Fictionkin help!


Hey hey :) I'm fictionkin!
And I really want people to understand what it means to be fictionkin,
so i've gathered multiple sources to create this rentry for you to read.

This is an up to date source that hopefully will answer all of your
questions! Hopefully you've learnt something new, discovered
something new, or at least had a good laugh? please enjoy!

[Note: All information gathered here do not have biased intentions
and are here for educational purposes ONLY. If you have the need
to attack me for writing this, please take a breath and kindly leave
this page. I do not intend any harm. Thank you.]

(resources at the end.)


Table of Contents
1. What does it mean to be Fictionkin, and what is it?
2. What are Copinglinks?
3. Then what does relating to a character mean? (Synpath)
4. How do i know/find out i'm fictionkin?
5. More on kin memories
6. Terms
7. More questions
8. Misconceptions
9. Fictionkin VS Character IRLs / D/As


1. What does it mean to be Fictionkin, and what is it?

Well, first of all: Fictionkin is a subset of Otherkin, which falls under
the alterhuman umbrella!

In simple, being kin with a fictional character (or species) means
identifying as them. It is a deep connection to, and the belief
you are/were a fictional character(/species) in some praticular way.

They believe they either were a fictional character in a past life or
an alternate universe, or are one now. Theye believe that the source
of their identity as fictionkin has a real metaphysical or supernatural
explanation.

They reject the idea that their identity is based in human psycological
phenomena and embrace the belief that their identity is part of a magical
or scientifically unknown circumstance.

It is involuntary, and you don't choose who you are kin with.

  • The only voluntary way of being fictionkin are copinglinks.
  • You don't Kin for fun or as a bandwagon.

It is important to note that some people identify as fictional characters
because they relate to them so deeply it becomes part of their identity.


Copinglink, or C'link in short, is a subset of fictionkin. This is when you
volunteraly kin or synpath a character. it could be used as a coping
mechanism, (Usually to deal with trauma, illnesses, disabilities, etc.)
but it doesn't have to be that to be a copinglink.

Copinglink is a totally valid way to be kin!
It's no less than being an involentary psychological or spiritual fictionkin.


3. What does strictly relating to a character mean? (Synpath)

Synpath means relating to a character deeply. identifying with them,
but not as them. Another word for it, which is more uncommon, is
"Fictionhearted"!

you can have a strong connection with a character to consider them a part
of your identity but not consider them as you. that is what this term is for.


4. How do i know/find out i'm fictionkin?

It depends on the person really, but here are some ways you can find out!

  • The most straightforward way to find out is asking yourself if you identify
    with, or as that character. Do you just relate to them, or is it something
    more? If you identify as them, feel like you are or were them in some way,
    then that could be it!
  • When you see them and go "That's me!" Or when you look at them it feels
    akin to looking yourself in the mirror. One experiences a sense of ‘self’ with
    regard to the character. The feeling that the character isn’t merely similar to
    you, but that you are one and the same person.
  • When you see characters they are close to, you feel a warm, comforting feeling.
  • Try speaking about the character in question in the first person.
    try calling their friends/family your friends/family, their home your home, etc.
    try thinking about events from their canon and people they knew, does it evoke
    a sense of familiarity or any strong feelings? How do you feel about what they
    went through? About their hobbies? Or even about their likes and dislikes?
  • You might feel nostagia or deja vu (re-)watching/playing/reading your source.
    While experiencing a certain media, you might feel like you have already
    experienced the events unfolding, heard the conversations taking place, etc.
  • You might experience memories of being a certain character or existing in the world
    depicted in a certain piece of media. (Not everyone gets kin memories, it's completely
    fine if you don't!) Or, you might just know or have a feeling you belong there.
  • You might feel homesickness to the world that your kintype is from. You might
    miss characters they knew once back then.
  • You might have prior understanding of of deeper concepts in a specific media
    without needing them explained, or have knowledge of events or secrets in the
    media before they are revealed.
  • You might experience dreams of being a certain character or existing in the world
    depicted in a certain piece of media. It doesn't always relate to fictionkin, but it could!

