Last updated: 19 May, 2024
In a dissociative identity disorder (DID) system, alters may have certain roles, purposes or functions in the system. An “alter” is a unique, separate identity.
Not every DID system has all of these alter roles, and some DID alters may vary. Every DID system is different. Alters don’t necessarily need a particular role assigned, but it can help provide answers and understanding as a DID system, as well as help to open up communication and empathize with each other.
If you don’t have or know what kind of alter you are, it’s okay; DID alter roles exist to help provide understanding — not as a must-have guideline.
DID alters can change functions and roles, the same way people change jobs. Regardless of function or role, each alter is an integral part of the system — much like the cords in my kitten’s sisal rope scratching post.
All of these are subjective. Each DID system varies. There is no normal with DID, because every system is unique.
Moreover, DID alter roles and functions exist only as a way to help you understand your system. If your system works better not subscribing to particular roles, then don’t try to force it. 😌
If you see a lightning bolt emoji (⚡), this denotes a side note pertaining to our system for anyone who is interested in how these roles may function in a dissociative identity disorder system.Disclaimer: This post was written based on my/our experience with dissociative identity disorder, what we’ve learned from/in therapy, and what we’ve learned from other systems.
All dissociative systems vary in experience and roles.
There are so many dissociative identity disorder system roles that, despite our best efforts, we couldn’t list them all. Every system has their own structure, but the diversity is part of what makes DID so interesting!
So if you find you don’t meet any of the DID system roles/functions below, it’s okay. This list isn’t meant to be a checklist — just an informational list.
✨ TL;DR: Download this PDF list of the different alter roles!
Core alter
The core alter is typically perceived as the “original” person in medical communities, but there is no “original” alter because dissociative identity disorder forms before a child’s personality develops.
The core alter may be used interchangeably as the main alter, or the host.
Core/original alters are outdated alter roles that only add to confusion and misinformation. Dissociative identity disorder forms before a child’s identity comes together, therefore there was never any “original” to create parts from. In DID, those parts never came together.
Host alters
The host alter most frequently uses the body. Systems may have multiple hosts, e.g. a primary host and secondary host. Again, every system is different.
Over time, hosts may change. Some systems mayn’t even recognize official hosts, while many medical professionals recognize the host as the legal name of the body.
In our experience, and from who we’ve connected with, primary hosts in DID systems seldom associate with the legal name of the body. We do have a line of previous hosts, most of whom are dormant.
There’s this inside joke within the dissociative identity disorder community about each alter wanting to host, but it’s okay if alters don’t want to host, too. Hosting in a body you don’t identify with or recognize can be uncomfortable and alarming, and it doesn’t make you less of a system (or an alter!) if you have no interest in fronting.
⚡ Our system consists of two primary hosts, Jane and Izzy. The host who uses the body’s legal name is dormant and more of a scared, traumatized child/introject of her narcissistic guardians. The intended endgame host is Jane. We say endgame, because we do want to eventually fuse (even though the concept is terrifying!).Protective alter
Protector alters protect the system, body, alters, etc.
- Emotional protectors may take emotional abuse and/or comfort other alters from the blows of emotional abuse.
- Physical protectors may engage in aggressive behavior to protect or prevent from physical abuse. They also may personally endure physical abuse.
- Sexual protectors may engage in sexual affairs, regardless of consent, to try to feel more in control of the situation. They may also be more sexual by nature, as a result of trauma; ironically, this can lead to unsafe sex and related situations.
- Verbal protectors may take verbal abuse or attempt to counter verbal attacks.
Persecutors, or misguided protectors
Often referred to persecutors, some alters seek to harm the body, system, alters, and/or destroy personal relationships and the livelihood of which the body regards.
They may believe hurting the system is what protects it best, so their goal is to control and rule the system through perpetuated abuse.
They may be reenacting trauma, reasoning that more trauma isn’t harmful and will just balance it out.
They may be fearful of good news, good experiences, and even good feelings and seek to stomp it out to avoid hurt/bad feelings.
