Husband “cheats?” On wife…with her other personality

[Brandnewbuddy]

I couldn’t think of a better title for this thread but I thought of a weird idea:

What if your partner had multiple personalities?

So here’s the pitch (note: I saw the tone as lighter though mainly because the cause of the personalities is not revealed):

Hubbie’s been with his wife for some time and they began dating in college. Wife has MPD. At first it was near 13 personalities but through a lot of therapy and work she’s gotten it down to 3 personalities: her main one, a perpetual teenage mean girl, and a lusty cougar.

Husband thinks he knows the signs of each and is friendly towards them though he always makes sure to keep them corralled so when his wife comes back, she hasn’t done anything too bad.

One night though, the mean girl, believing she’ll be the next to be absorbed, decides to sabotage things. So after she takes control, she acts like the wife and seduces the husband. He has no idea and neither does the wife. Seeing the fun mean girl had, the cougar gets involved too, pretending to be the wife.

Does husband figure it out? Does wife? How do they resolve things?

 

[gunhilltrain]

I couldn’t think of a better title for this thread but I thought of a weird idea:

What if your partner had multiple personalities?

So here’s the pitch (note: I saw the tone as lighter though mainly because the cause of the personalities is not revealed):

Hubbie’s been with his wife for some time and they began dating in college. Wife has MPD. At first it was near 13 personalities but through a lot of therapy and work she’s gotten it down to 3 personalities: her main one, a perpetual teenage mean girl, and a lusty cougar.

Husband thinks he knows the signs of each and is friendly towards them though he always makes sure to keep them corralled so when his wife comes back, she hasn’t done anything too bad.

One night though, the mean girl, believing she’ll be the next to be absorbed, decides to sabotage things. So after she takes control, she acts like the wife and seduces the husband. He has no idea and neither does the wife. Seeing the fun mean girl had, the cougar gets involved too, pretending to be the wife.

Does husband figure it out? Does wife? How do they resolve things?

It depends on how you look at it. Maybe it's not cheating if physically it's the same woman? Also if one personality pretends to be another one - well, that gets complicated.

I'm not sure I'd want to be married to a woman with three or more personalities but it might be fun to date one. Also, it would be interesting if the therapist's plans fall apart and some of the absorbed versions start coming back.

 

[Carnevil9]

Sounds fascinating to read, but too complicated to write!

If I were writing it, I'd make it easier on myself. Have the wife let hubby know that she doesn't mind if he has sex with her alter egos. After all, it's still her body. Then go for it!

 

[Anthonysdaughter]

Long ago I wrote a story based on a rather sad relationship I had with a woman who felt trapped by parental and societal expectations. I was intentionally vague, but she either lost her mind and developed a second personality... Or else her "imaginary friend" from childhood showed up, kicked her ass, and got her to assert herself, physically taking over her body to effect change.

In this alternate reality she got her husband-- who had been rather unkind-- to see that he was every bit as trapped by societal expectations as she was. He rather enjoyed the "more exciting" (and assertive) woman who periodically inhabited his wife's body. He started identifying with her, and talking to others about "Corey" (who as Harry Chapin said "never lived in this here town"). Eventually the townfolk who had already decided that she was nuts, decided that he was too.

Being deemed crazy, unemployable, and barely tolerated by others gave them a chance to escape and they took it by running away together. (Where as Rupert Holmes sang, they enjoyed piña coladas and gettin' caught in the rain... making love at midnight, in the dunes on the cape...)

 

[Bramblethorn]

I didn't watch it, but I think "United States of Tara" had something similar to this.

 

[Hypoxia]

I flashed back to an early 1960s song, Two Lovers:

Well I've got two lovers, and I ain't ashamed... Both of them are you

One treats her bad, one treats her good -- definite bipolar.

As for a story, for fun, she's an iconic Mad Scientist who implanted a control mechanism in her guy's brain. She punches buttons on a remote to provoke him to submission, dominance, varied fetishes, etc. For more fun, a nerd hacks the control signals and unleashes ambiguity.

 

[jaF0]

If you've ever seen it in real life, you won't find it appealing.



At all.

 

[Anthonysdaughter]

If you've ever seen it in real life, you won't find it appealing.

At all.

As mentioned in a recent thread. If a "normal person" sees something sad she/he says "how sad." A writer says to herself/himself "I can use that."

IIRC there was a spy series some years ago where the storyline was that a secret agent had a chip implanted in his brain. He could carry out super secret missions with it on, but assume his cover role perfectly and have no knowledge of his secret acts with it off. But then he sustained a head injury, and now the chip goes on and off unexpectedly...

 

[Hypoxia]

As mentioned in a recent thread. If a "normal person" sees something sad she/he says "how sad." A writer says to herself/himself "I can use that."

I claim a reality fetish. But for LIT tales, and indeed much fiction, reality can be an impediment. Moderation in all things, reality included. We inhabit LIT fantasyland. That's entertainment, folks.

A horrible murder? Oh, how tragic! Hire a good screenwriter and we'll make money.

 

[HotBrand]

I've read a story once that had vague similarities to this idea; albeit, it was more of a "fantastical" style.

That was a case of one sister dying due to the actions of the other. In a form of repentance, the survivor makes a pact which allows her sister to return to live, but within the same body.

As a result, two completely separate identities try to live their individual lives, and having no control over any "triggers" that would switch the personality at the fore. They tried to balance their "shared" life by leaving each other notes about what had happened. Sometimes, it worked out. Sometimes, it didn't.

Naturally, the romance of one sister could have repercussions for the other - who could genuinely wake up in a stranger's bed!

All of that said, it is a very ... itchy ... topic. There will always be readers who will find the fetishing of mental health difficulties quite difficult. I'm sure there will also be readers who find it incredibly stimulating.

It's definitely ... topic-worthy ... for sure. From the majority of opinions so far, it's an engaging topic too.