Ravenna Character Cheat Sheet:
The following information is from and paraphrased from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5 (DSM 5). As the book uses a lot of psychological specific terms, I am going to break down the criteria and explain what is relevant to Ravenna’s character. I am NOT expecting this to followed to the letter- leaving some creative license makes things fun. I merely want to explain what Dissociative Identity Disorder could look like for this character.
The following is the criteria from the DSM 5:
Diagnostic Criteria
300.14 (F44.81)
A. Disruption of identity characterized by two or more distinct personality states, which may be described in some cultures as an experience of possession. The disruption in identity involves marked discontinuity in sense of self and sense of agency, accompanied by related alterations in affect, behavior, consciousness, memory, perception, cognition, and/or sensory-motor functioning. These signs and symptoms may be observed by others or reported by the individual.
B. Recurrent gaps in the recall of everyday events, important personal information, and/or traumatic events that are inconsistent with ordinary forgetting.
C. The symptoms cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.
D. The disturbance is not a normal part of a broadly accepted cultural or religious practice.
o Note: In children, the symptoms are not better explained by imaginary playmates or other fantasy play.
E. The symptoms are not attributable to the physiological effects of a substance (e.g., blackouts or chaotic behavior during alcohol intoxication) or another medical condition (e.g., complex partial seizures).
A lot of big confusing words, yes? Don’t worry, it will be explained better below. Let’s start with Criteria A:
A. Disruption of identity characterized by two or more distinct personality states, which may be described in some cultures as an experience of possession. The disruption in identity involves marked discontinuity in sense of self and sense of agency, accompanied by related alterations in affect, behavior, consciousness, memory, perception, cognition, and/or sensory-motor functioning. These signs and symptoms may be observed by others or reported by the individual.
What this is saying is there are two or more ‘personalities’ that are distinctly different from one another. I asked a psychology person I knew about how this ‘math’ is done, because ‘two or more’ is misleading. It means, 2 + the original personality. So, 3. And from what I understand, all three personalities should be distinct.
Now, this is something I have just learned from my research for another story I have with this same disorder: the other personalities are created to protect the ‘original’ one. Also known as the CORE. Honestly, this may be outdated, but from what I know, other personalities are created through traumatic experiences.
According to the DSM 5: “Dissociative identity disorder is associated with overwhelming experiences, traumatic events, and/or abuse occurring in childhood(
Kluft 1985;
Dalenberg et al. 2012;
Silberg 1996). The full disorder may first manifest at almost any age (from earliest childhood to late life).”
Interestingly enough, the DSM continues to say, “Other forms of traumatizing experiences, including childhood medical and surgical procedures, war….”
So, given Ravenna’s background, it makes logical sense the experiments she was subjected to as a child created other personalities to protect herself.
Now, criteria B:
B. Recurrent gaps in the recall of everyday events, important personal information, and/or traumatic events that are inconsistent with ordinary forgetting.
When I was researching this for another work, it was interesting to learn that each persona (or Alter as the Cleaveland Clinic calls alternate identities), is like whole other person. Sure, they may have similar traits, but one might like going to school, another does the chores around the house. One might like music, the other likes painting. But the issue that occurs is that the alters don’t always remember what happened while they were not in charge, or fronting, as I remember it being called. When a switch happens, I have heard of people becoming tired, or experiencing a headache. I am sure there are more, but those are the two I remember.
So, there are sometimes huge memory gaps that occur and that’s what the DSM is saying here. For example, Becca Hargis wrote a blog post about what
A Day in the Life with Dissociative Identity Disorder is like. In her post, which is part of her whole blog on the condition, she says:
I can tell another headmate drove the car before me. The driver's seat isn't in my settings. The seat is pushed back for longer legs and lowered for someone taller than me. My head and side mirrors are adjusted outward. Sometimes I hate their interference in my life, even if it is just a seat setting. Without knowing his/her name, I grumble and groan at whoever drove the car before me.
And later in the story, she gets a package that a different alter ordered.
