Jump to a section

1. Parts & Systems
2. Roles of parts
3. Fronting terms

Parts & Systems

System

The internal collective of all identities, alters, or parts sharing one physical body within an individual with DID, OSDD, or plural experience.

Alter / Part / Headmate

An individual identity, state, or personality fragment with its own pattern of perceiving, relating to, and thinking about the environment and self.

Fronting

The act of an alter actively controlling the physical body and executive functioning.

Co-fronting

Multiple alters actively sharing control of the body simultaneously.

Co-consciousness (Co-con)

Awareness by one alter of what another alter is experiencing, thinking, or doing while fronting or near the surface.

Switching

The process where one alter relinquishes control of the body to another. Can be sudden or gradual, voluntary or triggered.

Inner World / Headspace

A mental framework, internal landscape, or visualized space where alters interact when not fronting.

System Mapping

The therapeutic practice of documenting alters, their roles, triggers, and internal relationships to improve system communication and organization.

Amnesia Barriers

Dissociative barriers between parts that prevent memories, thoughts, or experiences from being shared across the system.

Fusion

The process where two or more alters permanently combine into a single, cohesive identity state.

Integration

The ongoing clinical process of breaking down dissociative barriers, improving communication, and reducing trauma responses across the system (distinct from full fusion). See also Definitions of Integration.

Roles of parts

Host

The alter who fronts most frequently and handles primary daily life responsibilities, routines, and external relationships.

Core

A term some use for the original or primary self prior to trauma, though not all systems or clinical frameworks use or recognize this concept.

Protector

An alter whose primary function is to protect the system or body from real or perceived physical, emotional, or social threats.

Persecutor

A protector subtype that acts in ways that appear harmful or aggressive (e.g., internal criticism), usually aimed at preventing worse external punishment or enforcing rules learned during past trauma.

Caretaker

A part who nurtures others inside the system, manages internal needs, or helps maintain daily living routines and self-care.

Gatekeeper

An alter who controls access to the front, manages internal access to memories, or regulates communication between alters.

Little / Child Part

An alter that holds memories, emotional states, behaviors, or developmental mindsets from childhood years.

Internal Self-Helper (ISH)

A highly analytical alter with deep knowledge of the system’s structure, memory architecture, and trauma history.

Fragment

An alter that is not fully developed, usually maintaining a single specific function, emotion, or memory without a broad personality profile.

Somatic Part

An alter that holds physical sensations or motor responses related to trauma without holding explicit narrative memory of the events.

Fronting terms

Front-Stuck

When an alter is unable to switch out or leave executive control of the body, despite wanting to, feeling exhausted, or trying to disengage.

Blending

A state where boundaries between alters blur so much that it is difficult to tell who is fronting, resulting in a mixed sense of self, thoughts, and emotions.

Blurry

Lacking a clear sense of individual identity while controlling the body; feeling like an indistinct mixture of parts.

Headstuck / Headspace-Stuck

Being trapped inside the internal world/headspace and unable to reach, communicate with, or perceive the front.

Proxying / Proxies

Using online Discord bots (e.g., PluralKit, Tupperbox) that detect specific prefixes in text to display custom avatars and names for different alters when messaging.

Touch-Triggered Switch

The claim or phenomenon where physical touch immediately forces a specific alter to front.

Force-Switching

Attempts to deliberately force a specific part to front through triggers, music, sensory inputs, or focused intent.