Some protectors are introjects of abusers and may not understand that they themselves are not abusers.
⚡ We prefer the term misguided protectors because, through healing, these alters are ultimately just…misguided. Our medically perceived “core” host is dormant.Caretaker alter
Caretaker alters care for specific members of the system, like littles, pets, teens, and system groups. They may act like a parental figure to other alters, and those they care for may refer to them as “mom” or “dad” instead of their names.
Caretakers may also ensure the body is taken care of.
⚡ In our system, the caretaker’s name is Kelly. She takes care of the children and non-human alters, and will cook/clean when the hosts of the system lack the energy. If the body lacks the energy, Kelly does what she can to take care of the children and non-human alters, and our head protector alter (Portia) manages the body and life admin.Introject alters
Introjects are alters based off outside people — e.g. a family member or guardian who supported and/or positively influenced the dissociative child; a historical figure the dissociative child found strong, brave, and relatable; abusers. Abusive introjects bring zero comfort, self-esteem and moral compass to the dissociative system.
Abusive introjects will reenact trauma and abuse to reinforce the “lessons” of their abusers, and may not see themselves as the person they represent. They may be disgusted by their origin.
Fictional introjects are common, but do not require the entire character/persona of the fictional person they’ve originated from.
Not all introjects are abusive or fictional, or mirror the entirety of those they’re based on or originate from.
⚡ We have a few introjects. One, named Effy, fused with our gatekeeper, Betz, and together they became Izzy. Collectively, we mourn the event and do not celebrate it, but we are also content with Izzy.Memory/trauma holder alters
We mostly call the memory holder a trauma holder, because they usually hold the trauma. Each alter has their own happier memories, but some alters have less pleasant memories and hold more trauma.
⚡ Jane knows of the body associated with the body, but hadn’t experienced much personal trauma before she started hosting full-time. Growing up, she experienced internal system-related trauma from our misguided protective alter holding the legal name of the body. As an adult, she has experienced external trauma. She is not a trauma holder. ⚡ In our system, one trauma holder bears additional system roles (gatekeeper, host); their name is Izzy.Gatekeeper alter
Gatekeeper alters controls the “switching”, or whomever gets access to the “front”. A lot of systems will just call it “fronting”, and we are one of those.
They’re essentially a DID system supervisor, not to be confused with a captain/manager/head of the system alter role.
⚡ In our system, our gatekeeper holds the keys to the Library of Memories, makes much of the system rules, and has access to most anywhere within the system they want to go. Betz had been around since the start, enduring countless abuse and did not associate with humanness. They existed — genderless, emotionless, ageless. Our trauma holder and gatekeeper merged to create Izzy, who is not genderless, emotionless or ageless.Fragment alters
Fragment alters didn’t fully develop or don’t have their own unique attributes. They may exist to complete certain tasks, or maintain single memories and/or emotions. Individually, they may not encompass an entire person and need other alters to complete them.
⚡ Our system low-key had/has one named Liz. She fused with Jane.Children alters
Child alters include littles, middles and teens, and the ages of each vary from system to system.
- Littles are usually 0-8.
- Middles are 9-12.
- Teens are 13-18, but might extend to age 19.
Sharing too much information about child alters online is dangerous, possibly more so when the DID system’s body is an adult, because certain triggers — like names, things and scents — can result in a child alter fronting and getting into uncomfortable, inappropriate, dangerous, unsafe and/or traumatizing situations.
Littles are not to be confused with the DDLG kink and should be considered children when fronting. This doesn’t mean a trusted person within the system’s vicinity should parent the child without explicit permission from the system, but they should ensure the child alter’s safety.
Something interesting about child alters is that they may have access to an adult brain! This means they might be able to comprehend, speak and behave in a way that children often do not — including using bigger vocabulary or doing laundry — but doesn’t always mean they should do all the things (like cooking on the stove or using the oven), and definitely does not mean they are secretly adults.
