Diane W. Hawkins, M.A.

Restoration in Christ Ministries

PO Box 479
Grottoes, VA 24441-0479
540-298-2272
rcm@rcm-usa.org
March 2004

The Building Blocks of DID

I. Introduction
A nutshell synopsis: Intolerable psychological conflicts, often based on false beliefs, create a
seeming need for denial that leads to dissociation in the lives of severely traumatized children.

II. The Role of Conflict

A. Psychological Conflicts
1. Definition
A psychological conflict is the simultaneous existence of two or more opposing:
a. Instincts
b. Needs
c. Beliefs
d. Desires
e. Views of reality
f. Commitments
g. Impulses
2. Examples
a. Needs: I need to stay home to care for my sick child/I need to be at work to finish an
important project.
b. Commitments: Im committed to honesty as a Christian/My boss wants me to lie on a
financial report.

B. Intolerable Psychological Conflicts

1. Definition
a. Conflicts producing an intolerable level of psychic distress
1) All conflicts create psychic distress.
2) Everyone has a threshold of tolerance for psychic distress.
3) When the intensity of psychic distress surpasses the psyches threshold of
tolerance, the conflict becomes intolerable.

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 Psychic Distress
S
T
R
E
S Threshold of tolerance
S
L
E
V
E
L

2000 Restoration in Christ Ministries Dr. Tom R. & Diane W. Hawkins

b. Intolerable conflicts occur when an encountered situation threatens an instinct, need,

belief, or view of reality that is held in such an absolute way that it seemingly cannot
be compromised.
2. Examples
a. Instinct: I need to survive/This seems unsurvivable.
b. Need: I need a protective caretaker to survive/My caretaker is abusing me.
c. Belief: I must perform perfectly to be safe/I cant be perfect.
d. View of reality: Expressing my feelings is unsafe/I have intense feelings.
e. View of self: I am a good, moral person/I must commit immoral acts.
3. Responses
Intolerable conflicts cause the psyche to respond in a drastic manner.
a. Older children and adults will respond to an intolerable conflict in a drastic manner
other than complete dissociation (e.g. avoidant, borderline, obsessive-compulsive or
other maladaptive behavior).
b. If an intolerable conflict is experienced before age 7, the mind may use the drastic
response of dissociation to separate the Core Self from exposure to the event,
enabling it to live in an illusionary state of denial.
I
N
T E
The Core Self O V
lives in L E
anillusionary E N
R
state of denial. A
T
B
L
E
2000 Restoration in Christ Ministries Dr. Tom R. & Diane W. Hawkins

III. The Role of Denial

A. The need for denial and the need for dissociation go hand in hand.
1. Denial is the only perceived way to escape the psychic distress of the intolerable conflicts
embedded in the trauma.
2. Nancy Cole writes:
Child abuse creates a fundamental contradiction for the child. . . . The child must
simultaneously know and not know. She is forced . . . to take what doesnt make sense
and then make it make sense. It is not a possible tasknot if the child adheres to normal

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 cognitive operations. It becomes possible only through strenuous denial, dissociation, and
splitting.1

B. The need for denial is anchored in the Core Self.

The psyche tries to protect the Core Self from whatever she perceives to be intolerable.

IV. The Role of False Beliefs

A. Their often hidden nature
At the root of intolerable conflicts and the seeming need for denial, which seemingly
necessitates dissociation, are false beliefs.

B. Their encouraging promise

1. When you can identify the false beliefs, and replace them with truth, amazing healing can
take place.
2. Often when truth is brought to the false beliefs:
a. The need for denial is annulled.
b. The conflict is no longer intolerable.
c. Dissociation is no longer needed to protect the Core Self.

V. Examples of Intolerable Conflicts Leading to Dissociation

Intolerable conflicts create a need for denial that is provided through dissociation.

A. Foundational early conflicts

1. Threatened Instincts
Because DID often begins before the child has developed any conscious beliefs or values
of her own, the intolerable conflicts responsible for the initial splitting usually involve
severely threatened instincts.
a. Confidence of survival
A particularly strong instinct present even before birth is that of survival. Therefore,
any reality which threatens a childs confidence of survival may create sufficient
psychic distress to cause dissociation, which enables the Core Self to live in denial and
thus maintain her confidence of survival while an alter-identity is created to cope with
the reality that she may not survive.
Survival Conflict

I must This feels

survive! unsurvivable!

