#Host

[thearksys]

tip: just smoke a fuckton of weed and beg them to front like we do. works like a charm

Guide to Voluntary Switching

I/we have known we are a system for around a decade now. One of the most helpful things we have ever learned to do is switching on command. Believe it or not, although it may not feel possible, it is possible to control switching. Sometimes it is harder to do and the switch may not last long, but overall it is very possible to learn how to consistently switch in and out as needed. We are a traumagenic system but this should work for other types of systems as well.

One useful application of this skill is for studying. The alter who learns information is the one with the easiest access to this information. It is possible to keep track of who studied and deliberately call them out when the information is needed.

It is also a great skill to use when processing trauma during therapy. It makes accessing dissociated materials that are specific to one alter much easier. It can help access alters with traumatic memories during something like an EMDR session. Outside of therapy, voluntarily accessing other alters has a wide variety of uses related to accessing compartmentalized ideas and feelings, or the opposite - switching to a capable alter when a young or traumatized alter is not up to handling an unavoidable responsibility or letting a tired alter rest and allowing a new host to become prominent.

The Skill of Gatekeeping

Gatekeeper alters are a well-known alter type. They are present in many systems. If you are in contact with one or more gatekeeper alters, try to get to know them. They may be able to teach you how to think in the way that they do that allows them to control who is and isn't in the front.. It is also possible to develop a good relationship with a gatekeeper alter and ask them to voluntarily trigger switches as needed. This is one method of learning how to control switching that works for some systems.

From what my gatekeepers have shared,

"gatekeeping is in essence: remembering who everyone is, and remembering how they feel allows you to find them inside and pull them out. There is also a feeling of pushing internally that pushes alters back and temporarily makes them go dormant. "

Alter Relationships

Some alters are closer to other alters. These alters may remember the existence of other alters that others may not remember. They may be able to trigger in alters that are close to them but not to the other alter.

Internal World Dynamics

It is possible to call inside for an alter, ask for them to switch in, and they may in fact switch in, although if they are especially dormant they may not hear this request at all. Do note that just thinking about the other alter may trigger a switch to that alter.

What helps is to make an area inside where alters can be found. This could be a specific room or place for each individual alter, or a general meeting area. It can be easy to find alters there because if you last remember seeing them inside somewhere, going back to that place sometimes allows you to access them much more easily. Grouping alters that want to front together/more frequently into a similar place can help them co-front together and find each other more conveniently to trigger switches.

Positive Triggers

All alters have certain things that they are passionate about and interested in. Many alters have specific roles that they automatically come out to perform when the situation calls for it. Pay attention to these triggers. If there is a certain behavior or situation that calls out an alter, make note of that. If an alter especially enjoys doing something, doing that activity can trigger them out - as can even just thinking about doing the activity. If an alter really likes something the other alters do not have a particular preference for, keeping a reminder of this thing around can trigger a switch. If this trigger is easily encountered voluntarily, it can be used to call out the alter.

Network of Associations

All of our alters and other types of thoughtforms are connected to memories and ideas that belong to them. The brain can only process so much information at once, so all living forms within the mind cannot be active at once. The information that is salient in our mind determines who is fronting. The brain can be tricked into pushing specific alters to the front by activating information that is associated with this alter and pushing away information that is not.

Memories

All alters are connected to at least a few memories. These are typically memories that they were personally present for - but could also be memories of creative or analytical ideas, or memories of having a strong emotional reaction about something. This often comes with a sense(s) of nostalgia that is associated with the alter and often occurs when the alter fronts. Remember each one for each alter. Some may overlap. This sense of nostalgia as well as any of these associated pieces of cognitive information, such as specific memories or ideas, can be used to voluntarily switch. They may also have an area of the internal world that is associated with them where they may easily be found.

Essence

Each alter has a distinct sense of self. Particularly in systems with strong amnesia barriers, it may be difficult or impossible to directly experience this firsthand. If it is possible to remember what it feels like to be them when they are present, this can be used to trigger a switch.

