I have a question that I’m too embarrassed to ask off-anon, sorry. I am pretty sure I’m not fictionkin, but yet sometimes I will feel like literally a character is rising up from inside my brain to act for me or to guide me, etc. Pre-existing characters, not OCs. Even when they aren’t actively acting for me, they are still sometimes there and even talk to me and others who are there. I’m not sure what this could be and since I’ve known about otherkin for 10+ years my only thought [1/2]
[2/2] was that it had to be related to fictionkin. And yet as I dwell on it and the more I think the more I see for myself, I’m not fickin. At first I thought I was. There are about 5 characters there, only 2 of the are very defined and the others stay back a lot but are still there. I figured I would ask you first before jumping to any conclusions and possibly embarrassing myself by being wrong with terms or something. I can clarify if need.
You are in luck, anon. This is a very familiar experience, and you are not alone at all. I know the exact word that you are looking for. Soulbonding.
It sounds from what you have described that you are what is called a ‘soulbonder’ and the characters who talk to you, and guide you are known as ‘soulbonds’. A soulbonder is someone who like you, experiences characters from fiction talking to them in their mind, and even sometimes taking over their body temporarily to act for them.
The soulbonding phenomenon was very present on the internet back in the early 2000s, and though it is less talked about now, it has not gone away. If you’re interested in seeing the thoughts of other people on the subject, I recommend you try to search for old livejournal communities regarding soulbonding, as there are a lot of good posts.
Here’s a few notes I can tell you.
*Soulbonding is often thought of as something very personal and meaningful, and bonders have deep relationships with their bonds. Some people have bonds that are more parental, and some more friendly, and some even romantic.
*Soulbonding is tangentially related to the phenomenon of healthy multiplicity, and often borrows from its language. Soulbonds are sometimes called ‘fictive headmates’, although soulbonds have different connotations. A soulbonder would generally be known as a ‘median’ in the multiple community.
*People can have many soulbonds, or just a few, or even just one. Sometimes soulbonds come and go, frequently or over long periods of time.
*People have different ideas about the origins of soulbonds. Many people believe that their soulbonds are real people who are somehow communicating with them from another place. Others believe that soulbonds are created in the soulbonders mind. Either interpretation is no less valid.
And most importantly: being a soulbonder does not make you mentally ill.
Here are some other posts I have made about soulbonding:
http://fromfiction.tumblr.com/post/115626062497/what-does-soul-bonded-mean
http://fromfiction.tumblr.com/post/103126878222/do-you-think-its-possible-to-become-a-soulbonder
http://fromfiction.tumblr.com/post/102698169177/several-questions-for-you-today-1-do-you-have
