the idea that there’s a strict difference between “trauma holder” and “trauma coper” reflects a misunderstanding of how and why dissociative barriers form in DID. honestly, the concept of a “trauma coper” isn’t something you’ll find in DID literature; it’s not a term that captures the complexity of DID systems or how parts work. all alters, by their nature, play a role in coping with trauma, whether that coping is adaptive, maladaptive, or something in between.

the process of containing trauma memories within specific parts is itself a form of coping—it's the foundation of how DID develops as a survival strategy in childhood. this isn’t about clear-cut “holders” versus “copers” but rather about how different parts contribute to surviving overwhelming experiences in ways that are necessary for the person to function. every part plays a role, and those roles are fluid and can change over time as parts work together or come to share memories and responsibilities. if you share trauma memories with another part, they do not also become a trauma 'holder.'

while it IS true that DID systems often develop in a way that makes them appear “covert,” I don't think it's accurate to say that the disorder is “meant” to be covert. alters don’t exist solely to hide trauma any more than your bed exists solely to hide clutter underneath it. it’s more like how your brain doesn’t “hide” your nose—it just tunes it out because noticing it constantly would be distracting. in a similar way, the system creates a sense of separation from trauma to allow day-to-day functioning, but this isn’t the primary “purpose” of parts. dissociation creates barriers because the trauma was incompatible with the person’s sense of self and survival needs, not because parts are designed to hide things.

you see this kind of dissociation in PTSD too, where a person might fragment off certain memories or feelings, not because they’re “hiding” them, but because they can’t function while holding both the traumatized self and the self they need to be in daily life. like, you can’t fully embody the version of yourself that’s been in a traumatic event and still manage a professional workday simultaneously. so, alters in DID do what’s needed for survival and day-to-day life, which may involve dissociating trauma, but their purpose goes beyond just simply concealing experiences.