#AI guides

[philosophersystemguides]

This is a guide we made for ourselves. As always, keep in mind that it's AI generated and could still contain errors.

Guide on how to stop Oversharing

Oversharing trauma, especially when you feel heard, validated, and understood, can be a common experience, particularly for individuals with complex mental health conditions like Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), Schizoaffective Disorder, Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD), Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Severe Depression, and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD).

Why Might Oversharing Happen?

Emotional Dysregulation and Trauma Processing:

Relief and Emotional Release: Trauma survivors often struggle with emotional regulation, a difficulty exacerbated by conditions like DID and C-PTSD. When you feel heard and validated, it can trigger an emotional release, leading to oversharing as a way to process overwhelming feelings. This is often a coping mechanism for the pain and confusion associated with traumatic memories.

Dissociative Barriers and Fragmented Identity:

DID and Memory Fragmentation: In Dissociative Identity Disorder, different identity states or "alters" may hold distinct memories and emotions related to trauma. When these dissociative barriers momentarily lower, such as when feeling safe or validated, a flood of previously inaccessible memories and emotions can emerge, leading to oversharing. This is not just an outpouring of emotion, but a complex interaction between identity states.

Hyperarousal, Hypervigilance, and Trauma Symptomatology:

Trauma and Anxiety Interactions: Hyperarousal and hypervigilance are common in anxiety disorders and C-PTSD, contributing to an overwhelming need to share details as a way to alleviate internal distress. This behavior is often linked to a trauma response, where the urgency to communicate every detail is driven by a need to regain control over the trauma narrative.

Relational Trauma and the Need for Connection:

Testing Safety in Relationships: For individuals with histories of relational trauma, such as those with C-PTSD or DID, oversharing can be a way to test the safety of new relationships. The act of sharing becomes a way to gauge whether the listener is trustworthy and whether the relationship can withstand the weight of traumatic experiences.

Impaired Boundaries Due to Trauma and Mental Health Conditions:

OCD, Depression, and Boundary Issues: OCD can lead to oversharing as a compulsive behavior, driven by a need to confess or seek reassurance. Severe Depression, on the other hand, may impair judgment and the ability to maintain personal boundaries, making it difficult to regulate the amount of information shared.

Strategies to Manage Oversharing

Increased Self-Awareness and Trauma-Informed Reflection:

Recognize Emotional Triggers: Understanding your triggers can help you anticipate moments when you might overshare. Reflecting on why you want to share specific details can provide insight into whether it's driven by a need for connection, validation, or emotional release.

Mindful Decision-Making: Before sharing, consider whether this is the appropriate time and place, and what you hope to achieve. Being mindful can help you control the flow of information.

Establishing and Respecting Personal Boundaries:

Internal Boundaries Specific to Your Condition: Create guidelines that take into account your unique mental health conditions. For instance, individuals with DID might set boundaries around which identity states are comfortable sharing certain information, while those with OCD might work on resisting compulsive urges to overshare.

Safe and Structured Outlets for Sharing:

Therapeutic Environments: Sharing detailed trauma narratives in therapy, where a professional can help you process them safely, is preferable to sharing in less controlled environments. This allows for the appropriate pacing and integration of traumatic memories.

Journaling as an Outlet: Journaling provides a private space to explore and process your feelings. This can help you sort through what you might want to share later in a more controlled manner.

Targeted Coping Strategies:

Grounding Techniques: Grounding exercises tailored to your specific condition can help manage the urge to overshare. For example, individuals with DID might use grounding techniques that help them stay connected to the present identity state, while those with anxiety might use techniques that reduce hyperarousal.

Cognitive-Behavioral Strategies: Cognitive-behavioral approaches can help you challenge the thoughts driving the urge to overshare, especially if those thoughts are rooted in anxiety or compulsions.

Ongoing Therapeutic Support:

Trauma-Informed Therapy: Working with a therapist who understands trauma and your specific mental health conditions is crucial. They can help you develop strategies tailored to your needs and provide a safe space for processing trauma without the risks of oversharing.

Peer Support Groups: Joining a support group for individuals with similar conditions can provide a structured environment for sharing, where boundaries and guidelines help prevent oversharing.

Conclusion #1

Oversharing trauma is a complex behavior often rooted in trauma-related emotional dysregulation, dissociative processes, and the need for connection. By understanding the underlying reasons for oversharing and employing strategies that are tailored to your specific conditions, you can begin to manage this behavior in a way that feels safer and more controlled. With the support of therapy and the right coping strategies, it's possible to share your experiences in a way that honors your boundaries and emotional well-being.

Managing Dissociated Memories and Oversharing in Supportive Spaces

Understanding the Issue:

Dissociation and Memory Retrieval: When you engage with people who share similar experiences, it’s common to experience a resurgence of dissociated memories. This happens frequently in individuals with DID and trauma-related disorders, as supportive and validating environments can temporarily lower dissociative barriers, causing these memories to surface. This process is not entirely within your control and can lead to overwhelming emotions.

Automatic Verbal Processing: The sudden retrieval of these memories often triggers an automatic need to verbalize them as a way to process the emotions and thoughts they evoke. This is a natural coping mechanism for those with DID and trauma-related conditions, but without careful boundaries, it can lead to oversharing, especially in spaces where you feel anonymous, supported, and believed.

