Casi-system-interface - ❔CaSI❔

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I made this poster for an art market this week & thought I'd share! Maybe we'll recruit some new folks to the AD scene?

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What is switching technique? In your last post you said switches cannot be controlled but that some therapists might asked the client to switch to see how well their alters work together. I just wanted to understand this a bit more and know how have more controlled switching.

Hello, this is an excellent question!

The technique stems from the therapeutic idea that dissociation is a defensive mechanism. Mastering a defensive mechanism requires skill and practice to be effective, so dissociation between switches should be seen as a skill that needs understanding and control.

Another aim was to counter the misconception, held even by therapists, that switching between parts implies a problem or a regression in recovery, which is simply false. 

This therapy aims not to shut down switching between parts, but to open it up in a way that will be productive and useful to the lives of the system. The system can swap between parts, enabling a chosen process of switching to meet daily demands and reduce distress without a trauma trigger. 

I will use an example to explain when this technique might be useful.

If someone knows that doing a task, like taking a shower, will cause distress, they may feel anxious and dread the task beforehand. The first step would be for that part to acknowledge that the position they are currently in is not good for them but is also nontraumatic because the shower has yet to start.

A good understanding of the system is crucial, as the current fronter must know which part is most suitable for a task and have enough ability to handle it. You would not want to accidentally bring a part that is triggered by water, especially the thought of water, as then it turns this moment of anxiousness into a traumatic moment.

The key to making this technique work is having strong communication skills, allowing you to connect with the right part and for them to listen and respond actively. There also needs to be a willingness to collaborate, there needs to be productive communication,  as well as a boundary that it is okay to call on that part when needed. It may also be good to have an established time or task that, once completed, the original fronter will return.

However, it is recommended that trying to switch intentionally should be practiced in a calm and safe area. It should be practiced when it is not needed, which is why therapy is often suggested as ideally, it is a trusted space, if you try to practice this technique during the example I gave and it does not work it can cause more distress and will not help you learn quicker.

As a general thought, we say that systems do not have control over their switches because even if they have practiced the switching technique, in the process of learning you must accept that it might not work even if a lot of effort was put into it and that's okay and to not worry much about it. 

Learning to master a skill also allows more control to be given back to the system as switching can feel quite chaotic for people with DID. It can make switching less scary for an individual if there is more control over it but also it means there is more control to block switches if they are not useful.

Since you mentioned wanting more controlled switching, Increase communication and knowledge of the other parts of your system.

From our personal experience we find talking out loud to each other is an easier way for the other part to hear us and then respond internally, it creates this loop and a more natural back-and-forth conversation. However, external communication such as a diary is also good and can mean boundaries are clearly established. 

Suppose it is about the first building of relationships or establishing a more long-term communication for the first time. The technique we found the most successful was to ask in the case they did not have to do the role they have and if all the threats went away and they no longer needed to do what they have to right now, what would they like to do? Showing interest helps build trust and allows for a deeper connection through a task, even if the task is something like sitting out in the garden more.

Our sources helped us accurately answer this question along with our own knowledge:

When 'swapping' between parts in DID / OSDD can be helpful

Switching Between Parts - why this can be helpful in DID and OSDD

Link to Post talked about in the ask.

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