Questioning
The questioning part of the FAQ is for those who may be questioning endogenic origins or what an endogenic system entails, and are curious about what it means to be endogenic.
Question: What is an endogenic system exactly?
An endogenic system is a system that did not originate from trauma, and is synonymous with the term "natural system", which was once used to refer to the same concept. Some people may class tulpas as endogenic (and they do count as a type of endogenic system) though the label by itself is typically used for those who were not purposefully created, or did not arise from traumatic origins.
Question: Does being endogenic excuse any negative or abusive behavior?
No, it does not. Regardless of plural identification, trauma history, beliefs or anything else one might be dealing with, there is no excuse for abusive behavior, and being endogenic (or any other type of origin) should not change things.
Question: Do I have to disregard my trauma history to be a "proper endogenic" system?
No, and generally if you have a trauma history and are currently able to process it, it is not advised that you repress it on the basis of "looking like everyone else". Being an endogenic system simply means that you and your group came into being regardless of trauma. It has no bearing on any trauma you may have acquired before or after you learned about your system.
Even learning that your trauma history may have had an effect (or that you're a traumagenic system) may not change the way things are. Trauma history or not, you and your system are the way they are.
Question: Are endogenic systems anti-traumagenic or anti DID/OSDD?
No. There are plenty of endogenic systems who support traumagenic systems and believe they should be taken seriously by society, and that trauma is a valid way of coming into being- they just don't feel they were created by trauma.
Question: Is being endogenic a social movement?
No. It is simply an origin, a way a system might believe they came into this world. Being endogenic is not inherently anti-psychiatry, nor is it a social movement. The endogenic community (at the time natural system portion of the plural community) came into existence because some systems didn't feel like trauma solely defined them, or that they were even trauma-based to begin with.
Question: Is it better to be an endogenic system?
No, not really. Endogenic systems are not somehow "better" than traumagenic systems due to lack of trauma causation, especially when some endogenic systems may stumble as they learn to get along, and some traumagenic systems can heal more rapidly from trauma than others. There are no special privileges given to those who call themselves endogenic, or insist they did not come from trauma, and there's nothing special about being endogenic.
Question: Are endogenic systems and tramagenic systems interchangeable?
Not typically. While both are valid types of plurals and share a lot of similarities, it may be harmful for both to be conflated too much. Traumagenic systems generally need more medical and psychological help to manage intrusive memories, pathological dissociation, and in some cases the unwanted formation of alters. Endogenic systems generally do not need the psychological treatment usually reserved for traumagenic systems, although they may need help learning about and coming to accept their system. There are the occasional mixes who may skew both communities and some systems may have traits that require the specialties of another community, but there do appear to be general differences that contrast endogenics and traumagenics. They both deserve to be talked about and focused on, and they're both plural, but they're not exactly the same, and the way someone might try to help one wouldn't necessarily be the way someone would help the other.
Question: Are all endogenic systems spiritual?
Quite a few are, but there are plenty out there who view their group's origins as being nothing more than a product of the brain, and then there are some who take both the spiritual and psychological into account. Remember that even in individual plural systems there may be disagreements among the various headmates as to how they all came about, and some may not even care!
Question: If I am part of an endogenic system, do I have to see a mental health professional?
It is your choice. It may be helpful to see one if you're struggling with your plurality or need help in other areas of your life, but if you do not feel as if your plurality is a source of distress or discomfort or that you have other problems you need fixing, you do not have to see one. It really depends on your individual needs and what you need help with.
Question: I think I've created my system, yet they make my life harder and distress me!
If you feel like you've created your system yet they make your life harder in major ways (some system members seem intent on sabotaging your life, others like to attack your body or harass you in-headspace, etc.) this may indicate a dissociative disorder instead of any non-traumagenic plural experience, especially if this comes with a significant amount of dissociation. Some traumagenic systems who are just realizing their plurality may split and mistake the split for a created headmate, instead of a split caused by trauma or environmental influences.
Question: I think I created my system, but they are also intertwined with abuse. Did I bring the abuse onto myself?
No. You are not responsible for what any abuser does to you, and whether your system was created from abuse or was a side effect of it, you deserve to be treated humanely and kindly. If said abuse has caused system members to turn hostile or cause harm to yourself or others, this is most likely a sign that you and the rest of the system must get out of the abusive environment, find a safe place to recover and regain your bearings, and/or talk to a mental health professional.
Question: I consider myself part of an endogenic system but ever since I did that my mental/physical health has declined. What's going on?
This may be due to having a hard time accepting oneself is endogenic (especially if it's looked down upon in an area you're in) but may often imply a different origin of plurality than endogenic, and may be a sign of past trauma or even a different condition entirely. Considering oneself endogenic or functioning as an endogenic system would works well for endogenic systems and related groups, but can be detrimental for those who are markedly not endogenic, or in some cases not even plural.
Additionally, if you are experiencing detrimental effects due to being plural or significant dissociation that is interfering with daily life/functioning, it may be pertinent to seek out some form of mental help.
Question: I think I see an endogenic system who doesn't know who they are. Should I tell them?
No one is actually able to tell what kind of system another person may be a part of, but if you feel it may be appropriate and the situation allows you to do so, you can offer endogenesis as a possibility. However, please do not invade the spaces of other systems or enter otherwise specialized groups (such as groups made for the discussion of DID/OSDD) to mention this. Odds are that the people there already know or have heard of non-traumagenic systems, or have considered it at one point but found it an unsuitable answer for what they were going through. Those who feel as if they do not fit in with traumagenic systems will leave of their own accord when they are ready.