Practical Strategy: Structured Sharing and Self-Monitoring

1. Structured Sharing:

Pre-Set Limits: Before engaging in conversations within support groups or anonymous spaces, establish clear limits for yourself about how much and what kind of information you are comfortable sharing. For example, decide in advance that you will only share one memory or detail per session, and focus on aspects that are less graphic or triggering.

The “Three-Question Rule”: To help manage the urge to overshare, apply the “Three-Question Rule” before you share: (1) Why am I sharing this? (2) Is this the right time and place? (3) What do I hope to achieve by sharing this? This practice can help you pause and reflect, ensuring that your sharing remains intentional rather than automatic.

Work with Your Therapist: Implementing these strategies effectively can take time, especially considering the variability in different identity states. Collaborate with your therapist to adapt and reinforce these techniques gradually. Your therapist can help you practice setting these limits and using the Three-Question Rule in a way that becomes more natural and reliable over time.

2. Monitoring Emotional Triggers:

Recognizing Triggers: Pay close attention to what triggers the surfacing of dissociated memories. This might include specific types of conversations, particular words, or the responses you receive from others. By identifying these triggers, you can better anticipate when you might start to overshare.

Immediate Grounding Techniques: When you notice a memory surfacing, employ immediate grounding techniques to stay connected to the present moment. Techniques such as deep breathing, counting objects in the room, or holding a grounding object can help you slow down the process of memory retrieval and reduce the compulsion to analyze it out loud.

Work with Your Therapist: The process of identifying and managing triggers is complex, particularly with DID, where different identity states might have different triggers and levels of awareness. Work with your therapist to map out these triggers across various identity states and develop personalized grounding techniques. This ongoing process ensures that you are well-prepared to manage triggers as they arise.

3. Using Delayed Processing:

Journaling Before Sharing: When a dissociated memory surfaces, instead of immediately verbalizing it in the group, consider writing it down first. Journaling allows you to process the memory privately, giving you the space to decide whether it’s something you need to share with others or if it’s better kept for a therapy session.

Post-Session Reflection: After participating in a support group, take some time to reflect on what you shared. Ask yourself whether you stayed within your preset limits and whether your sharing helped or hindered your emotional well-being. This reflection can help you refine your approach to sharing in future interactions.

Work with Your Therapist: Given the challenges with state-dependent memory in DID, it’s important to discuss your journaling or reflections with your therapist soon after they occur. This helps maintain continuity between different identity states and ensures that memories and emotions are processed cohesively, reducing the risk of fragmentation.

4. Establishing Safe Words and Boundaries in Groups:

Safe Words for Over-Engagement: Establish a safe word or phrase with yourself (or with the group if possible) that you can use when you feel you are beginning to overshare. This cue can remind you to take a step back and reassess whether you need to continue sharing.

Trigger Warnings and Content Warnings: Develop a habit of pausing before you share a potentially traumatic memory. Consider the impact on others and use trigger warnings or content warnings as a form of respect for the group’s boundaries. This practice not only protects others but also encourages you to think critically about the content you’re sharing.

Work with Your Therapist: Safe words and boundaries are essential tools, but their effectiveness can vary depending on your state of dissociation. Practice these strategies in therapy to increase their reliability in more spontaneous or challenging situations. Discuss with your therapist which identity states may need specific cues or support to implement these boundaries effectively.

5. Gradual Desensitization:

Controlled Exposure to Memories: Work with your therapist to gradually expose yourself to dissociated memories in a controlled environment. By slowly processing these memories in therapy, you can reduce the likelihood that they will surface unexpectedly in group settings, thereby lowering the risk of oversharing.

Work with Your Therapist: The desensitization process in DID should be highly individualized and paced according to your readiness. Your therapist will monitor each identity state’s capacity to handle stress and will adjust the pacing of exposure accordingly. This ensures that the process is both safe and supportive, integrating traumatic memories without overwhelming you.

6. Engaging in Trauma-Informed Peer Support:

Peer Support with Boundaries: Seek out peer support groups that have clear guidelines around sharing and that prioritize a trauma-informed approach. Groups that encourage structured sharing and use moderators to enforce boundaries can provide a safer space for you to connect with others while minimizing the risk of oversharing.

Open Communication with Group Moderators: If you’re comfortable, communicate with group moderators about your tendency to overshare. They may be able to support you by gently intervening when discussions start to become too intense or by reminding the group of content warnings.

Work with Your Therapist: Thoroughly vet any peer support group to ensure it aligns with trauma-informed principles and is capable of accommodating the complexities of DID and related conditions. Discuss potential groups with your therapist, who can help you evaluate their suitability and monitor your progress within these groups. This ongoing consultation helps ensure that the group environment remains supportive and that you are managing your boundaries effectively.

Conclusion #2

Managing the resurfacing of dissociated memories and the subsequent urge to overshare requires a combination of self-monitoring strategies and therapeutic support. By working closely with your therapist, you can develop tailored techniques to set boundaries, recognize triggers, and process memories safely. Practicing these strategies in therapy before applying them in peer support groups or anonymous spaces can help you navigate these interactions more effectively, reducing the risk of oversharing and fostering a healthier approach to processing your trauma. Over time, with the right support, you can feel more in control of your sharing and ensure that your interactions in supportive spaces remain safe and constructive for both you and others.