Using These Associations to Make the Switch Happen

Reflect on something associated with the alter, and the feeling of their nostalgia or what it feels like to be them. This will usually trigger a switch within a few minutes of doing this constantly or repeating it every few minutes. It may help to pay attention to what areas are active in the internal world as you do this. Try to go to areas where you know that alter often is; you may make a meeting area for the purpose of these voluntary switches to make this easier. Keep talking inside to see if they respond and are co-present. Once you feel their sense of self, imagine yourself/feel yourself mentally falling behind them and push yourself backwards inside. As they begin doing things outside of the mind in the real world, eventually you will either become coconscious, you remain present but are somewhat dissociated and may only be active in the internal world/mind's eye, or a full switch will happen and you won't even notice you're gone.

Types of Triggered Switches

It is possible to trigger a full switch (either one with or without coconsciousness,) as well as to trigger partial switches. Partial switches happen when an alter is awakened and present in some form, for instance they may be able to converse or remember events, but they do not fully front.

Coconsciousness

It is common for voluntary switches to lead to a switch wherein the triggered alter fully fronts and switches in while the original alter that provoked the switch also remains present. If this type of switch is specifically desired, it can be achieved by making an agreement with the alter that is going to switch in. Together, one alter can remember to trigger the other alter whenever they notice the other is not present, and this keeps them present at the same time. If co-consciousness is difficult for a system, this may feel like playing tag at first as both alters get used to the skill of triggering switches.

Complete Switch

Complete switches are common in response to voluntary switching. If the switching alters are all in agreement, they can maintain a planned switch by engaging in a voluntary switching method to keep the intended alter in the front. It can help to have a place in the internal world where they can go to symbolize they are leaving the front and going inside. The alter that has switched in can use the voluntary switching methods as a grounding technique to reduce dissociation and keep that particular alter in front. Particularly in dissociative systems, the brain naturally attempts to depersonalize which causes cyclical personality switching; grounding on the essence of that alter's sense of self reduces this dissociation and keeps them in front.

Ground to Maintain

It is common for the triggered switch to not last for very long. You may need to trigger the switch multiple times before it sticks. It helps if the alter switching in tried to ground themselves. If you remain co-conscious, which can happen in a succesful triggered switch, it can help to reflect on the stimulus (such as the feeling of the alter or their memories or favorite things) you used to trigger the switch to help solidfy and maintain the switch.

Fatigue

It can feel mentally exhausting to try to trigger a switch too many times. It is not uncommon to have to trigfer a switch multiple times, failing each time before giving up. Sometimes, you just cannot trigger a switch at all for some inexplicable reason. Don't be afraid to give up for a bit and try again later. It gets easier the more you practice. Don't be discouraged.

Host Switching

It happens to us all from time to time - our host(s) becomes tired or depressed and needs a break. Maybe our host is functional but is not as interested in daily life as another alter that would like a more active role in their life (perhaps because it involves something that is a positive trigger for them.) There is a way of chronically using these alter switching techniques to change hosts.

In order to change hosts, you have to trigger a switch to the intended new host frequently. Some people set an alarm on their phone to trigger a switch several times a day (depends on how long the triggered switch lasts), or make an in-system agreement to always trigger the intended host when host responsibilities (like going to the doctor or paying bills or going to class or eating) come up.

By chronically triggering a switch to a different host, over time (a few days to a few weeks, generally) this becomes the system's default pattern of switching.

Hostile Uses of Deliberate Switching

Remain in good communication with your alters and make sure that the switching alters are okay with what is happening. Don't try to force alters that don't want to leave to go away, and don't try to force alters that don't want to be present to the front. Going against an alter's will can feel painful at the moment and can cause long term problems if it becomes a chronic habit.

[krossan]

Dan having a hard time adjusting to his human host.

[goryhorroor]

horror sub-genres: found footage

[sam-the-pancake]

We've reached a new layer of not respecting mobility aid users/not seeing us as people.

