A fictive alter is an imaginary or fabricated alternate identity or personality within an individual. It is proposed within certain psychological or psychoanalytic models, and can be used and accessed by the individual to help cope with or manage difficult emotions or situations.
Fictive alter personalities can be created and curated in various ways, such as through play or creative writing. While it is not a disorder in and of itself, fictive alteration can be associated with certain mental health issues or identity-related struggles.
For example, it has been proposed that fictive alter creation within a dissociative identity disorder serves as a means of compartmentalizing psychological distress or emotional pain as a protective mechanism.
Additionally, fictive alters can provide a sense of escape, self-expression, and exploration in individuals who feel restrained or constrained by their actual identity or daily environment.
Table of Contents
What does being a fictive mean?
Being a fictive means to be involved in a relationship that simulates a familial bond, usually between two or more non-related individuals. This relationship is typically characterized by terms of endearment, strong emotional closeness, mutual support and loyalty, and a sense of family.
Fictive kin relationships can often provide social and emotional benefits that are similar to those experienced in actual family relationships.
Fictive kin may come from a variety of backgrounds, including extended family members, friends, co-workers, neighbors, church members, and even strangers. They do not typically have the same legal rights or legal obligations as family members, although some fictive kin relationships may be formalized through legal contracts or arrangements such as power of attorney, wills, and trusts.
Fictive relationships can be formed for a wide variety of reasons, from providing emotional support to helping with tasks or responsibilities that would otherwise be difficult to manage alone. While some fictive kin relationships are temporary, others may last for years or even a lifetime.
Oftentimes, fictive kin relationships are essential in providing needed emotional or practical support to individuals who lack support from traditional family sources.
How do you know if you’re a fictive?
The term ‘fictive’ is most often used to refer to a non-blood-related family member. Generally, if you have a close bond with someone, and the relationship is akin to the relationship you’d typically have with a family member, you may be considered a fictive.
Other indicators include someone referring to you as family, referring to themselves as your family member, being part of the same social circle, and being accepted as a relative by other members of their family.
Additionally, if you have spent a substantial amount of time in each other’s company and have a shared history, these may be signs that you consider each other family members.
What is the difference between fictive and fictitious?
The terms fictive and fictitious are both used to describe something that is not real or existing. However, they do have slightly different meanings.
Fictive is a word used to describe people or things that have been created as part of a narrative or story. It implies a strong creative or imaginative element, and can refer to characters, settings, or events that exist within a story.
Fictitious, on the other hand, typically refers to something that has been deliberately fabricated or invented, rather than something that exists within a narrative or story. Examples of things that can be described as fictitious include false names, fake documents, and lies.
What is the example of fictive?
Fictive is an adjective used to describe something that is not real, but is made up or imagined. An example of a fictive situation would be a story or movie that features characters and a plot that have been completely imagined by the writer or director.
Another example of something fictive could be a work of art or a song that has been created using the artist’s imagination. Fictive language can also be used to describe something that’s not true, but has been used for poetic or rhetorical effect.
For example, someone may say “the sun is dying,” when what they really mean is that it is getting dark outside. In this case, the phrase is fictive because the sun cannot actually die.
Can you have DID without trauma?
Yes, it is possible to have Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) without a history of trauma. This is sometimes referred to as ‘idiopathic DID’, where the disorder is not caused by a specific identifiable trauma.
Rather, it is believed that the disorder arises from a combination of multiple, significant psychological and social factors—including an inability to cope with stressful situations, fear or anxiety, and difficulty integrating aspects of one’s identity.
In many cases, the disorder is thought to be due to an emotionally damaged self-prototype or a psychological malfunction that could have been triggered by daily stressors, intense emotions, critical events, or a combination of all of these.
It is also possible that in some cases, a combination of genetic and environmental factors is responsible for the development of DID.
How do alters switch in DID?
Alters or alternate personalities can switch in individuals with dissociative identity disorder (DID) due to certain triggers and cues in the environment. An internal cue is one that occurs when the individual is not exposed to any external trigger and can occur without any warning.
In contrast, an external cue is often tied to a particular stimuli such as an image, smell or sound. Alters may also switch spontaneously, without any trigger at all.
For an individual with DID, an internal cue might involve feeling overwhelmed, stressed, or not in control, which could lead to an unconscious switch to another alternate personality. Flashbacks from traumatic memories or PTSD can be another internal cue that shifts an individual’s consciousness.
Similarly, an external cue may involve a specific color, smell, or taste which can “remind” the individual of events from their past and cause a switch to a different personality. If a particular sound or melody evokes a feeling or emotion, it can also lead to an alter switch.
In general, alter switches often occur when a person feels overwhelmed, stressed, or is exposed to any kind of external stimuli that triggers the memory of a traumatic event. As individuals with DID gain awareness of the triggers that cause the switches and develop coping strategies, they can become better at managing, controlling and preventing the switches.
What are the types of alters in DID?
The types of alters in Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) vary greatly from person to person. Generally, alters can be classified into four basic categories: Protector Alters, Executive Alters, Child Alters, and Persecutor Alters.
Protector Alters are the most common form of alters and typically act to protect the individual from emotional or physical harm. This can include things like blocking memories, taking on bad feelings or behaviors, or even engaging in self-harm.
Executive Alters are in charge of the internal system and manage day-to-day tasks and responsibilities that the person is unable to manage on their own. Executive alters can also control access to other alters and may be the one to decide when to switch.