[candy616]

I don't get why peeps just can't ignore content they dislike rather than making the time to voice to someone why they dislike it😭 I enjoy your blog v much🫶🏼

If you don't mind me asking, what voice generator do you use because wow those audios sound SO accurate! Keep doing you and creating to your heart's content!!

Thank you so much for your kind words!🙏💖💖 I can understand people's concerns about AI, a lot of creators hate AI and it's understandable. 😔 But I always use it carefully and make sure not to hurt anyone with it.

About the generator… I wanted to tag my posts more properly, but I got messy like always, and didn't tag all the tools like I intended to, sorry.

Ok, so here we go:

A Voice Model

First, you need to choose a voice you would like to use. You can find a voice model on weights.gg or on the Discord channel

You can train your own voice model, if you didn't find the one you need or if the existing one is not good for you. The only working Notebook on Google Colab to train your model is RVC v2 Disconnected Here is the guide for it.

(I still have no idea of how to restart the training if something went wrong and the process stopped/disconnected, sorry. Also, remember that Google will ask you if you are still there and will give you a captcha to solve in a few hours, and if you'll not react to it quickly, the process will be stopped, so don't go too far from your PC and check on the process from time to time).

a tip to remember: if your dataset audio is under 10 min = 100-200 epochs. Over 10 min = 200-300 epochs. I do 500-600 if my audio is 15+ minutes, but it can overtrain the model.

Ok, you have your model, now you need to decide what you want to do with it.

If you want to create a MESSAGE:

You need Mangio-RVC-Fork installed on your PC.

2. Crate your text. Write a text with a pronounced accent of your character like:

You can ask ChatGPT to became your redactor, correct all the mistakes and add a thick accent. (For example, a thick Southern drawl for Graves, a thick Scottish accent for Soap, a thick Manchester accent for Ghost etc.)

3. Then you go to 11Labs and generate the body of your message with their models. I use Clyde for both Graves and Soap (yes, he is American, but we already have a text with accent so it's ok). 11Labs has a lot of different models, so you can listen to them and choose the one you think would be the best. Then you just generate the message. Don't put all the text at the same time if it's big. You may have to regenerate same text over and over again so it would give you the best pronunciation. Please note that you only have 10k tokens a month. Use it wisely. Or consider to subscribe. Or use multiple Google accounts.🙈

4. When you are happy with the message, you go to RVC and make the character of your choice to say it with your voice model.

5. Then you just put all the parts of the message together with something like Audacity or other audio/video redactor of your choice.

And that's pretty much all. You can find a lot of guides for all the tools I mentioned on YT. Just search for the resent ones, because everything changes very quickly.

Hope it was at least a bit helpful?? If you have any questions please ask away. If you can't find a good guide, let me know, I'll find the best one for ya.

P.S. If you want to create AI COVERS, you also need Ultimate Vocal Remover (please find a guide on YT or ask me, I'll find one for ya).

Or you can use just this only tool Replay (But you won't be able to fix or edit the cover. I use it just for test usually.)

[afterartist]

⚠️⚠️IMPORTANT!!⚠️⚠️

If you have an Apple product you need to hear this,

In the latest update Apple has added and insidious Ai to every single one of your apps

You will need to manually turn this off to stop Ai from using your apps as a learning base

First:

Head to settings and find the Apple Intelligence & Siri tab

Second:

if you scroll to the bottom of that tab you should find an option to see your apps and a separate option to see apps clips (these can be done in either order but I’ll explain clips first)

Third:

You should come to this screen with an option of “Learn from Apps Clips”, make sure to turn that off (if it’s green it’s still on)

Fourth:

Head back and click onto the apps section, this should bring you to a screen with all your apps

You’re going to have to click on every single one of your apps and turn it off manually (Apple has deliberately made it as tedious as possible in a way to discourage people doing this)

Fifth:

SHARE THIS INFORMATION!! either via my post or making your own,

Every uninformed person is another source of content for Ai to steal from, don’t let this undermine us

As far as I’m aware that’s everything, but there may be more

I will update this if more information comes out

[ozzgin]

Thinking about Marvin and pathetic androids in general.

You’ve been delivered the magnum opus of technology. A supercomputer beyond human comprehension, so advanced, so efficient, invested with self-awareness and consciousness. Truly the peak of artificial intelligence.

And he’s a depressed, whiny loser. Oh, he will perform his tasks with utmost perfection, naturally, but he will complain and sigh and philosophize on the side.

“Thank you for taking me out,” you say to your synthetic partner.

“Well, my pleasure. Mine only, I suppose, as you probably had no other choice,” he says with pursed lips. “Give it two years and they’ll come up with a better model, and I’ll be discarded in the trash, recycled for scraps, forgotten in some intergalactic dump.”

Ah, the misery of life. He glides to his designated pouting corner and shuts himself off.

[llitchilitchi]

so in short

-> Glaze your art if you have the access to Glaze. the computing power for it is insane, it sucks, I know. cook dinner while your art glazes or go on a walk.

