If you’re new to plurality, it’s the experience of having more than one personality share a body. Here is an article that goes into detail. Yes, it’s a thing, and no, it doesn’t make someone crazy. Unreasonable behavior, usually due to lack of general awareness, makes someone crazy, but I digress. If hearing about this causes you distress, please be kind to yourself, do your favorite grounding exercise, and come back later.
The reason why this little-known concept should be as well-known as dissociative identity disorder (DID) is many people experience psychological “otherness” that does not involve the distressing symptoms and causes usually included in DID. Nevertheless, these people would still benefit from community of like-minded people. Knowing one is not alone in their experience of never being alone cathartic beyond words. For those experiencing something as taboo as “hearing voices”, that is especially true.
You may ask, “Couldn’t plurals just join DID groups?” The issue with that is plurals do not always fit inside of DID groups. Many plurals do not experience distress from their plurality, and in fact, greatly enjoy the internal company that plurality gives, and many have not experienced the extensive trauma that usually accompanies DID. This makes them the proverbial black sheep in DID communities since many people with DID suffer greatly because of their condition and their past. While talk of inner worlds and alters may resonate with non-disordered plurals, things like CPTSD, uncontrolled switching, amnesia, trouble with everyday functioning, and all the other horrible symptoms included with DID may not. This means non-disorder plurals often end up acting inappropriately in these groups, getting fake-claimed, and/or ending up banned from such spaces. Plural spaces allow those experiencing all types of plurality to express themselves outside of the context of distress and trauma, allowing them to find community and support, while leaving the DID spaces clear for those who do experience distress from their condition.
For those who have not experienced plurality in any capacity, I can understand if this seems crazy. When someone suggested I was plural, I was freaked out myself. But I want to assure you that me& (which is short for “me & my system mates”) live a happy and regular life. If you met me in public or at work, you could never tell I was plural, and given the stigma against plurality, I& would like to keep it that way!
I am here because a little “voice” in my head was once ashamed of its existence. Now she is the happiest and most joyful entity I know, all thanks to the plural community.
If you don’t believe some online rando, kudos to you. Here are some sites by professionals to back me up.
https://powertotheplurals.com/
https://di.org.au/about-multiplicity/ (Sarah uses “multiplicity” instead of “plurality”, but they mean the same thing.)
And if you still have doubts, I dare you to make a post on r/plural. Let’s see if your doubts can stand against the hive of hive minds!