Introject Education
CW for mentions of abuse, integration,
trauma and ableism throughout
What is an introject?
According to Discussing Dissocation, it is
"Introjects are alters who were split off to represent outside people, most typically an abuser (but not limited to that, by any means), and thus create the appearance of being “introjected” within your system from an outside person. They are splits from your own mind, and they are there to help you remember / contain specific, detailed information related to whoever it is that they are “being” within your system."
TLDR; An introject is an alter that, in one way or another, resembles an outside person, place or thing. They are usually stigmatized due to misinformation spread on how they're a fad or make no sense. However, introjects at a basic core make complete sense and serve a very vital role in a system.
Being a system is due to trauma and the brain coping with trauma in early childhood before a solid ego state forms. In many systems, espcially in Neurodivergent systems who have hyperfixations, special interests and FPs, the brain will latch onto external things that provide intense emotions and add it to a system's psyche. In traditional media we see this, as stated above, the introjected alter is one of an abusive or physically close person in the system's life due to the sheer impact that figure had in their development
However, you can have an introject of anything and there's no limitations on it. Each system will split for their own private and personal reasons.
What is a fictive?
What is a factive?
Other subgroups
Common Misconceptions
What is a Fictive?
According to Healthy Place, a fictive is "Introjects are alters that are based off outside people or characters. Fictional introjects specifically are based off of fictional characters. These characters can be from television shows, movies, books, fantasy, and other forms of fiction."
This is the most common introject you will see mentioned in online spaces, and also the most mocked type of alter, due to how people who are uneducated and ableist will see them as an insult to "real systems" and fakeclaim a system solely because they have fictives from popular/'cringey'/problematic/new sources. They are usually underneath a microscope all the time due to these claims and systems tend to internalize this hatred and go through bouts of imposter syndrome when/if a fictive splits, typically more than if they split a non introject.
Fictive alters can split off for many reasons, such as:
ND systems latching onto media and hyperfixating during stressful and/or traumatizing periods, and the psyche thinking that due to this stress and the "fight or flight" mode that comes in with spitting, will take this character and form an alter because the mind thinks they'd be able to resolve the issues they have (IE; Splitting a character who is kind and gentle to be a soother due to the system neglecting themselves, splitting a character who is defensive as a physical protector)
Systems seeing characters that reflect and represent their trauma and latching onto them, therefore splitting them due to that attachment
System members kinning as a coping mechanism and then that character splitting due to how much of their identity was formed around the character. (Fictives are not kins, however. They are full fleshed, breathing, living people. Kintypes are not)
A system being repeatly exposed to media by an abuser or toxic person and the brain introjecting a character from the media that the brain links with the person
And many, many more reasons!
Fictives are a very personal thing to each system, and at the end, the reason why they formed are none of your business, system or non system. People have always had fictives in systems, and it is not a new found concept made up on Tumblr. Online platforms have simply educated people more and have given systems a space to discuss and talk about their struggles and issues.
What is a Factive?
A factive is according to Plurality Resource is "A system member derived from an existing person, such as persons close to the system, popular persons/celebrities, etc. This may also be someone who helped them through trauma or the person/people who caused it."
Factives are the most common of introject you will see in mainstream media or spoken about in professional spaces (Which isn't a lot, but they're brought up more than the other introjects you will see in those spaces) but tend to be largely ignored and seen as odd or even as a manipulation tatic if one splits off a close friend or family member as an alter. However, these things are not true.
Factives split off for many reasons, such as:
The brain introjecting an abuser due to the importance that person had in the system's life, and as a way for the brain to continue the abuse cycle or constantly have that figure around
A system getting close to someone who provides comfort and support, and due to this attachment the brain introjecting them so they always have the person when a crisis occurs even if the person themselves aren't there
A system admiring a public figure, such as a songartist or Youtuber, and splitting them because of the comfort they have for the system/alter
And many other reasons and purposes!
Factives can be of anyone, even if the system isn't close to the person, and they are uncontrollable just like every other introject type. Of course some people use factives and the concept of factives to abuse and hold leverage against people, but to assume automatically a factive is abusive because they are a factive is incorrect and ableist
What is a Split Fictive?
A split fictive, also known as a multifictive, polyfictive or double fictive, is a fictive that has multiple counterpart identities. For example, I am both a fictive of Martin Blackwood (TMA) and Researcher Talloran (SCP Foundation). I have vivid memories and consider myself both of them. Sometimes multifictives have different timelines and memories for their fictivetypes, or sometimes they only have one timeline they can distinctly remember and were also a combination of those characters in their memories.
This usually is cited due to the integration, but some alters are simply split off naturally as a split or multifictive, and they deserve to be respected and treated like a normal person and are not a liar nor faker for this.
You can be a fictive and factive?
Fogtive is a term not really well known in the community, but it is also called a fucktive/fricktive. Some people do not like those terms however due to their vulgarness and also how they feel like it treats them as a joke, so some use fogtive. However, people may label themselves as they like. They are people and deserve to label themselves however they wish
A fogitve, in it's loose meaning, is a blend of both a fictive and a factive. This can occur in many forms, such as:
Youtuber egos (Anti Jacksepticeye, Darkiplier) (Though this is debated, some introjects of these types of characters consider themselves fogtives and use this label)
A factive of a fictive in another system
An introject of someone who has a delusional attachment to a character, therefore in headspace will resemble the character the person has a DA of (IE; Introjecting a friend who has a DA to Sans, they will behave and act like the friend but resemble and have memories of being Sans)
This is a label that is very "each to their own" and some introjects will come themselves a fogtive while someone else who is the same counterpart introjected will opt out of the term. But yes, you can be a multi introject.
"This alter is a different gender/acts different/has different memories then their source, they can't be a fictive!"
Yes, they can be! They are their own people. Everyone has their own relationship with source, and they are allowed to deviate as much as they so desire. It does not mean they are not themselves, still. A fictive who's source self is a male can change their presentation to female, a fictive who's source self is violent and angry is allowed to be gentle and quiet, and so fourth. They are not roleplaying--they owe you nothing. Sometimes, systems will form alters from sources they don't even know. They are still valid and deserve to be treated and viewed in the ways they so desire
"You can't just become a fictive! You HAVE to form as one, or you're lying."
Due to trauma, integration and a bunch of other things...yes, you can become an introject even if you weren't prior. Just because someone you knew prior as an non introject becomes one, doesn't mean their lying.
"You can't have this source, it's too recent/popular/cringey/ect!"
Introjects can split if their source is 10 seconds old or 10 days old. Every system processes things and spits differently. We've split from media we watched the day of due to trauma happening or other stressors. We do not pick where we come from and how we handle it.
"Uhm, this is a really bad source...you're a bad person"
You. Cannot. Control. Fictives. You cannot control fictives! If you have fictives from a disgusting piece of media, your system is not disgusting! Fictives can be from sources that are discomforts and even triggers for the system. This is victim blaming, hands down. These introjects are allowed to have spaces to talk about their emotions and feelings. These introjects are not by default bad people, either--they are not abusive by nature, nor by default bad people. Treat them like their own person.