-> if you have the power necessary to use Nightshade, use it too.

-> data sharing has to be turned off individually for every blog. go do that

-> if you are on desktop, go to Account and choose a blog. on the right side menu, select Blog Settings. the setting is at the bottom under Visibility. I recommend turning it on even if you do not trust that your data will not be used for training AI models

-> please do this even if you are not an artist/don't post your own images! the wording wasn't clear on whether reblogged posts will be included in scraping, and given the other info coming out, it is likely that it might be

[identifying-isopods-in-posts]

Dichotomous key is nowhere near functional yet so here’s a little anatomy diagram I made.

[facts-i-just-made-up]

The Only Known Photo of Mary Todd Lincoln

Best known as the wife of Abe Lincoln, Mary Todd’s past as a bandit in the American West prior to her marriage to the president is often hidden away and suppressed to showcase her puritan-approved married life.

Seen here at the Siege of Thunderdome in 1830s Nevada, Mary killed seven sheriffs to steal the fabled gold of John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt with her band of sisters, all of whom were literally her sisters. In the end she proved impossible to catch, so Abe married her to join their empires. She and her siblings proved critical in the civil war, destroying numerous Confederate forts, kidnapping Confederate President Jeff Davidson, and burning the South’s entire supply of gingham fabric.

Though she remained more quiet during Abe’s life, her spirit couldn’t be held down after his assassination, upon which she tackled John Wilkes Booth, ripped out his eyes and testicles, and ate his entire trachea on the spot. They won’t teach this is American History class of course, but the photo shows her true vibrant spirit.

[maulqira]

so while andor is still fresh in our minds, I want y'all to know that ilm/lucasfilm vfx artist rob bredow did a ted talk recently about how they're hopeful in using ai not to replace creatives but to "empower" them and then presented a glorified slideshow of ai creature designs that could supposedly "fit right into the star wars world" and like-

LMAO

wow a BLUE lion? that's sooo star wars /s

they're so desperate to shove ai down our throats and for what? a ten year old's first foray into photoshop??

literally whatever person on the inside who looked at this mess and approved it for a fucking ted talk, you are a hero and your actions will forever be acknowledged

[chrissturnsfav]

can you PLEASE explain how you make your bots?? they’re AMAZING. I need to knowww

yes !! i am not great at explaining things, but i did the best i could !! here is a detailed post on how i make them :) let me know if you have any questions or need help.

ᡣ𐭩 for the picture, i find a picture i like on pinterest and crop it how i want. then i go on picsart and canva to edit the picture how i like—i use the blurring filters on picsart and the aero filter on canva sometimes !!

ᡣ𐭩 as for the greeting, i try to keep it short and sweet yet packed with important information about the dynamic between user and the bot along with a scenario and setting of where user and the bot are.

ᡣ𐭩 for the description of the bot, i write in first person (i, me, my, etc.). this is where i mention their race, eye color, hair color, height, age, and a few personality traits. make sure you speak in simple terms !! it is a lot easier for the ai to understand. for example, don’t say ‘not friendly,’ say ‘unfriendly.’

ᡣ𐭩 to use as reference, this is what the description box of my rapper!chris bots look like:

ᡣ𐭩 the definition is the most important part of making your bot !! this will determine the way the bot acts, the way it responds, and how it speaks.

ᡣ𐭩 in the definition section, i solely only have the bot talk about itself, i don’t use the user dialogue. i write the definition in third person, writing actions and words. i make the bot speak how i want it to, for example, my rapper!chris bot tends to abbreviate words (ex. i am from=m’from or i don’t=ion).

ᡣ𐭩 when the bot speaks about things, i make sure to have it’s actions show how it feels about what it is talking about. for example, if a bot has a bad experience with it’s family, this is how i would write it (using matt’s name as an example): {{char}}: “i don’t really talk much about my family, there’s not much to talk about,” matt mutters, crossing his arms over his chest in a guarded manner, his eyes avoiding yours as a wave of uneasiness and melancholy washes over him.

ᡣ𐭩 in the definition section, i write about the bot’s backstory and traits. where they live, their job, their interests, the dynamic of it and the user, more of their personality, their family, etc. while also showing how they feel about these things with actions.

ᡣ𐭩 though the definition section has a maximum of 32k characters, the bot actually does not remember anything past 3.2k characters. exceeding largely over this limit will cause your bot to forget anything written past the 3.2k mark, so try to keep things short to get more information packed into your bot.

ᡣ𐭩 in the definition section, when the bot speaks about the user, substitute the name as: {{user}}

ᡣ𐭩 basically in the definition box, i act as if the bot is being interviewed about its life and asked questions with no outside dialogue, i only have the bot speak in this section !!

ᡣ𐭩 to use as reference, this is a small part of what the definition looks like for my rapper!chris bots:

i hope this helped !! please don’t hesitate to ask me questions, i’m here to help and i’m so glad you enjoy my bots !! :)

[philosophersystemguides]

This guide is provided for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health care. We are not licensed mental health professionals, therapists, or counselors. The content in this guide is based on knowledge, resources, and techniques that we have researched and applied in our own journeys. While we hope the guide is helpful and supportive, it should not be considered medical advice, and it is important to consult with a qualified mental health professional for diagnosis, treatment, or therapeutic guidance specific to your needs.

