Common Terms

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A list of terms commonly used by the system community

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A

Alter: Short for alternate self state - one of the personalitoes in the system. Also known as headmate or part.

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B

Blackout: a period of time where one or more alters are unaware of because of another alter fronting.

Blurry/Blendy: Struggling to tell who's fronting. This is typically due to multiple alters fronting at once and 'blurring' together, but not always.

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C

Co Conscious / Co Front: When multiple alters front together. Commonly shortened to 'co-con'.

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D

Dormancy: When an alter stops fronting/dissapears for a period of time.

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E

Endogenic System: Someone who claims to be a system without trauma. This is scientifically impossible as systems form due to trauma.

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F

Factive: An introject based on a real person.

Fictive: An introject based on a fictional character.

Front: The act of being in control of the body.

Front Room: The location in the innerworld where one fronts.

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H

Headmate: see Alter

Headspace: see Innerworld

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I

Innerworld: the 'internal world' envisioned by the system. Not all systems have one.

Introject: an alter who's name/personality/appearance is based on a person, character, song, or idea.

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R

RAMCOA: an acronym standing for ritual abuse, mind control, and organized abuse.

Role: the job or function an alter fulfills. see a list of roles here

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S

Singlet: a person without alters

Source: what an introject alter is based on

System: a person with alters