Subsystem

A subsystem is a sub-grouping of members within a system, similar to a sidesystem or a layer. It originated as a term used in clinical literature for dissociative identity disorder and OSDD-1, but has spread throughout the plural community as a whole. It was coined around the 2000s or 2010s as a part of medical literature on DID. It is essentially a system within a system, that may share a body or not share a body within headspace.

Subsystems frequently form due to trauma that needs to be compartmentalized away from other alters of the system, but the term is currently in use by non-traumagenic systems as well.

## Related terms

There are many community terms that have been coined for different types of subsystems:

* Container Subsystem: A subsystem that shares a body inside headspace. Coined by Jelen of Kairos Court^The Temenē Alliance. An alternative DID/OSDD-1 exclusive term for this type of of subsystem is contained subsystem, coined by multiplemogai.
* Separated Subsystem: A subsystem that does not share a body inside headspace, but is otherwise connected to each other and not the rest of the system for various reasons. Coined by Jelen of Kairos Court^The Temenē Alliance. An alternative DID/OSDD-1 exclusive term for this type of subsystem is bordered subsystem, coined by multiplemogai.
* Semi-Separated Subsystem: A subsystem that optionally shares a body inside headspace that members are able to travel out of into the rest of the system. Coined by Shooting Star Collective.
* Disconnected Subsystem: A subsystem which has very high dissociative barriers to all other subsystems. Coined by multiplemogai, and exclusive to DID/OSDD-1 systems.
* Base Subsystem: Coined by multiplemogai, and exclusive to DID/OSDD-1 systems. A subsystem which seems to act as the “base” to the other subsystems in a person’s system. This subsystem tends to:
	+ be linked to or overlapping with most, if not all other subsystems within a person’s system
	+ be the largest subsystem in a person’s system (due to more alters splitting within it)
	+ contain the host or commonly fronting alters
* Floating Subsystem: A subsystem in which its dissociative barriers to other subsystems seem to rise and fall. If other subsystems are viewed as stationary, this subsystem would be fluid and moving. A subsystem of floaters. Coined by multiplemogai, and exclusive to DID/OSDD-1 systems.
* Stacked Subsystem: A subsystem within a subsystem. This may refer to overlapping subsystems or subsystems fully contained within one another. Coined by multiplemogai, and exclusive to DID/OSDD-1 systems. A non-exclusive version of this term is Nested Subsystem. The headspace of a nested subsystem can be referred to as nested subspace, coined by Shooting Star Collective.
* Flicker Subsystem: A subsystem that goes between being a subsystem and not being a subsystem. Coined by plurgai.
* Ringed Subsystem: A subsystem with a core identity and a "ring" of differences applied to the core identity. Coined by The Indigo Orrery.
	+ Chariklo Subsystem: A type of Ringed Subsystem where the ring mixes in with the core identities' kintypes, causing each orbiting difference in the ring to hold a kintype. Coined by plurgai.
	+ Haumea Subsystem: A type of Ringed Subsystem where the ring mixes in with the core identities genders, causing each orbiting difference in the ring to hold a gender. Coined by plurgai.
	+ Chiron Subsystem: A type of Ringed Subsystem where there are two or more rotating rings of differences, which causes every fronting member of the system to look different. Coined by plurgai.
* Intrasinglet: A member of a system who is not a part of a subsystem. Coined by Petrichor Voices.

Subsystem flag by not-your-introsourceSimplified subsystem flag by not-your-introsourceContained subsystem flag by multiplemogaiBordered subsystem flag by multiplemogaiDisconnected subsystem flag by multiplemogaiFloating subsystem flag by multiplemogaiBase subsystem flag by multiplemogaiStacked subsystem flag by multiplemogai
1. ↑ Assessing and Treating Complex Dissociative Disorders, Kathy Steele & Onno Van Der Hart
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Systems and Subsystems on did-research.org
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Subsystem types by multiplemogai
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 System Terms by Shooting Star Collective
5. ↑ Nested Subsystem on Plurality Dictionary Wiki
6. ↑ System terms by plurgai
7. ↑ Ringed Subsystem on Plurality Dictionary Wiki
8. ↑ Median and Median Subsystem Terms by plurgai
9. ↑ Intrasinglet on Termora