Some features of SPs
Anger and
aggression are the primary components of SPs’ emotional expression. However, it
is often unclear to whom SPs are directing their anger. Indeed, they appear to
direct their anger in a rather indiscriminate fashion, such as yelling at or
lunging toward whoever is around them. However, it might also hurt the body of
the host personality, or even attempt to kill him/her, which ultimately means killing
itself.
It is worth noting
that SPs’ aggressiveness is typically accompanied by a lack of the same in the
host and other main personality states. Many parts of the personality seen
among patients with DID often do not know how to express, or even feel, angry
and frustrated. SPs might typically appear in situations where other people
have initially demonstrated aggressive behaviors or intrusiveness towards the host
personality. The host personality does not, however, typically intentionally
“summon” or “invite” the SP into the scene in response to aggression from others.
Instead, the host personality may become at a loss and thereby cause the SP to manifest.
The whole process occurs rather instantly and automatically.
It is worth noting that In the Studies of Hysteria (1895), Freud proposed an opposite view, that a
person intentionally and defensively mobilizes different parts of the personality
in such critical situations, and disagreed with Breuer’s non-dynamic view (a
“hypnoid state.”) that such a state occurs automatically.
