Hi, budding sprouts, this is Cassius of the Lark System!

I don't know why I am doing this part of the Validation Spectrum Model, but I guess I'll be doing it.

Now, I'm sure you've read Melissa's bit, if you haven't, please do, I'll see if I can leave a link here...:?VSM: Greatly Validated - Melissa of the Lark System

Anyways, moving on to this spectrum model, I will be talking about a system that isn't a typically validated system in syscourse but mostly validated by the majority. I'll leave the diagram here.

Now, to the requirements.

1. May or May Not Have a Diagnosis

   If one has?a diagnosis that is questionable or if one doesn't have a diagnosis, one's system would like to be sitting in this debatable ground. There would be more questions asked about this type of system, including what trauma one has experienced, daily life as well as how the symptoms or switching works for them.

2. Don't Speak About the Trauma

   If a person's system doesn't speak much about their trauma or has not said a word about them having it, they will be coming under suspicion of being an invalid system. That being said, if the system doesn't have a diagnosis, doesn't speak about trauma but has the rest of the criteria fulfilled (so struggling on a daily basis, no obvious changes when switching and most of the symptoms line up pretty well), then most systems and people in syscourse would ask them to go to a professional for a check-up and possibly a diagnosis (if lucky).

3. A Bit Too Happy (Not As Much Struggles)

   Same as the point above. If most of the other requirements (such as talking about the traumatic experience the system experienced, symptoms and switching) are met and the system did not get a diagnosis, then likely people would usher the system to do a diagnostic check-up from a medical professional. Of course, if one is diagnosed, this puts them just a bit closer to the Greatly Validated side (the Validity Score is slightly up a notch).

4. Have Some Obvious Changes in Switching/Alter Change

   This is one of the evidence that people in syscourse put as a debate about masking. If most of the requirements are met, they would still be ranked lower in terms of validity in the Validation Spectrum. Masking is a survival mechanism which allows a camouflage over the truth of the system's existence, hence the reason why people in syscourse would question if the alters are too obvious when they show up, which pulls everything down a notch on the Validity Score: the validity of the diagnosis would be called into question, the realness of one's trauma would be called to question... Practically everything that could serves as evidence of a system would be called to question.

5. Some Symptoms Don't Line Up

   Some people in system discourse give room for some misalignment with the symptoms in the diagnostic criteria, but things such as calling oneself a DID system when one doesn't have amnesia with some alters could cause some people to question. Other things such as having a lot of introjects of a form of media or not having very intense flashbacks also puts the validity of a system to jeopardy.

These are just some examples of what could pull a system down to a merely validated standing. If there is anything I have missed or any of you would want to add, please place your ideas in the comments below or DM us. Thank you for reading this far.

Next up should be the controversial middle bit. Someone else can talk about that.

This is Cassius, signing out!