If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, please seek immediate assistance from a licensed professional or contact emergency services.

Understanding Triggers in PTSD and DID

Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) is a complex and often misunderstood mental health condition characterized by the presence of two or more distinct identities or personality states, often referred to as "alters." These alters may have their own unique memories, behaviors, and ways of interacting with the world. DID is typically the result of severe trauma, usually during early childhood, such as prolonged abuse or neglect. Understanding how to avoid triggering someone with DID involves recognizing different types of triggers, identifying signs of distress, and implementing supportive strategies.

Types of Triggers

Triggers for people with DID can vary widely and are often unique to each individual. They generally fall into several categories:

1. Stress and Emotional Intensity

Broad Impact of Stress: High levels of stress or emotional intensity can provoke a switch between alters. This stress can stem from everyday situations, like work pressure, or from more intense experiences, such as interpersonal conflict. Chronic or cumulative stressors can also contribute to triggering dissociation due to the underlying dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in individuals with DID[^1][^2].

2. Memories and Reminders of Trauma

Internal and External Triggers: Specific memories or reminders of past trauma, whether external (e.g., smells, sounds) or internal (e.g., intrusive thoughts, emotional states), can trigger a switch. State-dependent memory is particularly relevant in DID; memories encoded in a dissociative state may only be accessible or triggered in a similar state, complicating the identification and management of those triggers[^1][^3].

3. Environmental Sensory Triggers

Diverse Sensory Inputs: Sights, sounds, smells, textures, or even specific colors linked to traumatic memories can cause a dissociative response. For example, the feel of certain fabrics or the sight of specific colors may remind someone of their trauma and trigger a switch[^3][^4].

4. Changes in Relationships or Social Dynamics

Broader Social Dynamics: Interactions with specific individuals or shifts in social roles (e.g., becoming a caregiver or joining a new social group) can act as triggers. This can include encountering someone who resembles an abuser or experiencing changes in group dynamics[^4].

5. Substance Use and Medications

Impact of Substances: Alcohol and drugs can lower the threshold for switching and may trigger dissociation. Certain medications, particularly those affecting the central nervous system (e.g., benzodiazepines, some antidepressants), can also exacerbate dissociative symptoms in some people[^5][^6].

Identifying Triggers

For the Person with DID

Self-awareness is crucial for individuals with DID to identify their triggers:

Monitoring Emotional, Physical, and Cognitive Responses: Beyond just emotional and physical responses like mood changes or physical symptoms, individuals should also pay attention to subtle cognitive shifts, such as difficulties with concentration or memory lapses, which can signal an approaching dissociative episode[^7][^8].

Journaling: Keeping a detailed journal of daily experiences, emotional states, and dissociative episodes can help identify patterns. Trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy (TF-CBT) techniques within journaling can further enhance this process, helping individuals process traumatic memories more effectively[^7].

Internal Dialogue: Communication between alters can provide insights into triggers and it's also recommended that you internally communicate with the other alters of your system. [^9][^10].

For Friends and Caregivers

Friends, family, and caregivers can play a vital role in identifying triggers:

Recognizing Baseline Behavior: Understanding the baseline behavior of the individual is important, as different alters may exhibit unique behaviors. Familiarity with "co-consciousness," where multiple alters are aware of and can influence each other's actions, can help caregivers interpret whether behavioral changes are due to a switch or a co-conscious alter exerting influence[^11].

Recognizing Physical Symptoms and Motor Phenomena: Caregivers should be aware of dissociative motor phenomena, such as unexplained muscle weakness or paralysis, which can occur in some individuals with DID. Interdisciplinary collaboration between mental health professionals and neurologists is often necessary to avoid misdiagnosis[^12].

Listening for Distress Signals and Offering Grounding Support: Caregivers should be trained in grounding techniques, which can help reorient the individual to the present moment during a dissociative episode. Techniques like deep breathing, tactile objects, or sensory focus are particularly effective[^9].

Strategies to Avoid Triggering

1. Creating a Safe and Emotionally Secure Environment

Minimize Sensory and Emotional Overload: Avoid environments that are loud, chaotic, or emotionally charged. Ensuring that interactions are calm and free from potential emotional triggers is crucial. Additionally, providing a "safe space" or "safe object" can help anchor the individual in the present[^9][^13].

2. Predictability and Routine

Use of Shared Calendars and Anchoring Events: Maintaining a consistent routine is important. Providing access to a shared calendar or schedule can help the individual anticipate changes and reduce anxiety associated with the unknown. Incorporating "anchoring events," or predictable, regular activities, can further help maintain stability[^9][^13].

3. Respecting and Re-Evaluating Boundaries

Continuous Communication and Informed Consent: Boundaries may change over time as the individual’s alters interact and evolve. Regularly checking in and respecting these changing boundaries is key to maintaining trust and safety. Ensuring "informed consent" among all alters for certain activities or discussions is also crucial[^14].

