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A really great conversation that came up with @WeAreAlexandra today, is who can use “system” to describe themselves.
Specifically, why is system only used in the language of people/alters/fully differentiated parts?
Specifically, why is system only used in the language of people/alters/fully differentiated parts?
System, inherently, is a word of many meanings. Systems aren’t just words to describe collections of entities within a body, there’s also systems of agriculture, systems of management, and home security systems.
The word ‘system’ is used in lots of contexts, & has a very broad definition: “a set of things working together as parts of a mechanism or an interconnecting network.” While in our community, ‘things’ are often distinct entities in a body, but theoretically they could be anything
Even when it comes to internal cognitive/conscious mechanisms, many IFS therapists believe that everyone, even singlets, are a system. Not a system of alters, of course, but a system of non-differentiated parts.
To get back to the origins of the word “system” in relation to DID/OSDD, the first time we see it is when psychiatrists would write “a system of alters” to refer to their clients. In this sense, ‘system’ does have medical origins - but it also wasn’t used as a DID exclusive word.
However the usage of “I am a system” / “we are a system” - as system being the only identifying word, didn’t start showing up until many voices started running in the 1980’s. System, as an identity, is something the community has reclaimed, or re-invented, you might say.
This conversation came up regarding folks who are questioning between OSDD-1a and BPD/C-PTSD - and whether they can/should use the word “system” to describe themselves. And as @WeAreAlexandra put it nicely, if it’s useful, helpful, and has a positive impact on wellness - use it.
Basically, “system” is a broadly used word and a re-claimed identity by multiples. We don’t believe there should be any hard boundaries on who can call themselves or identity as a system. If it’s helpful - internally or for describing your experience to others - it’s yours 