Reality:
Denial:
I may not
I can survive!
survive!

2000 Restoration in Christ Ministries Dr. Tom R. & Diane W. Hawkins

b. Parental attachment
1) Attachment to a parent/caretaker is another powerful instinct which can be
intolerably threatened when the parent/caretaker is extremely abusive.
1 Nancy J. Cole, Psy.D., Clinical Director, The Center for Trauma and Dissociation Newsletter (Oct. 1995, Vol. 3, No. 7) .

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 2) Dissociation may result to enable the Core Self to be separated from the abuse,
live in denial, and thus be able to maintain the belief that the parent is good. She is
then able to attach to the abusive parent figure while another part of her has to
cope with the reality that the parent may kill her.
Attachment Conflict
I need to My parent is
attach abusing me!
to my parent!

Denial:
My parent is Reality:
good. My parent
I can attach to is evil and
my parent! may kill me!
2000 Restoration in Christ Ministries Dr. Tom R. & Diane W. Hawkins

2. Ability to function
Eventually the abused child reaches a stage of development in which it is increasingly
expected to function on its own. When abuse is ongoing in the home, the psyche seems to
conclude that the environment is too risky to allow the Core Self to function in even the
non-traumatic parts of life.
a. Because the alters formed to bear the trauma are usually too laden down with the
emotional impact of the abuse to function normally or consistently, this leaves the
Core Self with the intolerable conflict that it must both function and be protected.
b. This conflict is generally resolved by splitting off a major new identity, perhaps directly
from the Core, known as the Host.
1) The Hosts role is to represent the Core Self and to handle the normal kinds of
functioning needed in daily living.
2) Like the Core, the Host will be protected from experiencing trauma and thus
exhibit the same denial of the trauma that the Core does.

Function Conflict Function Conflict

Core must Core must be Host Core

function protected (Denial) (Denial)

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c. The Host may, in turn, create additional alters to help carry out specific tasks or
protect special abilities, if they seem threatened.
1) They will each demonstrate the same denial as the Host.
2) Together, the Host and these alters form what is called the Presenter System.
3) They will generally handle life outside of trauma situations.

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 Creation of the Presenter System

Host Core
(Denial) (Denial)
Goes to Cleans
School house

Plays Fun
Violin loving

B. Other common conflicts

As the traumatized child continues to mature, she will develop her own beliefs, values,
commitments, desires, and views of reality. Some of them may be so strong that they seem
uncompromisable to her. When these are threatened, the psychic distress may become
intolerable and result in further dissociation.
1. Safety conflicts
Safety is always a major concern for severely abused children. Therefore, anything that
jeopardizes their sense of safety may be perceived as an intolerable conflict.
Unfortunately, for many abused children the control of emotions can become integrally
connected to safety. While the child naturally has strong emotions of anger, fear, and pain,
she also knows with absolute certainty that showing any of those emotions is not safe as it
usually leads to even greater abuse or punishment.

Safety Conflicts
Showing my I have strong
emotions emotions:
is not safe. Rage
Terror
Pain

I have no emotions. I am consumed

Nothing with my
disturbs me. emotions.
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a. By now the psyche knows how well dissociation can resolve such intolerable conflicts
and my use this means to separate the forbidden emotions into a separate identity.
b. This explains why some survivors may seem to be virtually devoid of emotions, even
in greatly disturbing situations.
c. It also accounts for those identities who seem to be inordinately consumed by a
particular emotion. Holding that emotion may be their sole function.
2. Morality conflicts
a. Major conflicts arise when a person is who is strongly invested in being a good, moral
person is forced to participate in unthinkable, immoral acts which are totally against
her moral standards or spiritual commitments (e.g., illicit or perverted sex, criminal
acts, perpetrator acts).

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 b. These conflicts may be resolved through dissociation so that separate identities can
embody the absolutely unacceptable activities so the Primary Identities can preserve
their sense of personal morality and dignity.

Morality Conflicts
I am a good, I am forced
moral person. to do
immoral acts.