An endogenic system is a system that did not originate from trauma, and is synonymous with the term "natural system", which was once used to refer to the same concept. Some people may class tulpas as endogenic (and they do count as a type of endogenic system) though the label by itself is typically used for those who were not purposefully created, or did not arise from traumatic origins.
Question: Does being endogenic excuse any negative or abusive behavior?
No, it does not. Regardless of plural identification, trauma history, beliefs or anything else one might be dealing with, there is no excuse for abusive behavior, and being endogenic (or any other type of origin) should not change things.
Question: Do I have to disregard my trauma history to be a "proper endogenic" system?
No, and generally if you have a trauma history and are currently able to process it, it is not advised that you repress it on the basis of "looking like everyone else". Being an endogenic system simply means that you and your group came into being regardless of trauma. It has no bearing on any trauma you may have acquired before or after you learned about your system.
Even learning that your trauma history may have had an effect (or that you're a traumagenic system) may not change the way things are. Trauma history or not, you and your system are the way they are.
Question: Are endogenic systems anti-traumagenic or anti DID/OSDD?
No. There are plenty of endogenic systems who support traumagenic systems and believe they should be taken seriously by society, and that trauma is a valid way of coming into being- they just don't feel they were created by trauma.
Question: Is being endogenic a social movement?
No. It is simply an origin, a way a system might believe they came into this world. Being endogenic is not inherently anti-psychiatry, nor is it a social movement. The endogenic community (at the time natural system portion of the plural community) came into existence because some systems didn't feel like trauma solely defined them, or that they were even trauma-based to begin with.
Question: Is it better to be an endogenic system?
No, not really. Endogenic systems are not somehow "better" than traumagenic systems due to lack of trauma causation, especially when some endogenic systems may stumble as they learn to get along, and some traumagenic systems can heal more rapidly from trauma than others. There are no special privileges given to those who call themselves endogenic, or insist they did not come from trauma, and there's nothing special about being endogenic.
Question: Are endogenic systems and tramagenic systems interchangeable?
Not typically. While both are valid types of plurals and share a lot of similarities, it may be harmful for both to be conflated too much. Traumagenic systems generally need more medical and psychological help to manage intrusive memories, pathological dissociation, and in some cases the unwanted formation of alters. Endogenic systems generally do not need the psychological treatment usually reserved for traumagenic systems, although they may need help learning about and coming to accept their system. There are the occasional mixes who may skew both communities and some systems may have traits that require the specialties of another community, but there do appear to be general differences that contrast endogenics and traumagenics. They both deserve to be talked about and focused on, and they're both plural, but they're not exactly the same, and the way someone might try to help one wouldn't necessarily be the way someone would help the other.
Question: Are all endogenic systems spiritual?
Quite a few are, but there are plenty out there who view their group's origins as being nothing more than a product of the brain, and then there are some who take both the spiritual and psychological into account. Remember that even in individual plural systems there may be disagreements among the various headmates as to how they all came about, and some may not even care!
Question: If I am part of an endogenic system, do I have to see a mental health professional?
It is your choice. It may be helpful to see one if you're struggling with your plurality or need help in other areas of your life, but if you do not feel as if your plurality is a source of distress or discomfort or that you have other problems you need fixing, you do not have to see one. It really depends on your individual needs and what you need help with.
Question: I think I've created my system, yet they make my life harder and distress me!
If you feel like you've created your system yet they make your life harder in major ways (some system members seem intent on sabotaging your life, others like to attack your body or harass you in-headspace, etc.) this may indicate a dissociative disorder instead of any non-traumagenic plural experience, especially if this comes with a significant amount of dissociation. Some traumagenic systems who are just realizing their plurality may split and mistake the split for a created headmate, instead of a split caused by trauma or environmental influences.
Question: I think I created my system, but they are also intertwined with abuse. Did I bring the abuse onto myself?
No. You are not responsible for what any abuser does to you, and whether your system was created from abuse or was a side effect of it, you deserve to be treated humanely and kindly. If said abuse has caused system members to turn hostile or cause harm to yourself or others, this is most likely a sign that you and the rest of the system must get out of the abusive environment, find a safe place to recover and regain your bearings, and/or talk to a mental health professional.
Question: I consider myself part of an endogenic system but ever since I did that my mental/physical health has declined. What's going on?
This may be due to having a hard time accepting oneself is endogenic (especially if it's looked down upon in an area you're in) but may often imply a different origin of plurality than endogenic, and may be a sign of past trauma or even a different condition entirely. Considering oneself endogenic or functioning as an endogenic system would works well for endogenic systems and related groups, but can be detrimental for those who are markedly not endogenic, or in some cases not even plural.
Additionally, if you are experiencing detrimental effects due to being plural or significant dissociation that is interfering with daily life/functioning, it may be pertinent to seek out some form of mental help.
Question: I think I see an endogenic system who doesn't know who they are. Should I tell them?
No one is actually able to tell what kind of system another person may be a part of, but if you feel it may be appropriate and the situation allows you to do so, you can offer endogenesis as a possibility. However, please do not invade the spaces of other systems or enter otherwise specialized groups (such as groups made for the discussion of DID/OSDD) to mention this. Odds are that the people there already know or have heard of non-traumagenic systems, or have considered it at one point but found it an unsuitable answer for what they were going through. Those who feel as if they do not fit in with traumagenic systems will leave of their own accord when they are ready.