⚡ Our system does contain littles. We’re more likely to refer to them as “Little S” than we are their name — and no, Little S is not short for our legal first name!Historian/Archivist alter
Historian, or archivist, alters record memories and events. Although historians and archivists are not the same, DID systems often refer to them similarly.
If you have historians or archivists, please comment below and share about your experience!
⚡ In our system, we have a historian who does the typical role of historian careers: They (singular) research, analyze and write about our past by studying books in our Library of Memories. They look at patterns and help us identify areas where the system can improve.Symptom holder alters
A symptom holder alter holds the symptoms of all or some diagnoses.
In the event of autism and dissociative identity disorder, the mask may become its own alter instead of a mere metaphorical mask. Since DID forms because of chronic trauma, the alters will form as a coping mechanism. Autistic masking is a response to trauma, the brain realizing that it needs to hide itself in order to survive. The brain wants to survive. DID alters are coping mechanisms in DID systems.
The entire system is autistic, because autism is a neurotype. It’s literally your brain. Your brain just puts those symptoms into an alter instead of masking. There may still be a mask, it’s just different from the type of mask that other people are experiencing. Some other altars may mask, but most of your symptoms are held by an alternate identity.
Why wouldn’t these two come together? Or any other disorder with a list of symptoms? What better way to hide symptoms in a dissociative identity disorder system then through its alters?
⚡ Jane is a symptom holder of autism and is basically a textbook autistic.Other alters are autistic, and each alter is still capable of masking! It’s just more complicated than your usual mask. 🥲
Other symptom holders might hold more physical or medical things, from chronic pain to acid reflux or life-threatening allergies.
Factitious disorder by proxy
There is also factitious disorder imposed on another (FDIA), formerly known as Munchausen syndrome, wherein someone else makes or convinces you that you must be sick or have severely poor mental health.
Note: This is really just something my system has been considering the concept of. Take it as it is, from our experience, if you take it at all.It involves lots of gaslighting, and might be why some alters are Deaf/blind/mute/etc. (e.g. told “You didn’t hear/see anything” or heard “[they] can’t speak”); this manifests DID alters that take on the role of this persona that meets the abuser’s expectations.
I daresay call these “proxy alters”, but I genuinely think that term fits best. The best advice I have at identifying this — and that’s I, as in this system collectively and me, Jane — is:
- Pay attention to how you/your system behaves around certain people.
- If you feel like you’re being gaslit, you probably are. Don’t doubt yourself, because that’s the whole point of gaslighting!
- It may be subtle, like a fragment, possibly not a full-on alter, but more like a system virus? I know it’s a bad analogy, but it’s the best I’ve got.
When my system is away from toxic, gaslight-y people, the virus/filter fades. Everything stops feeling foggy. We start to feel safe again, out of fight or flight mode.
So perhaps, instead of being alters, proxy alters may be a system-wide virus under the guise of a DID alter. It’s not an alter, but a filter or shade that washes over and around the system whilst under the influence of this toxicity.
It’s almost like we regress to the days before our diagnosis. We thought that we were free of toxic people — of our abusers — until we were shown their true colors.
Other DID alter functions exist, but these are the main ones we come across in other systems and the ones that exist in our own.
If you’re a system yourself, and you feel comfortable, please share which alter roles your system has! We’d love to meet you! XD
ALSO: Would you like separate posts dedicated to each of these roles? Let us know in the comments. 😊 We have more DID content planned, but it’s random and might not be specifically what you’re needing.
We no longer maintain a system TikTok due to our abusers stalking us. 💀
Other dissociative identity disorder content:
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Comments on this post
Jackie
My name is Ebony. I’m not the host, and I don’t front very often, but the section about Historian/Archivist really felt right for me. I seem to be the one who remembers most things that the others don’t. Thank you for making this because I finally feel like I’m not just useless for once.
Aj
Hi I just found out I have did can you give tips on how to tell people?