5. More on kin memories

As i've mentioned before: not everyone gets memories and that's completely valid.
You don't need memories to be fictionkin. Those who don't are just as valid as those
who do.

(Kin memories are "Kin mems" for short.)

Here are some types of memories:

  • Visual - Images or scenarios you remember experiencing or seeing
  • Auditory - The voice of a loved one/someone or something they said, or a conversation
    you had at some point.
  • Tactile - The way something felt. for example the clothes you wore, or holding someone's
    hand, or feeling the pain from a fight you had.
  • Olfactory - The smell of a place you’d been to.
  • Taste - The flavor of your favorite food, or something that no longer or never existed here.
  • Emotional - Something that happened in your canon and how it made you feel, the feelings
    you held towards loved ones, anger at your nemesis, etc.
  • You just know is a fact - Something you just know have happened, you experienced, or
    anything else you might know about your kintype / their world. And although you can’t
    exactly hold any memories, you can see or sense to it as evidence. you just know it's true/happened.

If you want to try and spark some memories but don't know how, here are a few ways to try!

  • Reading your Wikipedia page, or wiki pages of those you are/were close to.
  • Surround yourself with things from your canon. (your favorite food as that kin, etc.)
  • Roleplay as your kintype or the character you kinsider.
  • Talk to others who kin from the same source. (doesn’t have to be canonmates.)
  • Focus on what you do know! Memories won’t always be full-on movie flashback types;
    Sometimes they’re just gut feelings or hazy images you can hardly focus on, etc.
  • This is my personal addition: Give your kintype / character you kinsider headcanons!
    Maybe you'll feel like its real to you, and some may bring a sense of familiarity.

6. Terms

Here are terms you may see in fictionkin areas:

Kintype / Kin - A fictional character/being you identify as. They are you.

Synpath - A fictional character/being you identify with. You strongly relate
to them.

Fictionflicker - It's either explained as: a kintype that comes and goes.
Or: A temporary change in perception to that of a fictional character that is not
a kintype. This normally happens after consuming media and can feel a lot like
kin feels, but often turn out not actually being kin feels.

Kinshift - (Just "Shift" for short.) It is basically the kintype you feel the most
"As" at the moment. There are several types of kinshift. (Mostly used in general
otherkin spaces, but can apply to specifically fictionkin as well.)

  • Astral Shifting refers to when someone has an out of body experience and travels to another realm or spiritual plane as their kintype. (May/may not be the same as Spiritual shifting. More info needed.)
  • Aura Shifting is when the auric or energy field around someone's body changes to that of their kintype.
  • Dream Shifting is when someone dreams of being their kintype.
  • Berserker/Mental Shifting is when someone has an altered state of consciousness in which they begin to think and act like their kintype.
  • Phantom Shifting refers to Supernumerary Phantom Limbs, where the person experiences limbs, (Tails, extra arms, wings, etc.) characteristics (features, hair, clothes, etc.) or sometimes a complete body of their kintype overlaying their physical, human one.
  • Sensory/Perception Shifting is when the brain tries to perceive regular senses in a way that fits their kintype, causing the senses to feel stronger or duller. kintypes who have senses humans don’t have may experience a sort of phantom or ghost copy of what they may feel from those senses.
  • Spiritual Shifting is when one's astral body or spiritual self changes into that of the individual's kintype. (May or may not be the same as Astral shifting.)
  • Voluntary Shifting is when a person consciously makes themselves shift, through music, meditation, sensations or else.
  • Involuntary Shifting is when a person spontaneously shifts, sometimes due to stimuli such as emotions (fear and anger are common) or other sensations.

Cameoshift - Related to fictionflicker, they are describe as "shifts" to a
non-kintype. let's say you just binge watched some anime and found yourself
attached to the protag! you might feel the equivalent to a kin shift into that
character because you're flickering - a temporary, strong imprint on a character
or world. cameoshifts can happen either when fictionflickering OR with synpaths
or copinglinks! For short: It's when a person experiences a shift of a being
different than their identified species.

