# alt.support.dissociation (AKA a.s.d.)

alt.support.dissociation was a Usenet group created "for persons with dissociative disorders," (Unknown Date). It was founded on 8/28/1994, making it one of the oldest existing dissociative groups still extant and even sporadically active. It is now owned by Google groups.

##### Quick Details

**Type**: Usenet group  
**Dates Active**: 1994-present  
**Location**: [https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/alt.support.dissociation](https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/alt.support.dissociation)

##### The Founding

On 8/28/1994, a poster named Jonathan Grobe [posts](https://groups.google.com/d/msg/alt.sexual.abuse.recovery/cxSSC9a9uto/M3RuliatW2MJ), "The reason I had for suggesting/creating this newsgroup was originally going to be to discuss JUST multiplicity (aka MPD aka Multiple Personalities aka Multiple Personality Disorder aka Dissociative Identity Disorder) and the problems arising from it, how to deal with it, what to do about it, etc. etc. While discussing it on alt.config, someone mentioned calling it alt.dissociation and including other dissociative disorders as well as MP. I thought this was a wonderful idea, because many people who aren't "really multiple" experience the same types of problems and handle their dissociative states in a very similar way. So, with that in mind, alt.support.dissociation was born."

##### Perspective on Trauma and Medicalization

Even on the announcement of the creation of a.s.d., Jonathan Grobe states, "although not everyone feels that it \[dissociation\] is a problem for them, they are 'officially' disorders," and that ambivalence seems to have carried over. An early poster [remarked](https://groups.google.com/d/msg/alt.support.dissociation/5ruKWhbZQKU/QVW2dBt2gGkJ), "I was told a.s.d. was to be a support newsgroup for mp's or those who dissociate, regardless of how dysfunctional they are or are not. \[...\] I do not consider myself to be disordered or broken." (1994, September 6).

The first version of the [alt.support.dissociation Insider FAQ](https://groups.google.com/d/msg/alt.support.dissociation/syXW3KkhIZA/gM5TsFZmt2sJ), created by Discord and Sapphire Gazelles, offers the following definition of "multiple system": "someone who has multiple persons/personalities living inside of one body. These are referred to here as alters. (As of the DSM-IV, this condition is called Dissociative Identity Disorder, but most people here will probably not use the official term.)" In the section "What causes multiplicity?" Discord and Sapphire Gazelles specifically state that while many experience trauma, "there are exceptions to this." These include, "a few multiples exist that do not believe that they were abused but have had dissociative role models, such as a multiple parent." (1994, September 7)

In [later edits of the FAQ](http://faqs.cs.uu.nl/na-dir/dissoc-faq/part3.html), this expanded to also include, "Some people explore identity or alternate identity games, like role playing, acting, pretending, or alternate social structures to the point where they begin to question their original identity. In some cases, these identities can take on aspects, experiences, and problems which are essentially identical to those experienced by multiples who experienced trauma." They also emphasize, "Some multiples are unaware of any initial trauma. Whether such trauma exists and the memories blocked or whether no such trauma exists is usually impossible to determine" (1995, May 14).

#### Citations

alt.support.dissociation. (Unknown Date). About Group. Retrieved 3/10/19 from [https://groups.google.com/forum/#!aboutgroup/alt.support.dissociation)](https://groups.google.com/forum/#!aboutgroup/alt.support.dissociation))

Discord and Sapphire Gazelles. (1994, September 7). alt.support.dissociation FAQ 3/4 \[Usenet message\]. Retrieved 3/10/19 from [https://groups.google.com/d/msg/alt.support.dissociation/syXW3KkhIZA/gM5TsFZmt2sJ](https://groups.google.com/d/msg/alt.support.dissociation/syXW3KkhIZA/gM5TsFZmt2sJ)

Discord and Sapphire Gazelles. (1995, May 14). alt.support.dissociation FAQ 3/4 \[Usenet message\]. Retrieved 3/10/19 from [http://faqs.cs.uu.nl/na-dir/dissoc-faq/part3.html](http://faqs.cs.uu.nl/na-dir/dissoc-faq/part3.html))

Grobe, Jonathan. (1994, August 28). <span class="F0XO1GC-mb-Y" id="t-t">Dissociation/Multiple Personalities Support Newsgroup Created</span> \[Newsgroup message\]. Retrieved 3/13/2019 from [https://groups.google.com/d/msg/alt.sexual.abuse.recovery/cxSSC9a9uto/M3RuliatW2MJ](https://groups.google.com/d/msg/alt.sexual.abuse.recovery/cxSSC9a9uto/M3RuliatW2MJ)

Leigh Ann. (1994, September 6). <span class="F0XO1GC-mb-Y" id="t-t">Welcome to alt.support.dissociation</span> \[Newsgroup message\]. Retrieved 3/13/2019 from [https://groups.google.com/d/msg/alt.support.dissociation/5ruKWhbZQKU/QVW2dBt2gGkJ](https://groups.google.com/d/msg/alt.support.dissociation/5ruKWhbZQKU/QVW2dBt2gGkJ)