, we have no problem with someone using that sort of language for us, we just don't wish to ruffle the wrong feathers.
Q: Are the Junos a subsystem?
A: Kinda? We're going with "yes, but atypical." They all have the same source, just differnet relationships to said source. June was created before a lot of the lore was established, so they're kinda like a reverse-fictive, Juju split from Juno following an attempt to "reset" and thus has very little connection to the lore, and Simon is the only direct introject of the three. Their connection to each other does not really effect fronting, but when they are co, they can ping-pong frequently. They don't seem to get all that blurry, somehow. We use the galaxy emoji to represent them as a group as well.
