Fuzzy mental boarders

I was musing on this today anyway so I thought I'd bring it up here. I think being part of a multiple system is connected to my having fuzzy boarders as a "person" what I mean is, I sometimes have this feeling of looking at myself from anothers view if our eyes meet, or that I become something different (still physically me and technically me mentally) if I'm around different people or entities. It isn't therianthropy or shapeshifting, just I take on other people's attributes easily. It may also have to do with taking in energy from others since I don't actively feed as a vamp as often as I should. But I worry that I'll stay a seperate entity at this rate.

Could this "fuzziness of boundries" be something that has contributed to, or has been caused by, my being multiple? I can't say that one predates the other, or if so which it would be.

I don't think so--we've never had that problem with people, only animals. It could be just a thing that you can do.

We've a friend who's like that, but energy wise. If he's not careful, his energy begins to mimic the energy of the people around him.

--Shang

Sounds a bit like empathy. Empaths can easily have problems determining what is theirs and what comes from outside, and if they're not careful can start to have a sort of fuzzy identity thing going on. Of course, sometimes I do this on purpose if I want to put the people around me at ease. But if it becomes a habit, it can be a problem.

I'm often reminded of that Star Trek episode with the empathic metamorph. She took on characteristics that the people around her found attractive. At one point she told Picard, "I like who I am when I'm with you." So obvisouly she did have a preference of her own. Could be a lesson in choosing your friends and surroundings carefully. Or perhaps in finding your own center and trying not to drift too far from it.

Are all empaths vampires or are all vampires empathic? I don't think so, though there does seem to be a relation in there somewhere. More like empaths are just good at sensing the energies of those around them.

Motley Wrote:Are all empaths vampires or are all vampires empathic? I don't think so, though there does seem to be a relation in there somewhere. More like empaths are just good at sensing the energies of those around them.

I'd say that the only reason why vampires and empathy would be connected is that vampires, who need energy to continue living normally, would therefore be more open to energy as a whole. And, if you want the cynic's view, the major factor would most likely be that those who are professed vampire are not very skeptical in that of energy, itself, and therefore are either open to the possibility of empathy and so develop it, or simply believe that they do.

I would also suppose that it becomes a hunter's trait. A good hunter knows its prey, and so when you are a vampire, energy skills become much more valuable in order to gauge the target.

And, smiles, I have the same gift of being able to look through another's eyes and "understand" their attributes, although I suppose it doesn't affect me as much due to the apathetic way I obtain the information (claircognizance). It's a good skill to have if you can manage to control it (being able to get both sides of the story at once is invaluable) but can be particularly annoying if you can't (too much information at once, in my case, or becoming like that person, for yours).

Hmmm, as for your "multiple-ness" being a factor in this equation, I am going to say no unless your multiple is the one picking up on it. Typically, I can distinguish internal and external influences from each other (having somebody implant a suggestion is a lot different than a multiple giving me one), but I cannot say for you because your means of gaining such information is relatively internal, as well. Perhaps you are more receptive considering that you are open to internal suggestion. I would suggest, if this is a problem, to find a way to distinguish between your multiples and your empathy and then set up controls, much as you would a shield or so (I, myself, compare myself to a computer, where each is a different user with different levels of access). When you feel that you are changing, check your motives until you find the root of it. Eventually, (maybe), you will be able to look at your empathy as a separate thing, as if it were a memory or another person, and be able to decide if you act in that way or not.

So, in short... I don't think your multiple-ness directly ties to your "fuzzy boundaries" -- this is an empathy control thing. You not feeding as much as "necessary" as a vampire might have something to do with it (subconsciously checking the "food" when you're hungry), but I doubt this is abnormal and can be "fixed". The major question is if you really want to "fix" it or not, since "becoming somebody else", even if unwanted at times, can really brighten up your day.

And, for my disclaimer. I am not a professional in any regard, though I do *often* think of these things. Therefore, these are all my personal thoughts and opinion of the matter and are not to be taken without a huge bucket of disbelief.

Note : Look at all the quotations in that one, small paragraph! XD. If there was a quotation limit law, I'd probably be facing a ticket, at the very least.

I have two comments.

1) The sensation of seeing yourself from someone else's point of view could be a form of dissociation.
2) The typo in the topic, if intentional, is pure genius for a multiple forum <!-- s --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_e_wink.gif" alt=";)" title="Wink" /><!-- s -->

Archer Wrote:I have two comments.

1) The sensation of seeing yourself from someone else's point of view could be a form of dissociation.
2) The typo in the topic, if intentional, is pure genius for a multiple forum <!-- s --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_e_wink.gif" alt=";)" title="Wink" /><!-- s -->

XD I didn't notice that till you pointed it out, since I'm a terrible speller. Also, I have been wondering at what point is all this just Otherkin related and how much of it needs to be addressed by a psych specialist. I had a councelor and he was ok with my having headmates and even being a vampyre, as long as I didn't cause problems for myself, family/friends or law enforcement. But I don't know what another councelor would say, and I have more "issues", spiritual and mental, than I did then I suppose.

Archer Wrote:I have two comments.

1) The sensation of seeing yourself from someone else's point of view could be a form of dissociation.
2) The typo in the topic, if intentional, is pure genius for a multiple forum <!-- s --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_e_wink.gif" alt=";)" title="Wink" /><!-- s -->

Indeed, very Zen-like. Our reaction before first clicking through was, "Is that a typo or is it a problem with not being able to always identify visitors who blur with the regulars?"

-Aspen

vampyre_smiles Wrote:I had a councelor and he was ok with my having headmates and even being a vampyre, as long as I didn't cause problems for myself, family/friends or law enforcement.

And that's exactly the attitude of any competent mental health practitioner.

If you don't have social, financial, legal, or health problems as a result of your, for want of a better phrase, unusual psychology - then there's no issue. At the worst, considering yourself multiple is an unusual coping strategy.

On the other hand if you do have problems - persistent delusions or hallucinations, intrustive thoughts, depression, inability to hold down a job, inability to clean yourself, violence - then you definitely do have problems. If someone had those issues, then otherkin or not they would need medical help.

People who are otherwise "sane" have no problem with also considering themselves otherkin or multiple.

The problem arises when people are patently nuts, but might be non-human as well.

I do the same thing as well, to be honest. I typically have to be with them and actually like them for this to happen to me.

I'm not an energy vamp or anything, and no one else close to me seems to think so. I remember a friend of mine thought I was for quite a while, but that seems to have gone away and that was a couple years ago anyways. Dunno if that helps with anything, but that's how I am heh.

Can a dragon be a energy vamp as well. Hmmm.

Grahckheuhl Wrote:Can a dragon be a energy vamp as well. Hmmm.

Anything that needs to take "energy" from another living creature in order to thrive can be a vampire.