Chloe
im not the host but I am Chloe! (theo doesn’t wanna front right now!) im am a caretaker for the little in our system (there 4 of us right now) and a fragment. this is helping us understand how osdd and DID are different! thank you
Finch
Hey there, we’re making this comment more to see if anyone has/had similar experiences. Within our system we have a trauma holder who also happens to be a little. She has dealt with the most memories of visual or physical trauma, leading her to not be able to come to terms with being ‘able’ to see, in fear of further traumatic experience. What (i) mean to say is, she is completely blind when fronting, which isnt often if ever. This has been puzzling for us and close friends of the system, as in many ways it makes little sense. The little is also blind in headspace, the body has undamaged eyes, but she truly believes herself to be blind at all times and is simply more comfortable going through life this way. We have come to terms with this as she has, and have a close friend the little is comfortable with helping her to learn the outside world through touch and other senses. In the end, we haven’t heard of similar situations before and are wondering if anyone want to share their story or give any insight! (yes, ironic)
Solar Sys
We have a depression holder, which in our case means that they’re the only one actually experiencing depression and the stuff that hangs together with it. We’re trying our best to keep them safe, seen and heard. And we have an internal self helper, she never fronts, she just goes around the headspace house helping where she can (it’s hard to give her tasks for where to help tho cause she’s like 7/8 years old)
Mystery Collective
We have a role that we call an “emotional gatekeeper” and they feel the emotions of the entire system. We’re a system of about 117, but we only have 2 or 3 alters like this. Jimmy, Kyle, and possibly Reagan
Will Wood Fan
This really helped us!! Thank you!!! -Egoistic Val
Scout
Hi Hi !! We are also a system as well, and in our system we have an “anger holder” which is pretty much just an alter that.. well.. holds the anger we feel so others don’t lash out or accidentally hurt someone when fronting, and too just not ruin the other alter’s moods. ~ Felix | He/They | 🇦🇷
sora
nice
Izzy
We loved this and it helped us understand the system better!
-Izzy
Damian et al
This was definitely an interesting thing to read and helps me understand a bit more? I’ve only been able to talk to one alter and getting to understand its role more through this was helpful (Damian is it/he)
Thank you very much for posting this
-Liam they/it/xe (host)
Lifecycle system
Helo! Vinny here, I’m a little. I serve as a trama holder for loud noizes and violent fights, the host is Sawyer but he doesn’t want to front right now
Orion
I love this article!!! It really helped us with placing people and realizing who we were in our system. I myself am a protecter who also sometimes takes care of the littles. I am not the host so you may not see a comment from me again, but others definitely! We all love your content and you 🩷
Jane
Thank you for your kind words! ♥
GHOSTLY STAR SYS!!!
hello! its the host talking (Ellie), and this has been so helpful to read, we are an OSDD-1b system, full of a lot of fictives (myself included) i now know what roles each member has (except for Stanley, their not fully formed sadly) tysm for this post as it also helps me understand why im hear if that makes sense!
Jane
Yes, it makes sense 🙂
Void
This was super helpful for some research! I have a character I’m writing that has DID and having the names of the roles each alter is playing, absolutely glorious for my notes. And I’m doing research on Dissociative Disorder in general cuz there are some suspensions that I may be system…
But I am not financially stable enough to dive deeper! 🤭
Myles/Traffic Sys
Hiya!
We’re a relatively new system (as in we just found out; also OSDD not DID) and I (Joel) just want to say how helpful this information is. None of our alters associate with the legal name of the body, despite having to respond to it at home, as our host (Myles) is closeted trans man to the body’s parents and hasn’t shared the new name with them. The vast majority of our alters are fictional introjects.
Anyways, here’s what we’ve figured out so far:
– Myles is our primary host, and is also a teen (the body is an adult).
– Martyn is one of our protectors.
– Grian, Scar and Techno are all caretakers of Myles, and Grian is also kind of a caretaker of Scar.
– Scar is a symptom holder for our ADHD symptoms, and is in almost constant need of supervision from Grian.
– Jimmy is also a symptom holder, but more so for autistic symptoms.
– Olivia is a trauma holder.
It’s been a rollercoaster these past few months trying to figure out how to wrap our heads around this. There’s been a lot of self-gaslighting, and we’re only really just now coming to terms with this.
