Alter Quote by Alison Miller
““Those who are aware of their condition and experience themselves as "multiple" might refer to themselves as "we" rather than "I." I shall use the term "multiple" at times, in respect for their internal experience. It is important to point out, however, that I recognize that someone who is multiple is actually a single fragmented person rather than many people. On the outside, a multiple is probably not visibly different from anyone else. But that image is only an imitation: people who are multiple cannot think like the rest of us, and we cannot think like them. (In fact, since it is difficult for the multiple to understand how singletons think, some of them might think that is is you who are strange). Just as a singleton cannot become a multiple at will, a multiple cannot become a singleton until and unless the barriers between the parts of the self are removed. Those barriers were put up to enable the child to tolerate, and so survive, unavoidable abuse. p20 [Multiple: a person with dissociative identity disorder (DID) or DDNOS. Singleton: a person without DID or DDNOS, i.e with a single, unified personality]””
About This Quote
Source Essay: Multiple Identity, Alison Miller, 2020
Identity can be fragmented; "multiple" refers to a single person with many internal parts, not many people.
In simple terms: A person can feel split inside while appearing whole outside.
Recognize internal complexity of self.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- therapy
- self‑reflection
- mental health awareness
- support groups
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- What does "multiple" mean to you?
- How can we bridge gaps between internal and external selves?
Understanding may be hindered by stigma and lack of awareness.