hello, friend

...and welcome to our little corner of the internet. We're Clementine (also known as The Despite System), and we are diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder. Through our videos, writing, and art, we aim to educate others about what it's like to live with DID, destigmatize complex mental health conditions, and make the world a safer, kinder place for those living with them.

Above all else, our work is for the survivors. When you meet us on the page, there are no prerequisites. No impossible standards of perfection you have to meet. We are here for folks interested in healing, honoring the full complexity of their humanity, and making the most of their one little life.

If that sounds like you, welcome home.

“What if changing the world was just about being here, by showing up no matter how many times we get told we don’t belong, by staying true even when we’re shamed into being false, by believing in ourselves even when we’re told we’re too different? And if we all held on to that, if we refuse to budge and fall in line, if we stood our ground for long enough, just maybe… The world can’t help but change around us.”

—Mr. Robot, Season 4, Episode 13

about the system

Although each of us in the system has our own individual name, we use "Clementine" as an umbrella: a name folks can use to refer to us as a system as opposed to individual alters. This name can be used interchangeably with our moniker "Despite System," which serves essentially the same function.

Being a relatively small system, we generally have a handful of frequent fronters that will likely make an appearance at some point. If something is written or drawn by an individual within the system, we will sign off with our name to identify ourselves as the creator. Otherwise, assume that our work is collaborative and thus difficult to assign to a specific alter.

Every system is unique and will describe their experiences differently. Personally, we tend to give the explanation that, while we share a body, for all intents and purposes, we are different people — and we appreciate when folks treat us as such.

Ultimately, our DID is only a part of who we are, and our writing/art explores a lot more than just this particular disorder. However, being that our mission to destigmatize DID, we do talk about it quite a bit, and everything we create is created through the lens of multiplicity. We ask that you keep that in mind when engaging with our work and encourage you to explore DID research regarding any questions you may have.

If you'd like to reach out to us personally, you may do so at despitesystem@gmail.com.