Today in my class I was using my wheelchair and going towards someone to ask a question. They jumped up and grabbed someone else's cane from "in my way" and began to move it. I said no it's ok, and they said something like don't worry I'll put it back. I said no again and they returned it to where it was. I asked my question and went back to my spot. The person who's cane it was was sitting right there. They could have moved it if they thought it was in my way or if I asked them to.

A minute later I heard the cane fall over. It hadn't fallen before that but of course the abled person who moved it didn't know how to balance it properly.

Don't touch people's aids. Both myself and the other disabled person were able to handle the situation if necessary, but it didn't need to be handled because there wasn't a problem.

[starcoreboy]

(inspo is this post by @norazingrid)

[snlbumpers]

John Mulaney, 2024.

[mystery-aberration]

System roles do not have to be your entire identity. You do not have to conform to the stereotypes of them, and you do not have to hold your role alone or without help. You do not need to keep them forever, either. They may be what you were placed into the system to help with, and they may be something you are good at--but it does not have to be you forever.

I am a persecutor, and that does not mean I should be treated differently or harmed. Being a persecutor does not mean that everyone should be scared of you by default either.

Protectors should not be expected to be strong and emotionless walls to put in front of everything all the time. They do not need to be tools.

Comforters might need a break to unload their own stress and need comfort in turn. They do not need to give all of themselves to everyone else and never expect help back.

Littles may not be littles forever, and should not be devalued just because they are children. They are just as real and alive as any other system member and should be taken into account.

Trauma/memory holders might need help to cope with the things they hold, and sometimes when the time is right it means sharing that burden. Maybe there is no right time, but they deserve support whether they can share those memories or not.

Gatekeepers may need a break from controlling switches or access to front, and should be allowed one if needed. Gatekeeping can be a lot of work.

Hosts do not need to do everything for the body or system all the time. Sometimes, being the host of a system can be hard, and support and breaks are deserved.

Systems often put a lot of weight on roles, and it can impact the way that those who have them can feel about their role. It is okay to fit into your role, but it is also okay to not fit, or to end up not fitting your role over time. Some headmates can feel like a failure if they do not uphold their role, some can feel like they have no other choice even if they wanted to not perform it. But a role is a description, it is not an essence of who you are and will forever be. This may be non-traditional but we use roles exclusively as self descriptors so that we do not get wrapped up in what we "should be". If the label no longer fits, or if you need help more than you might have in the past, that is okay.

Be kind to yourselves, and be kind to your other headmates.

[tonicxxo100]

pov: dormant alters waking up out of no where

[ne0nwithazero]

Wanted to try some lowpoly modeling! <3 Here's Host! 📺 [ Character uses They/Them and feminine terms! ]

[one-time-i-dreamt]

Jade Harley from Homestuck was a kid's show host. Rose Lalonde had a younger sister who was an anthropologic pig, who was also in the same kid's show.

[thedeluxedoll]

Wunmi Bello

[fictionalsownme]

Hey i really like youre artstyle and saw that your requests are open, so could you do host smilling or just being happy? I need to see my bean happy👉👈

bROO why are all these eGOS SO FINEEEE 😩😩

so I actually don't know like-- anything about Host! And knew even less before I drew this hehe but I always try to do a bit of "research" before I draw an ego I don't know about so I can hopefully do them justice :) because it seems like it's been awhile since we've seen Host I had a little fun adapting him to a more recent Mark era,, hopefully you like how it turned out!! the smile ended up a little small but idk I think he's cute kikikiki Host seems cool though!! Hot!! and kinda scary!! I mean,, does his narration work with like,, everything? like if I trip in his presence is he gonna announce it to everyone? shut up please and thank you sir,, OR can his power like,, hear my thoughts?? Terrifying!! ANYWAY Thanks again for requesting and hope it was worth the wait! 🥰

[krossan]

"Introductions? Fine. Name's Phantom and think twice before picking somebody my size. You'll regret it."

Concept art of Phantom's human host.

[goryhorroor]

horror sub-genres: techno

[andaboop]

Based off an idea from @/yellowballoon64 on twt <3 finally more Host!!!