So, it is like living with a bunch of roomates, but you all share a body and want different things. In the blog post, Hargis also states that certain events of the day, like attending therapy “feels foggy and foreign…”
The increment of time lost to other alters can vary and most likely be jarring. The DSM 5 put it neatly, if I am honest:
“Amnesia in individuals with dissociative identity disorder is not limited to stressful or traumatic events; these individuals often cannot recall everyday events as well.
Individuals with dissociative identity disorder vary in their awareness and attitude toward their amnesias. It is common for these individuals to minimize their amnestic symptoms. Some of their amnestic behaviors may be apparent to others—as when these persons do not recall something they were witnessed to have done or said, when they cannot remember their own name, or when they do not recognize their spouse, children, or close friends.”
When alters switch places, it’s called switching, something I understand isn’t always like flicking a switch. Sometimes it’s gradual, other times, it’s not. According to the DID-Research.org: “Switches can be consensual, forced, or triggered. If two alters choose to switch with one another, they usually have some degree of co-consciousness with each other and could both choose to remain at front, or actively aware of the outside world, after the switch. However, even with consensual switches, the alter who takes a step back, so to speak, may then retreat
inside for whatever reason. A subtype of consensual switches are planned switches that were agreed upon ahead of time. For example, the host may ask a more academic alter to help them to take a standardized test on a certain date.”
From what I understand, the altar can sometimes talk to one another in their head. It’s a very complex thing, but in the story, keeping it simple is best. I usually keep internal chatter to a minimum, even though Becca Hargis talks about having many voices talking at once.
Criteria C in the DSM 5 states: “ The symptoms cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.”
From what I read on HealthyPlace where Becca Hargis wrote about her experiences, it is quite a task to keep all the alters happy with one another- especially when events are forgotten, and packages are ordered without knowledge. The way this disorder really impacts someone is the gaps in memory that are mentioned above and also, the risk the alters don’t like one another. This can lead to suicide, which according to the DSM 5 is, “Over 70% of outpatients with dissociative identity disorder have attempted suicide; multiple attempts are common, and other self-injurious behavior is frequent (
Foote et al. 2008;
Putnam et al. 1986). Assessment of suicide risk may be complicated when there is amnesia for past suicidal behavior or when the presenting identity does not feel suicidal and is unaware that other dissociated identities do.”
(However, I ask in this roleplay we keep it PG-13, so references are fine, but we want to keep Ravenna around for the story.)
D. The disturbance is not a normal part of a broadly accepted cultural or religious practice.
o Note: In children, the symptoms are not better explained by imaginary playmates or other fantasy play.
This criteria is more important in terms of our real world, but it is best to make note of it. So, a culture that has rituals that channel the dead or something, don’t count.
E. The symptoms are not attributable to the physiological effects of a substance (e.g., blackouts or chaotic behavior during alcohol intoxication) or another medical condition (e.g., complex partial seizures).
So, like the above says, if you’re drunk and your personality changes, it doesn’t mean you have this. Or if you have a medical condition that causes personality changes, like a brain tumor or something.
So, having read all this, the following applies to Ravenna’s character:
- Ravenna has gaps in her memory from when she's not in control and tries to pretend she doesn't.
- She sometimes hears Alisso talking to her when she's in danger or pain. He will offer a helping hand. The two only swap in dangerous situations. Following, Nari does her best to fix any injuries and calm herself down.
- Ravenna feels tired and a little confused before and after she switches. This is usually gradual or cued by a situation. Even in danger, it's a slow shift and not very noticeable.
- Doesn't know there are other personas/alters and yet has a feeling there is something she can't tell others.
- Ravenna doesn't know how to write well, so doesn't keep a notebook or anything to keep track of events or time passing. None of the others know how to write either. Ravenna has about a 3rd grade level of spelling, etc. (US Schools)
If you have any questions, please feel free to ask!
Sources:
The DSM 5 (NOT the Text Revised Version as I do not have access to it!)
Becca Hargis:
https://www.healthyplace.com/blogs/.../04/a-day-with-dissociative-identity-disorder
HealthyPlace (Whole Blog):
Living with DID | HealthyPlace
The Cleveland Clinic:
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/heal...entity-disorder-multiple-personality-disorder
Did-Research.org:
Switching and Passive Influence | DID-Research.org