Doubles - Someone else who has the same kintype as you. That's a double.
Some people might not like to interact with doubles, some don't care about them,
and some even welcome doubles. All are valid!

Fictional Other - Shortened to F/O, it is a term more often used both by kinfolk
and by people who self-ship with fictional characters. Both of those parties can use the term.
For fictionkin, it can refer to characters that your kintypes were in a relationship with.
Often romantic in nature. This is dependent on your own feelings, memories, and canon,
so make of it what you will!
It can also generally refer to fictional characters that you as a person love in some sort of romantic way.

Factkin - Someone who kins with a real life person who actually does or has existed.
This is looked down upon.

Kinfirm - A pun on 'kin' and 'confirm'. This means confirming a kin.

Kinsider - A pun on 'kin' and 'consider'. It's when you consider a
character that you might kin.

Kinmems / Mems - Short for kin memories.

Canonmate - Someone who shares the same memories/feelings/etc. as you!
You can become canonmates.

Canon - Your interpertation of your life back in your kintypes source.
It inolves your memories, feelings, etc.

Canon divergent - Someone's canon that does not follow the canon of the media they're from.
For example: One thing can actually happen in a certain media, but in your memories it goes diferent!

Canon call - A message or post looking for people who might share memories with the poster
and be from the same canon.

Source call - A message or post looking for people from the same source as the poster.

Source/Media - The place where your kintype comes from. Could be an anime, a video game,
A movie, A cartoon, A comic, A book, etc. All things fictional, basically!

Kinbait/kinbaiting/baiting - Luring or baiting someone to kin as a certain character or
from a certain source. (typically done just for fun with friends!) Like someone calling you as
a certain character and after sometime you go: "well... that's actually me." Yes, it can happen.

Co-shift - Feeling multiple kinshifts at once.

ID - Short for identity. typically referring to a more intense kintype or one so interconnected
to someone their sense of self is significantly impacted by this kintype on many levels.

Literally me - When people view their kintype as very strong, they say there is no
difference between their kintype and who they are now.

Primary/Secondary - they’re the way people rank their connection to their kintypes.
it comes down to which characters they feel are “most” them.

Fictive - Not a fictionkin term. an alter in a multiple system that is based off of a
fictional character, or whos identity at formation is that of being a certain fictional character.

Comfort Character - Not a fictionkin term. A fictional character that brings you comfort.
Some call it "CC" for short.

KFF - Short for "Kin for fun". People who claim they kin for fun.

Exotrauma - Trauma that did not occur in this universe or life, but still affects you negatively. It is often connected to memories.


7. More questions

  • "Is it okay to be kin with multiple characters from the same source?"

Yes it is! There are many people who kin multiple characters from the same source.

  • "Is it okay to be kin with a character that is a different than myself in this life?"

Well, you can be kin with a character that is a different race etc than you, as long as you
don't claim to be of that race. It is okay to be kin with characters that have a different
gender identity / sexuality than you. It's also okay to be kin with characters that have
mental illnesses you may not have in this life either, as long as you're not claiming to
have that mental illness now.


8. Misconceptions

Here are some things people sometimes get wrong about fictionkinity, and the truth!

Calling yourself the IRL of your kintype - Calling yourself the IRL of your kintype,
ex. "I'm IRL" etc. is more of a Character IRL thing now, but the term originally came
from our community. ( "
IRL" community = People who identify as fictional characters
due to psychosis. Also known as D/A. [Delusional Attachment]) Read more about it in
section 9. (Controversies)

But generally; Among our community the term also had its controversies. See below.

"Circa 2012/2013 ? otherkinity and fictionkinity started get widely known and popular
so to speak. People started saying 'I'm literally [fictotype]' or '[fictotype] irl' to distinguish
that their legitimacy of their identity as their fictotype. This was for a variety of reasons.
From simply reaffirming their own identity due to mental health concerns to the asshole
move of calling other people with the same fictotype fake. This has carried on over the
years with varying degrees of popularity in the community. For the most part, it can have
negative undertones." - Source

In conclusion: Can you call yourself the IRL? Yes. But be mindful to the problems it may bring.
Especially if you hang in Doubles friendly spaces.