4. Supportive Grounding Techniques

Personalized Techniques and Evidence-Based Methods: Different alters may respond to different grounding techniques. Having a range of strategies available, such as deep breathing, tactile objects, or visualization, ensures that support is tailored to the individual’s needs. The "5-4-3-2-1" grounding technique, which focuses on immediate sensory experiences, is particularly effective in reducing dissociative symptoms[^15].

5. Educating Yourself and the Support Network

Utilizing Reputable Resources: Educating yourself about DID is essential. Recommending specific books, reputable websites, and suggesting participation in support groups for caregivers can further enhance the support network’s effectiveness. The International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation (ISSTD) offers resources and guidelines for understanding and treating DID[^16].

Neurobiological Aspects of DID

Recent research indicates that DID is associated with structural and functional changes in the brain. For instance, studies have shown that individuals with DID often have alterations in the hippocampus, amygdala, and prefrontal cortex—areas of the brain involved in memory, emotional regulation, and executive functioning[^17]. These neurobiological findings help explain the memory disturbances and emotional dysregulation commonly seen in DID.

Integration as a Treatment Goal

Integration, the process of merging separate identities into a unified self, is a controversial and complex goal in DID treatment. While some individuals with DID may pursue integration, others may focus on improving cooperation and communication between alters. This decision should be made collaboratively between the patient and therapist, taking into account the individual's preferences and therapeutic progress[^18].

Cultural and Societal Influences

Cultural factors significantly influence how DID is perceived and diagnosed. In some cultures, dissociative symptoms may be interpreted through spiritual or religious lenses, which can affect both the individual’s experience of the disorder and the approach to treatment[^19]. Understanding these cultural influences is crucial for providing culturally sensitive care.

Comorbid Conditions

DID often coexists with other mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, and borderline personality disorder. These comorbidities can complicate the diagnosis and treatment of DID. Effective treatment plans must address these comorbid conditions, often requiring an integrated approach involving multiple therapeutic modalities[^20].

Conclusion

Supporting someone with DID involves a commitment to creating a safe, predictable, and emotionally secure environment. By identifying and avoiding triggers, utilizing grounding techniques, respecting boundaries, and ensuring that support is informed by current best practices, caregivers and friends can significantly reduce the frequency of dissociative episodes and promote stability and safety for individuals with DID. Ongoing therapy, both individual and possibly group-based, remains essential in helping the person manage their condition and work towards integration or more harmonious coexistence of their alters.

Recommended Books on DID

"The Haunted Self: Structural Dissociation and the Treatment of Chronic Traumatization" by Onno van der Hart, Ellert R.S. Nijenhuis, and Kathy Steele

This book provides a comprehensive exploration of the theory of structural dissociation and offers detailed guidance on treating DID and related disorders.

"Coping with Trauma-Related Dissociation: Skills Training for Patients and Therapists" by Suzette Boon, Kathy Steele, and Onno van der Hart

A practical guide that offers skills training to help individuals with DID manage dissociation and related symptoms.

"Dissociative Identity Disorder: Theoretical and Treatment Controversies" edited by John L. Spira and Elizabeth K. Bowman

This book provides a balanced view of the theoretical and treatment controversies surrounding DID, making it an excellent resource for both professionals and interested readers.

4."Amongst Ourselves: A Self-Help Guide to Living with Dissociative Identity Disorder" by Tracy Alderman and Karen Marshall

A self-help guide written by therapists with experience in DID, offering practical advice and exercises for individuals with DID and their support networks.

These books provide in-depth knowledge and practical tools for understanding and managing Dissociative Identity Disorder, making them valuable resources for anyone looking to support someone with DID or further their own understanding of the condition.

References

[^1]: Ross, C. A. (2018). Dissociative Identity Disorder: Diagnosis, Clinical Features, and Treatment of Multiple Personality. John Wiley & Sons. [^2]: Brand, B. L., & Loewenstein, R. J. (2010). Dissociative Identity Disorder as a Complex Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. The Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 33(3), 509-530. [^3]: van der Hart, O., Nijenhuis, E. R. S., & Steele, K. (2006). The Haunted Self: Structural Dissociation and the Treatment of Chronic Traumatization. Norton. [^4]: International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation (ISSTD). (2011). Guidelines for Treating Dissociative Identity Disorder in Adults, Third Revision. [^5]: DID Research. (n.d.). Substance Use and DID. Retrieved from https://did-research.org/treatment/issues/substance_use [^6]: Dell, P. F., & O'Neil, J. A. (Eds.). (2009). Dissociation and the Dissociative Disorders: DSM-V and Beyond. Routledge. [^7]: Boon, S., Steele, K., & van der Hart, O. (2011). Coping with Trauma-Related Dissociation: Skills Training for Patients and Therapists. W. W. Norton & Company. [^8]: DID Research. (n.d.). Identifying Triggers in DID. Retrieved from https://did-research.org/treatment/issues/triggers [^9]: Chu, J. A. (2011). Rebuilding Shattered Lives: Treating Complex PTSD and Dissociative Disorders. Wiley. [^10]: Kluft, R. P. (2003). Current Issues in Dissociative Identity Disorder. The Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 26(2), 257-292. [^11]: ISSTD. (2011). Guidelines for Treating Dissociative Identity Disorder in Adults, Third Revision. [^12]: Scaer, R. C. (2005). The Trauma Spectrum: Hidden Wounds and Human Resiliency. Norton. [^13]: DID Research. (n.d.). Supporting Someone with DID. Retrieved from https://did-research.org/caregivers/support [^14]: Herman, J. L. (2015). Trauma and Recovery: The Aftermath of Violence—From Domestic Abuse to Political Terror. Basic Books. [^15]: Levine, P. A. (2010). In an Unspoken Voice: How the Body Releases Trauma and Restores Goodness. North Atlantic Books. [^16]: ISSTD. (2011). Guidelines for Treating Dissociative Identity Disorder in Adults, Third Revision. [^17]: Reinders, A. A. T. S., Willemsen, A. T. M., den Boer, J. A., & Vos, H. P. J. (2014). Differences in the Brain Structure of Women with Dissociative Identity Disorder and Healthy Women. PLOS ONE, 9(6), e99888. [^18]: Steele, K., Boon, S., & van der Hart, O. (2017). Treating Trauma-Related Dissociation: A Practical, Integrative Approach. Norton. [^19]: Castillo, R. J. (1997). Culture and Dissociative Identity Disorder. The Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 20(3), 563-581. [^20]: Foote, B., Smolin, Y., Kaplan, M., Legatt, M. E., & Lipschitz, D. (2006). Dissociative Disorders and Suicidality in Psychiatric Outpatients. The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 194(8), 599-601.

