DID Dictionary: 55 Key Terms Every Survivor, Supporter, and Minister Should Know

Abreaction

The recall of a traumatic memory that is so vivid that it seems like a re-experiencing of the event as if it just happened, along with the five senses.

Affect

The traumatic emotions that come to the surface — usually without the corresponding memory of the abusive or traumatic event.

Alter

Abbreviated form of "alternate or altered personality." A divided part of the soul, formed by dissociation, which has its own unique function and responsibilities.

Alternate Personality (Alter)

A distinct identity or personality state, with its own relatively enduring pattern of perceiving, relating to, and thinking about the environment and one's self.

Amnesia

The inability to recall significant events or other information — too extreme to be explained by ordinary forgetfulness.

Black Out

A loss of consciousness which may be experienced by an alter while another alter is in executive control of the body.

Body Memory

The re-experiencing of the physical sensations of a past event as if it just began.

Christianized

When an alter decides to turn his/her life over to the Lord Jesus Christ. When a "cult alter" decides to follow Christ, he/she should "renounce Satan and all his ways" and then choose to follow Christ. The "spirit" of a person is what is actually "saved," where the Holy Spirit indwells. An alter is part of the "soul of man" — composed of the mind, emotions, and will — and therefore does not technically need to be "saved."

Co-Consciousness

The phenomenon of more than one alter being conscious at the same time, having varying degrees of influence on the control of the body. Usually refers to the Host being co-conscious when other alters take executive control of the body.

Conditioning

The process by which a consistent behavioral pattern is established in response to a given stimulus. Operant and classical conditioning are used for reinforcement or punishment of specific behavior.

Core Personality

The presenting personality most directly related to the original person conceived in the womb. (Not everyone defines this in the same way.)

Core Split

An altered personality split directly from the original person.

Cult Alters

Alters deliberately created, indoctrinated, and programmed by the (Satanic) cult for cult purposes — generally cult-loyal to varying degrees with cult responsibilities.

Deliverance

The process of freeing a person or alter-personality from demonization.

Demon

An evil spirit. Some believe it is a disembodied spirit from a Pre-Adamic race that existed before Genesis 1:2. Others attribute it to the departed spirits of hybrids from Genesis 6. Some use this term in reference to fallen angels.

Demonization

Varying degrees of demonic control or influence over a person or altered personality.

Dissociation

The process whereby the mind separates one or more aspects of its function (sight, smell, touch, emotions, etc.) away from the stream of consciousness as an event is happening. The formation of alternate personalities is an extreme form of dissociation along the Dissociative Continuum.

Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)

The new, official term for what was formerly known as Multiple Personality Disorder. The presence of two or more distinct personalities or personality states within a single person, two of which recurrently take control of the individual's behavior (DSM-IV).

Executive Control

The ability to control the actions of the body.

Foothold

An oath, vow, pledge, ritual, sacrifice, generational inheritance, or sinful action which gives demons legal ground to influence or control a person or altered personality.

Fragment

A dissociated identity or part with a limited life experience and function. Unlike a fully developed altered personality, he/she does not have an established pattern of perceiving and relating to self, others, and the environment — or a full range of emotions.

Function Alters

Alters created to perform specific functions unhindered by the effects of trauma. They may also be formed to "protect" certain talents or encapsulate certain emotions, positive or negative.

Fusion

The process of joining two alter-personalities so that they become one. Technically, this reversal of the dissociation process is differentiated from "integration" in that neither of the joined alters is the Core personality.

Genealogical Map

A flow-chart showing the derivation of the alters as they split off from the Core personality or other alters.

Generational Satanism

Satanism that is naturally propagated through succeeding generations, or is passed on from generation to generation by programming children just as the parents were programmed — such as in the Illuminati.

Host Personality

The presenting personality who has executive control of the body the majority of the time. The Host can change from time to time over the course of an individual's life.

Hybrid Alter

An altered personality that is a combination of two or more different alters or substances. An example is a Doppelganger composed of DNA from several evil humans in history plus the DNA of a demon or evil entity — genetically engineered and inserted within the DNA strand of a person with DID. This genetically engineered evil entity then forms an "evil twin" or Doppelganger which takes over control of the body to perform evil assigned tasks. The "original DNA" that was removed to make room for the insertion is placed inside an object, protected by a curse, and hidden deep within that person.

Inner (or Internal) Self Helper

An alter (an angel, Artificial Intelligence, or beneficial entity) whose primary function is to help maintain internal stability and who may be able to provide helpful information to guide the therapist — only when asked for help.

Inner World (or Internal Landscape)

An imaginary, internal "place" built around the mental imagery representing the system map — where some alters may interact with each other when they are not participating in external life. In survivors of Satanic Ritual Abuse, this inner mental imaginary world may interface with the spiritual realm.

Integration

The process of rejoining altered personalities to the Core personality.

