Some kin have been made to feel like their kin beliefs are a direct result of their mental illness. They feel that their belief that they are a fictional character can not be externally real, and rather must be a result of their internal neurology/brain chemistry. Some kin do not believe this, but say they do, or even tell themselves that they do, in order to validate themselves with doctors, parents, partners etc, and/or to feel in control of their internal experience.

To those kin, I say. I believe you. I believe that you are the person you say you are. And even if you don’t believe it, or can’t accept that you believe it, because you are mentally ill, I still believe you. I believe that your kin identity is real, and has validity and reality externally, outside yourself. I believe that you are you in a way that is meaningful to the world at large. You do not need to justify yourself to me, because I believe you.