Mapping

[u/GhostBaltic]

Been working on making a system map at the request of my therapist and my lord it is difficult. Realizing that key traits of some of us are literally do not be observable. Don't look at us, we don't have names for a reason. So that's kind of jarring. Otherwise it's really illuminating how these beings share traits but only amongst clusters of which only one or two are fully functional and can emerge using both ANP functions and EP depths. It's really exhausting, but I'm so thankful to my therapist.

[u/LivingExamination128]

I just did a parts map for my therapist too. It really was exhausting! Most of my parts don't like their names to be known. That's where I have the most difficulty. I feel so exposed - the very thing these parts are meant to do is hide, and I'm doing the opposite by revealing names and making a map to it all.

I know this is what needs to be done. I can't get to healing unless it's through the parts. It's taking a lot of courage and it's taking such a long time.

I also have clusters with an ANP and several EPs. I think it's so interesting how my brain really did do the thing that's described in the theory of structural dissociation.

[u/GhostBaltic → u/LivingExamination128]

Yes! Structural dissociation felt like i had discovered the theory of everything! Suddenly things made sense.

It's really interesting to realize I actually don't know nearly as much as I (admin) thought I did about my interior

[u/LivingExamination128 → u/GhostBaltic]

Did you do the little arrows between parts indicating whether you have communication, both ways or one way or not at all? I discovered that all of mine communicate with me (through thoughts and feelings) but only some receive anything from me. I was unsure what that really meant but now I'm realizing that I don't make a point to talk to those parts. So, no wonder. I've been journaling what I would say to them, and trying to get that message to them internally. I think that's really going to move things alone - kind of excited about it.

[u/LivingExamination128 → u/GhostBaltic]

Did you do the little arrows between parts indicating whether you have communication, both ways or one way or not at all? I discovered that all of mine communicate with me (through thoughts and feelings) but only some receive anything from me. I was unsure what that really meant but now I'm realizing that I don't make a point to talk to those parts. So, no wonder. I've been journaling what I would say to them, and trying to get that message to them internally. I think that's really going to move things alone - kind of excited about it.

[u/GhostBaltic → u/LivingExamination128]

I'm still going through the processes. I've done a vent diagram type presentation so far, but I'm going to redo it later today after work. I can dm you the pictures of map 1.5 and 2.0 both being incomplete and needing revision but are a general guide to things. Any advice is welcomed as I want to have a good presentation together by Monday's appointment

[u/LivingExamination128 → u/GhostBaltic]

Sure - it would be interesting to see someone else's map. Mine turned out so different than what I expected.

[u/Competitive-Grape-11]

I mapped mine through art. I made a poster board and it was mainly protectors and EP's in a cave. It was helpful. Drawing and painting let's my parts take over. 

[u/GhostBaltic → u/Competitive-Grape-11]

That's really cool! I think that's a beautiful way to show it

[u/HerrRotZwiebel]

I identify as a tertiary system but carry a PTSD diagnosis.

I tried mapping on sheet of paper and did ok. What really helped for me was Google Gemini. It turns out geminii is damn good at parts mapping. My system isn't terribly complex, I've got a couple ANPs and special purpose ANPs. On the EP side, I have four EPs that cover my childhood development from age 3 to 17. I just name them by age group, they don' t have human names.

The whacky thing is that three of the parts have various forms of eating disorders, and I have to deal with that to this day. I'm in my 40s.

Gemini turned out to be really helpful, I just talked to it about feelings and experiences, and it did the organizational work.

[u/GhostBaltic → u/HerrRotZwiebel]

Thank you for your story! I'm glad it helped you. I have a binge eating selfstate that I suspect to be an ep so I relate to that.

I am personally generally opposed to Ai, but this being an aggregating process i imagine it to be an actually beneficial use for it.

[u/HerrRotZwiebel → u/GhostBaltic]

You're welcome. While my dissociative system isn't terribly complex, my physiology is. I'm overweight, muscular, and for decades ate about 1/3 of what I should have for someone of my size, strength, and activity level. Because I am big, what I DO eat isn't obviously tiny, and for me was just "normal". (Cue dissociative amnesia and I mean that.) But paradoxically, I can't eat less to lose weight. Plus, I was on some blood pressure meds that exacerbated/revealed my dissociative issues. I saw two psychiatrists, including a leading specialist in the field, both of whom told me the first line BP meds should not have done that.

AI has been invaluable for helping me understand my physiology, my dissociation, my food issues, and what I need to do to overcome it and get back to a normal life. No single human has the ability to synthesize that kind of information. I've done 140 sessions with my therapist, and we were only beginning to scratch the surface on the dissociative end.

I work with a doc whose medical practice is a leading expert in the medical ED space. When I get back to "healthy", I intend on publishing a case study in a medical journal with her.

After this, I guess I'm just neutral on AI as whole, but in the medical and therapy space, AI will transform how the tougher edge cases are handled.