Introject

An external object composed of several different substances — such as animal blood, human blood, animal flesh, human flesh, an evil entity (demon) or part of one (such as their DNA), or a fragment from another person's alter — then genetically engineered or programmed for a specific purpose and incorporated or inserted into the perceived "inner world" of a person with DID.

Loss of Time

The recognition that time has passed for which the Host or a particular alter has been amnesiac and unaware of what happened.

Multiple

A person with multiple personalities; someone diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder.

Multiple Personality Disorder (MPD)

The former title for what is now known as Dissociative Identity Disorder.

Original Person

The person created at conception from which the first altered personalities were split.

"Out"

When an alter is participating in a life experience.

Perpetrator

A person who abuses or traumatizes another person — often a child.

Persecutor Alter

An alter who has identified with the motives and agenda of the abuser and then punishes the other alters — internally (torment) or externally (self-harm) — in the absence of the abuser, when they do not measure up to his/her expectations.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

A disorder that develops in some people who have experienced a shocking, scary, or dangerous event. It is natural to feel afraid during and after a traumatic situation. Fear triggers many split-second changes in the body to help defend against danger or to avoid it. This "fight-or-flight" response is a typical reaction meant to protect a person from harm. Nearly everyone will experience a range of reactions after trauma, yet most people recover from initial symptoms naturally. Those who continue to experience problems may be diagnosed with PTSD. People who have PTSD may feel stressed or frightened even when they are not in danger. (National Institute of Mental Health)

Presenting System

The group of alters who normally handle daily life for the person.

Program

A response that has been deliberately pre-determined and established to occur automatically to a given stimulus — often based on Operant or Classical Conditioning.

Programming

A deliberate manipulation of circumstances and events to cause a predetermined response that will serve the purpose of the programmer. A form of mind control used extensively by cultists to procure and perpetuate control over the individual. The purpose is to create a "Mind Control Slave."

Protector

A type of alter whose purpose is to protect the Host and other alters from any perceived danger and/or further abuse. However, as the person gets older, the Protector's response often becomes a hindrance to improvement.

Repression

A process by which a person resists the recall of a painful event to the extent that the brain eventually blocks it from conscious recall. "Repression is the psychological attempt to direct one's own desires and impulses toward pleasurable instincts by excluding them from one's consciousness and holding or subduing them in the unconscious. According to psychoanalytic theory, repression plays a major role in many mental illnesses, and in the psyche of the average person." (Wikipedia)

Ritual Abuse

A systematic form of abuse usually with a predetermined purpose or agenda — whether it is religious, military, government, cult, or secret society ritual abuse.

Satanic Cult

An organized group of people with an established belief system involving the direct or indirect worship of Satan and/or demons (sometimes called deities, gods, or goddesses) and the seeking and exercising of occult powers.

Satanic Ritual Abuse (SRA)

Severe trauma and torture experienced at the hand of a Satanic cult — deliberately designed to cause dissociation into altered personalities so that some of those personalities can be indoctrinated, programmed, and demonized, bringing the individual under the control of the cult and the kingdom of darkness, generally without the knowledge of the Host personality.

Spiritual Warfare

The utilization of spiritual principles which apply the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ and the power of His blood against demonic activity or evil entities.

Split

To form an altered personality through dissociation.

Survivor

A person who has been severely abused, tortured, or traumatized and lived to tell about it. This term is preferred over the word "victim."

Switching

The process of changing the executive control of the body from one alter personality to another.

System

The entire group of altered personalities — and sub-groups of alters — within an individual who has Dissociative Identity Disorder. This group operates with a distinct authoritative structure that functions more or less independently within the whole group of programs and alters.

System Map

A structural arrangement depicting the dynamic relationship of all alters within the system in relation to one another, providing a line of authority and method of presentation or participation in life. Each system is portrayed using different kinds of imagery — such as a house, a building, a starship, a castle, a solar system, a forest, a city, or any combination of structures — where the alters fit within this structure in an orderly process.

Trauma

Psychological trauma is a type of damage to the mind that occurs as a result of a severely distressing event. Trauma is often the result of an overwhelming amount of stress that exceeds one's ability to cope with, or integrate, the emotions involved with that experience. A traumatic event involves one's experience — or repeating events — of being overwhelmed, which can precipitate consequences over weeks, years, or even decades as the person struggles to cope with the immediate circumstances, eventually leading to serious, long-term negative consequences. (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)

Trigger

A particular stimulus that causes a given response. Frequently, that which is designed to activate a program.

Understanding DID is not an academic exercise, it is an act of love toward survivors who have endured the unimaginable. At Bride Ministries International, we believe that Jesus Christ is the ultimate Healer and Deliverer, and that no system, no alter, and no level of programming lies beyond the reach of His redemptive power.

If you or someone you love is navigating DID, we invite you to explore our prayer and ministry resources. You are not alone in this, and healing is possible.