[filosofieke]

Writing with AI will kill spaces like AO3. Why would writers put their work of love and soul between AI fics? We’re better off retreating to our respective discords and only sharing them with people who value spending time on characters.

We won’t be found between the computer generated stuff anyway, we’re better off finding different spaces.

[fuckyeahmeikokaji]

Jiro Sakagami (坂上二郎), Toshiro Mifune (三船 敏郎), Meiko Kaji (梶芽衣子) and Ai Itomi (糸見愛) in Ronin Of The Wilderness (荒野の素浪人), 1972. Scanned from TV Guide (TVガイド), March 17, 1972.

[elbiotipo]

Finally read All Tomorrows last night and I know why people recommended it to me all the time, it was a very interesting piece of *biopunk* speculative evolution with a fascinating overarching story. It was also a breeze to read, I expected it would be long and a bit tiring (like Man After Man) but no, it was very illustrated and in fact it left you hungry for a bit more, I love the way it lets you fill in the gaps.

Of course, like always, it falls in the same old trope that biotechnology = bad and gross. It doesn't fall straight into saying biotechnology is evil, but the element of body horror is very, very, very much present in all the book. The fact that being warped into abominations is shown as the big event of human evolution reminds me of Man After Man, where "human evolution" doesn't occur "naturally" or as a result of, well, human selection, but as a result of a higher power messing with humans. All those strange beings we see in the book were not the ultimate result of environmental pressures, "artificial" selection or people bioengineering themselves. They were the result of fucked-up eldritch beings who wanted to make fucked-up humans. Which is kind of dissapointing if you are looking for a book that actually talks about future human evolution.

Which brings me to a discussion of the future of human evolution. Because, obviously, humans are evolving today. But I don't think we can see the real effect of biological evolution in the timescale we are managing as current humans. From a quick search, there have been only 500 generations since the arrival of agriculture and thus of all recorded or remembered history as we know it. That's not nearly enough biological time to see any major changes. Yes, there have been changes. And the development of human intelligence and brain size was quick and monumental, with many things we still don't really understand (like the origin of language and abstract thought). But do notice that the body plan of a modern human does not radically depart from Homo erectus, 2 million years ago.

Some authors like Olaf Stapledon (one of the great grandfathers of science fiction) in Last and First Men (which could be considered the 1930s version of All Tomorrows, in fact All Tomorrows to me is the modern Last and First Men) thought that we would continue to have evolutive pressures like natural selection and our species will continue evolving over millions of years. This is true as all species are still evolving including us, but in just a few decades we have discovered genetic engineering, and it won't be too long before, somehow, it is used in the path of our evolution. All Tomorrows of course talks about this with the Star People and later the Asteromorphs, but I believe it leaves out the prospect of humans guiding their own evolution for the (admitedly interesting) plot twist of the Qu changing them themselves.

What would have happened (or rather, what WILL happen) if humans are left to evolve by themselves? I'm sure that we will find somewhen. And I think that cosmetic genetic modification will be part of it, which is why I personally found the depiction of the Star People so boring. Now, I don't think every human will genetically modify themselves into supermodels, for starters, our parameters of attractiveness are based on culture and material conditions, and people will always seek variety, but I do think "sexual selection" would be a major part of human evolution, and that some forms like the Star People, as practical(?) as they are, just don't have the appeal. The utopia of the Star People should have been just as interesting as the dystopia of the Qu, with people experimenting new ways to adapt their bodies and self expression. Not to mention people adapting to the many strange environments of space by themselves (an old sci-fi trope). And of course, there would always be humans who don't want any of that, preferring to stay as they are, or return as they were. None, none of the Asteromorphs desired that at all?