"A character can't be both your Kintype and your F/O or Comfort Character" -
There can be a sense of disconnection between you and your kintypes, (AND IT'S
COMPLETELY OKAY!) therefore it's possible.

Kinning - Kin isn't a verb. The correct way is saying "Kin with ". (But no one
is stopping you from saying "Kinning", or "i kin
". You do you.)

Kin Delusions / Being fictionkin is just being delusional - Being fictionkin
doesn't stem from an illness. And it's harmful both to us and for people who actually
deal with delusions to claim so.

Kinnie - This word was used as an insult by Trolls to mock people who are fictionkin.
If someone doesn't want to be called that, please don't call them that. Nowadays, this word
is mostly used within communities of people who kin for fun.

"Is this bad for you? Is this mental illness?" - No it isn't. It is harmful to claim that.
Being fictionkin in itself will not harm anyone and it is often doubled up as a coping mechanism,
so it's rather helpful instead.

Many mental health specialists have told fictionkin folk firsthand
that their beliefs are safe and fine as long as it is not hurting them or other people. However,
if someone’s kintype is unhealthy for them, (For example, being kin with a character that reminds
them of an abuser and being distressed about it,) then it is not a good idea to practice such behavior
and the kintype should be dropped.


9. Fictionkin VS Character IRLs / D/As

Clearing up the air regarding IRLs the fictionkin community.

[Note: While the info i've gathered is not 100% legitimate due to possible misinformation, this
will remain completely unbiased. All information gathered here do not have biased intentions
and are here for educational purposes ONLY. If you have the need to attack me for writing this,
please take a breath and kindly leave this page. I do not intend any harm. Thank you.]

Circa 2020 / 2021, the term "Delusional Attachment" got coined as an alternative to the term
"Identity Delusion", and is Similar to the medical terms "Grandiose Delusions" and "Delusional-
misidentification syndrome". The term was coined for the psychotic community to explain delusions
in which one genuinely believes they are different person or a being than they really are. (Whether
that be a real person, a fictional character, a nonhuman creature, an object, etc.) Delusional Attachments
are said to be constant, recurrent, or episodic. People attribute this term to (Controversial) twitter users
"swaggotfan" and "lgbtdni", but there are no sources that show hard proof that it's true.

The term "Character IRL" or simply "IRL" was created to explain that, but it's a lot more common with
Fictional characters. A thing to keep in mind is that not all who call themself the/an IRL is delusional.
Some fictionkin folk use it, and some people use the term to just say they have an alterhuman identity.

Character IRLs / D/As are distinguished from Fictionkin by:

  • Stemming from delusions while being fictionkin is not.
  • Inability to disconnect self from the character they are an IRL of.

Basically, If you do not suffer from these kinds of delusions but still consider yourself a fictional character,
It's fictionkin. Do not mislead people by telling them that only if they consider themselves a fictional
character it means they're an IRL, because that's wrong. Fictionkin is the only non-disordered way of
identifying as a fictional character and it will stay that way.

[Note: Like any other mental health space on the internet, fakers are to be expected. So beware of that.]
[Note, AGAIN: I am not saying that the IRL D/A community is faking. i am in no place to claim that. ty.]

Resources on D/As and IRLs:
https://das.crd.co/ (Got hacked)
Exploration of “Delusional Attachments” as Grandiose Delusions (Google Document) - https://gdoc.pub/doc/e/2PACX-1vTRiUQuLNmr-Zg2RD8nOuDHocT8HPQPzNB79Hf1pNdYFXbAkRGt4kpSt3oZBxih_ubVy5pqaZJ9FqyX
(and my personal knowledge)


(Psst, here's a video worth watching! I spent a day with FICTIONKIN)


Resources:

feel free to check out the links above!
some of them have information i haven't written here.

Notice

Unreliavble sources: https://fkin.carrd.co , and Tiktok.

Edit
Pub: 19 Nov 2022 18:48 UTC
Edit: 02 Jun 2023 09:48 UTC
Views: 1602