A few theories have yet to be totally cast aside.

It is firmly believed that all multiples are created as a result of trauma. The idea of natural multiplicity is dismissed as case of denial. While many multiples report horrendous child abuse many report nothing unusual had occurred in their lives. So what makes a multiple? Many non-multiples have significant abuse histories, after all most people are aware of David Pelzer, author of A Child Called It and the abuse that he endured. He was not a multiple. It has been accepted that there is a biological link in dissociation; many multiples report that their parents were too dissociative. Perhaps multiplicity is something that one is born with, and is further developed in life, perhaps more rapidly in people with abuse histories, but not exclusively.

Are people only born with one personality? The DSM4 determined for all therapists that yes we are all born with one personality that is fragmented in the face of trauma. A curious thought, if conjoined twins can exist, two people in one body, why couldn't there be two personalities in one body, a Person A and Person B? This concept certainly supports the idea of natural born multiples, doesn't it? Fragmentation is of course a possible occurrence and may come from trauma (trauma based multiplicity) but it is a bit excessive to say that this is the only way things could occur. The human mind is not wholly known and to constrict therapists from looking at people in a multiple system and demanding that therapists see the multiple as only as shards of a person does not bode well in building relations with people in a multiple system.

It is believed by many that therapy is the only option for those that are multiple. Multiples are viewed often as too ill to handle life without a therapist's guidance. Many multiples do not engage in therapy. Many do. Many people with out multiplicity seek therapy, many don't. Having many reside in one body does not mean that they cannot do things that other people can. Multiples who choose therapy can rest assure that they don't have to go through treatment several times a week. Multiples are just as capable of handling daily life as non-multiples. I for one see my therapist every couple weeks. We don't spend hours delving into childhood traumas. Research into multiplicity has found that recurrent trauma explorations have actual detrimental effects.

Integration was once believed to be the only goal of therapy. Many therapists have started to realize that integration doesn't have to be the only option out there. Many therapists have started to realize that increased communication and cooperation between insiders is a worthy goal. If one does not want to use integration as a therapy goal, they should not be forced into this. Forcing integration is a good way to have inside people run and hide further disrupting internal communication. If integration occurs in an individual it should be a choice that the combining insiders make, not one that is believed to be the right thing because therapy dogmas indicate it. Integration should not be expected. It should not be required. It is a choice that one can use and integration needs not to be a lifestyle. If one chooses to integrate they should not be expected to maintain this integrated state. If they choose to revert back to a more comfortable position of multiplicity then they should not be made to feel as if they failed treatment.

Multiples are not broken people. They do not need to be glued back together.