Denial: Reality:
I am maintaining I do immoral
my personal things.
morality and Adaptive Belief:
dignity. It is okay to do
these things.

2000 Restoration in Christ Ministries Dr. Tom R. & Diane W. Hawkins

c. Alters embodying unacceptable behavior have to find a non-dissociative way to

reduce its intolerable nature. Often this means finding a way to justify the belief
system of their perpetrator(s) or, in other words, that doing these things is okay.
1) These alters may seem to have a very seared conscience and might easily be
judged for their immoral perspectives and behavior.
2) However, when you understand the conflict dynamics behind their origin, you will
realize that their very existence speaks to the extent of the Cores commitment not
to engage in such activity.
Once dissociative barriers are created,
they will remain until the beliefs seemingly necessitating them
are identified, challenged, and adjusted
to eliminate the intolerable conflict.

VI. The Core Preservation Model (adapted from David Neswald)

A. The need for denial effectively divides the childs psyche into three major components:
1. The Core Selfwho is highly invested in denial for the purpose of survival
2. The Host and Presenter Systemwho are highly invested in denial for the purpose of
functioning
3. A large system of alter-identitieswho are highly invested in containing the trauma
memories so that the Core and Host can both maintain their illusion that no abuse
happened

Core Preservation Model

Host System Core

&
Presenter of Alter- Self
System Identities (Original Person)

Denial Containment Denial

for of trauma for
the sake of for the sake of
Function the sake of Survival
Protection
2000 Restoration in Christ Ministries Dr. Tom R. & Diane W. Hawkins

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 B. Multiplicity is thus seen as a massive defense mechanism which protects both the Host
and the Core Self from knowledge of the trauma.

C. Therapeutic implications
1. Exposing the Core and Host to the trauma memories without addressing the reasons they
are so invested in being separated from them can potentially incite a drastic response.
a. Severe decompensation (a marked decrease in emotional and functional stability)
b. Psychotic or borderline behavior
c. A drastic flight into even stronger denial
d. Possible withdrawal from therapy
e. Deliberate retraumatization for the purpose of strengthening the dissociative barriers
separating them from the trauma memories
2. Whenever new memories surface, you must not only focus on bringing healing to the
alters involved but also work with the Host (who represents the Core Self) to determine
the reason(s) she considers the event to be intolerable and does not want to own it.
3. When you can identify and address her beliefs and resolve her conflicts:
a. The Core and Host will no longer resist knowing the truth.
b. No adverse reactions to uncovering the memories will occur.
c. The dissociative barriers will naturally weaken because the defense is no longer
needed.

VII. Schizmogenesis Model (Lovern & Connors, 1994)

This model was originally an anthropological concept used by Gregory Bateson, who analyzed
how wars escalate between tribes in the South Pacific. Lovern and Connors adapted it to apply to
conflicted identities in DID.

A. Basic principles
1. An overwhelming event occurs, causing dissociation and separating the Core and Host
from the alter-identities bearing the trauma.
2. The more that one side advances its perspective as being right, the more the other side
pushes back, ever increasing the distance between them.
3. External people supporting one side or the other can also cause the same effect.

Schizmogenesis Model

Core
Self Alters

Daddy Daddy Doesnt

Loves Me Love Me

Incest
2000 Restoration in Christ Ministries David W. Neswald,Dr.M.A. N.C.C.,
Tom R. M.F.C.C.
& Diane W. Hawkins

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 C. Practical implications
1. Maintain as neutral a stance as possible in relating to the various identities within a person
with DID as siding with one side of a conflict will increase the resistance of the other side
a. Avoid any labels or messages that convey judgment or condemnation.
1) Light side/dark side
2) Good alters/bad alters
b. Avoid conveying any indication of alliance, support, or favoritism towards any side.
c. Do not advocate or force a particular therapeutic agenda as the right way to view or
handle something.
d. Give equal weight and consideration to each sides perspectiveincluding those of
the cult alters.
e. Take all protests from any part of the system seriously.
2. Help resisting identities understand that you, too, are committed to the well-being of the
Core Self.

Note: Some of the thoughts expressed in this lecture were originally received from David Neswald. 2

2 David Neswald, lecture at CSHDD Conference, 1996.

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