Thank you again 🙂
Ava
Our legal name is Ava and although we have OSDD and not DID, we do have alters;
-I (Patrick) am the core
-Mark is the caregiver
-Grey is the trauma holder
-Samantha is the fragment
-Clara is the misguided protector
-and finally, Luz
Something I (Patrick) and Mark is concerned about is that Luz does not occupy a single role, she has her own alter, one is a little and another is a teen with what looks like OCD, we were wondering if this is considered normal, or if something else is happening. We’re also curious if it’s possible for Clara to be a sociopath while the rest of us aren’t.
Jane
Ava,
We can’t comment on the possibility of sociopathy because we’re not a therapist/psychiatrist.
Trauma presents in ways that are not fully known or understood, so therapy/trauma work would be my first place for that answer.
It’s important to note that sociopathy= antisocial personality disorder (APD), which *can* happen as a result of PTSD. But PTSD, esp cPTSD, is also associated with aggression. Someone with a form of PTSD can be mistakenly Dx with APD and vice versa. cPTSD can mimic APD to a T.
But despite, and considering, the complexities of DID, that answer is impossible without knowing how APD. I know that one autistic alter means the entire system is autistic, because that’s how autism works. It’s literally your whole brain. I know there are symptom holder alters who present the system as being otherwise.
Mostly, I/we are not at liberty to say because we can’t/don’t offer medical advice — just our experience as a DID system. 🙃
Berry (The Berry Bush sys)
Hi! We’re probably late in commenting and may not get much of a response. But I just wanted to say thank you for this information. However, I do have a question. Is it normal for a gatekeeper to take on the role as a protector aswell? I get each system is different, but I’m very unsure if it’s considered ‘normal’. Our gatekeeper also happens to be one of our protectors.
Jane
Berry,
My blog is active, so it doesn’t matter when people comment 🙂 I respond based on energy levels and hold the ones I haven’t a proper response for yet.~
I published a more recent post that says alters can have multiple roles. We didn’t include gatekeeper in our DID protectors post, but I’ll make a note-to-system to add it when we get a chance. I actually consider gatekeepers a type of protector.
Jane/Mermaid Sys
broken compass
this is such a helpful post! i’ve just (relatively) recently discovered, for lack of a better term, that i have DID and i’m currently working on getting diagnosed, and i’m currently aware of 2-ish headmates (i say ish because there are definitely others in there and i have picked up on their ~ vibes ~ but don’t know a lot of the specifics yet).
i’m struggling to figure out what exactly to call one of their roles. he does certainly have one, a few actually, considering that he’s an introject/factive, and i’m the kind of person who likes to have fun names for things. partially for fun but mostly for ease of explanation.
he’s somewhere between a caretaker and protector. he doesn’t take on a parental role though, nor does he particularly get aggressive in any way or try to close us off unless absolutely necessary.
the best way i can think to describe him is that he’s a strong source of comfort and warmth, he’s the one who often does what he can to prevent or pull me out of mental spirals as best he can, and he’s also fiercely protective, he can and will go off if somebody hurts or has hurt us, and i can also always hear him making sure i’m not being a dumbass lmao. even just small things like telling me repeatedly to use the wrist strap on my cane, partially for physical safety and partially so no one can yank it out of my hand, and doing everything in his power to make sure i don’t miss the train lol.
it doesn’t help that i kinda suck at names. do you have any suggestions? because i’ve got nothing lmao.
thank you!
– 🐺
Jane
I recommend letting your alters choose their name on their own, instead of deciding what their name should be. Choosing for them is like meeting someone new and deciding you’ll call them Anastasia when they prefer to be called Alex. 😅
Parker
Hi! I’m Parker, and bodily i’m fifteen. I don’t have a lot of experience with systems, but i do know i have a protecter, and i might be forming a fictive alter. There hasn’t been anyone new up in that little head of mine, so i’m just curious if anyone has any tips on how to figure out who ‘joined’?
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