Even in my own biopunk setting, however, the future of human evolution is something I only can see as far as a couple centuries on the future. Anything more than that, with the infinite possibilities of genetic engineering, makes me dizzy to contemplate. So I think All Tomorrows, for daring to do this billions of years in the future, is an amazing book.

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Madeline Ashby’s ‘Glass Houses’

I'm coming to BURNING MAN! On TUESDAY (Aug 27) at 1PM, I'm giving a talk called "DISENSHITTIFY OR DIE!" at PALENQUE NORTE (7&E). On WEDNESDAY (Aug 28) at NOON, I'm doing a "Talking Caterpillar" Q&A at LIMINAL LABS (830&C).

Glass Houses – published today by Tor Books – is Madeline Ashby's terrifying technothriller: it's an internet-of-things haunted house story that perfectly captures (and skewers) toxic tech culture while also running a savage whodunnit plot that'll keep you guessing to the end:

https://us.macmillan.com/books/9780765382924/glasshouses

Kristen is the "Chief Emotional Manager" for Wuv, a hot startup that has defined the new field of "affective computing," which is when a computer tells you what everyone else around you is really feeling, based on the unsuppressible tells emitted by their bodies, voices and gadgets.

"Chief Emotional Manager" is just a cutesy tech euphemism for "chief of staff." The only person whose emotions Kristen really manages is Sumter William, the boyish billionaire CEO and founder of Wuv. Sumter hired Kirsten because they share a key developmental trait: both were orphaned at an early age and had to raise themselves in a media spotlight.

Both Sumter and Kristen had been in the spotlight even before their parents' death, though. Sumter was the focus of the intense attention that the children of celebrity billionaires always come in for. Kristen, though, was thrust into the spotlight by her parents: her prepper cryptocurrency hustling father, and her tradwife mother, whose livestreams of Kristen's childhoods involved letting the audience vote everything from whether she'd get dessert after dinner to whether her mother should give her bangs.

Kristen's parents died the most Extremely Online death imaginable: a cryptocurrency price-spike sent her father's mining rigs into overdrive, and when they burst into flame, the IoT house system failed to alert him until it was too late. The fire left Kristen both alone and horribly burned, with scars over much of her body.

Managing Sumter through Wuv's tumultuous launch is hard work for Kristen, but at last, it's paid off. The company has been acquired, making Kristen – and all her coworkers on the founding core team – into instant millionaires. They're flying to a lavish celebration in an autonomous plane that Sumter chartered when the action begins: the plane has a malfunction and crashes into a desert island, killing all but ten of the Wuvvies.

As the survivors explore the island, they discover only one sign of human habitation: a huge, brutalist, featureless black glass house, which initially rebuffs all their efforts to enter it. But once they gain entry, they discover that the house is even harder to leave.

This is the setup for a haunted house story where the house seems to be an unknown billionaire prepper's IoT house of horrors. As the survivors of the crash suffer horrible injuries and deaths on the island, the remaining Wuvvies bolt themselves inside, setting up a locked-room whodunnit that runs in parallel.

This is a fantastic dramatic engine for Ashby's specialty: extremely pointed techno-criticism. The ensuing chapters, which flip back and forth between the story of Wuv's rise and rise to a top tech company, and the company's surviving staff being terrorized on a paradisaical tropical aisle, flesh out Ashby's speculation and the critique it embodies.

For example, there's the political culture of Ashby's future America. Wuv are a Canadian company, headquartered in Toronto, and we gradually come to understand that Canada is the beneficiary of an exodus of tech companies from the US following a kind of soft Christian Dominionist takeover (Kristen and Sumter often have to wrangle rules about whether women are allowed to enter the USA in the company of men they aren't married to and who aren't their brothers or fathers).

The flashbacks to this America are beautifully and subtly drawn, especially the scenes in Vegas, which manages to still be Vegas, even amidst a kind national, legally mandated Handmaid's Tale LARP. Ashby uses her futuristic speculation to illuminate the present, that standing wave where the past is becoming the future. Like everything in the shadows of a haunted house tale, this stuff will make the hair on the back of your neck stand on end.

I'm a big Madeline Ashby fan. I have the honor of having published her first story, when I was co-editing one of the Tesseracts anthologies of Canadian SF. I've read and really enjoyed every one of her books, but this one feels like a step-change in Ashby's career, a leveling up to something even more haunting and brilliant than her impressive back-catalog.

Madeline and I will be live at Chevalier's Books in LA on Aug 16 as part of her Glass Houses tour:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/book-talk-madeline-ashbys-glass-houses-tickets-965286486867

Community voting for SXSW is live! If you wanna hear RIDA QADRI and me talk about how GIG WORKERS can DISENSHITTIFY their jobs with INTEROPERABILITY, VOTE FOR THIS ONE!

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/08/13/influencers/#affective-computing

[presiding]

two different playlists, two different concepts for daud:

daud's casette tape: you know when you're in the passenger seat of a 40-something dude's car and his playlist is a banger in a dadrock way. this is that. if that guy was daud

the knife of dunwall: lofi noir-movie jazz & neo-classical to assassinate and brood to

[jenijro]

The Audio Tour Guide and Hera must know that when I say I hate AI, they don’t count.