Child Alters are the most vulnerable and typically reflect the individual’s inner child. They are often triggered in times of stress and are usually unable to handle difficult situations in a mature or healthy way.
Persecutor Alters are typically the most antagonistic type of alter and are in charge of blaming, punishing, and self-sabotaging. They often represent the most traumatic aspects of the individual’s past and seek to punish the individual for past mistakes.
Although these four types of alters are the most common, DID is a complex disorder and many individuals have dissociative systems that have different configurations and categories. It is important to get a specialized and individualized treatment plan if you or someone you know is dealing with DID.
Can a fictive be a host?
Yes, it is possible for a fictive to be a host. In some cases, a fictive is used as an alternate form of hosting. For example, some online services use bot accounts to provide customer service, for example as an online chat.
Other services might use fictive hosts to perform promotional activities or to assist customers in finding products or services. Fictive hosts are also sometimes used as storytellers in video games or other interactive media.
In such cases, the fictive host is digital but provides a kind of customized narrative experience that helps to bring the game world to life. Thus, it is possible for a fictive to be a host, depending on the specific context.
What counts as an alter?
An alter is a term that is used to refer to a dissociative identity disorder passenger identity within a person. In psychology, an alter can refer to any of the personalities which co-exist in someone’s psyche, within a dissociative identity disorder.
Alters may be quite different in terms of their associated thoughts, feelings, behavior, and how they view the world. While some may embody extremes of traits, others may reflect aspects of the person in the outside world.
For example, some may have different ages, genders, races, cultures, occupations, or lifestyles associated with them. These personalities often manifest themselves visually, verbally, and behaviorally and can have distinct ways of speaking, thinking, believing, and acting.
The alters that make up the multiple personalities of a person may vary from three to as many as a hundred or more, each with their own unique characteristics and traits.
How do alters get their names?
Alters, which is short for alternate personalities, can develop a wide range of names and identities that they go by. The names can come from a variety of sources including personality traits, favorite quotes, superhero names and pet names.
Alters may also name themselves after characters in books or films that they relate to, objects, animals, or inanimate objects. They may use their name to differentiate themselves from other alters, or they may take on a more generic alias such as ‘Host’ or ‘Real Self’.
In some cases, the alters may have chosen their names unconsciously. Some names may even have symbolic meaning for the individual. It is also possible for the alternate personalities to have entirely different names in different parts of the world, or when facing different situations or stimuli.
Ultimately, it is up to the individual to decide which name or identity seems most meaningful to them.
What does switching alters feel like?
Switching alters can feel like a range of different sensations – it can vary a lot depending on the person and the circumstances. For some people, it feels like an abrupt change, almost like a new personality taking over.
This is often accompanied by a sudden shift in thoughts and emotions, as well as changes to physical sensations, reactions and behaviors. For others, switching alters can be experienced as more of a gradual transition, with feelings of merging, blending and fusion between personalities.
Depending on the personalities being switched, it can also feel like being two different people at once, or being able to hold different thoughts and feelings simultaneously. Additionally, some people may find switching to be more distressing, leading to disorientation, confusion, fear and distress.
How many alters do we have?
The number of alters an individual has can vary greatly from person to person. Generally speaking, an individual with Dissociative Identity Disorder, previously known as Multiple Personality Disorder, can have anywhere from two to several hundred alters, although the average is reported to be about 10-15.
Alter personalities can be as distinct as completely different people with their own personalities, mannerisms, postures, etc. or dissociated states of consciousness where the individual may not even be aware of their existence unless they are triggered by certain life situations.
When assessing the existence of alters, a clinical psychologist or psychiatrist will use certain tests and questionnaires designed to identify altered states, as well as immersive therapeutic methods such as Hypnotherapy and Psychodrama.
While it is possible to have fewer than two alters and more than a hundred, the exact amount of alters an individual may have is ultimately based upon the individual’s own needs and personal experience.
What are OSDD alters?
OSDD alters (or “alters” for short) are alternate personalities that commonly exist inside a single individual. These personalities are usually distinct in behavior and thought processes. The acronym “OSDD” stands for “Open Systems Dependent Domain” which suggests that these alters stem from a larger or open system and rely on the other elements in that system to affect their development.
A person with OSDD alters may have anywhere from one to dozens of personalities. Each alter may have a unique name, age, gender, and even physical characteristics, but all alters share the same body so the individual is unaware of the others’ presence.
It is thought that OSDD alters may develop as a result of trauma or in some cases due to a need for dissociation in order to cope with stressful situations. It is important to note that OSDD alters are not the same as Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) and should be distinguished from it.
While OSDD alters can be disruptive and even lead to poor mental health, DID constantly interrupts life in an extreme manner. The best way to understand OSDD alters is to speak with someone who experiences these alters, as everyone’s experience is unique.
What are alters of real people called?
Alters of real people are called “personifications. ” Personifications are different ways that a person can represent themselves, including their thoughts, feelings, emotions, ideas, and experiences.
They can be thought of as separate aspects of an individual’s self and can be represented with different characters. For example, an individual may have a “wise” alter, which represents their more rational, mature side, or an “emotional” alter, which represents their more expressive and vulnerable side.
Personifications can help to better express an individual’s feelings and can be helpful in processes like psychotherapy or creative writing.
