Pseudomemories

PSEUDOMEMORY BASICS

Pseudomemories are memories that are fabrications, either of events that occur in the innerworld, between a part and other parts or npcs, or memories that an introject may have of their source experiences.

These memories are INHERENTLY related to experiences that the system has had. These memories can be representations, often metaphors for the actual events or emotions felt, or literal covers of the event that make it simpler for the brain to process.

Pseudomemories can be compared to substitute beliefs held by parts. By default, all alters are a part of one person, however they may not feel human, the same age, or even the same person. Pseudomemories can be related to this and compared because they are often the reason a part continues to fill a role, believes they are not human, or sometimes a separate person.

The most important thing, if it is the only thing, I want people to take away from this carrd is the importance of recognizing that while the pseudomemories may affect you, there is reason behind why they exist and while you may not know what it is, it is there. I do not advise or encourage finding out what is behind them without the eye of a professional. This can lead to retraumatization.

• Pseudomemory Examples

FALSE MEMORIES

While pseudo is a prefix that means "not genuine" and is a synonym to the word synthetic, pseudomemories and false memories are not the same thing. False memories can occur through researching heavily detailed trauma accounts, resulting in vivid disturbing imagery of these events, suggestion of abuse by a therapist or psychologist resulting in false recollection of these abuses, or otherwise wanting, whether conscious or subconsciously, to find something that had happened during a time period that is otherwise blacked out. These memories can be distressing but ultimately will subside at some point UNLESS REINFORCED, which they should not be.

False memories can be compared to how watching a horror movie makes an individual feel. They may cause extreme distress, anxiety, nightmares, and other upsetting symptoms, but will go away after some time.

False Memories are why you should be careful researching or digging into trauma. If you uncover a memory, you could retraumatize yourself, or falsely believe you experienced something you didn't if you had feared it. It is incredibly easy to suggest that something happened during a time period that is otherwise amnesiac and have memories from then "resurface" that go along with the suggesiton. Memory is an incredibly malleable material.

Determining whether or not a set of memories is false or not should be done with a professional. Attempt to not reinforce the memories, but if you do not have access to a professional, make a note for when you have the chance to speak with one instead.

Pseudos in Action: Examples.

Example 1: Symbolic in Relation to Emotions.

A part may possess pseudomemories of being stabbed in the back if you were betrayed, felt as though you were being betrayed, were hurt by someone close to you, or other feelings related to betrayal.

Example 2: Trauma Re-Enactments

A part remembering being abused by another part or an NPC in the innerworld constitutes as a pseudomemory and can also be considered a trauma re-enactment if it is something that the system endured.

Example 3: Source Cover for Trauma
Introjects will sometimes have source-covered trauma memories. If an individual is domestically abused, they may introject a character who experienced the same type of abuse and instead of the brain processing the face value trauma memories, the introject will form with the memories of what happened in their source both to make it "easier for the brain to look at" and because it can be easier to process if it's viewed as "This happened to x character, not to me" by the brain. This is an extreme level of depersonalization.

"EXOTRAUMA", SOURCE TRAUMA, AND MORE MYTHS

Exotrauma and source trauma are often terms that are used in place of pseudomemories in the system community, majorly because people don't understand what pseudomemories are. Exotrauma refers to "trauma that happened in source/past life that didn't happen to the body". Source trauma is the same definition. These are both things that cannot happen, as you cannot have memories of things that did not happen to you, aside from the circumstance of it being a false memory. However, if there is a false memory present, pseudomemories related to the false memory would not form.

Introjects are not the only parts that can have pseudomemories either. All innerworld events are pseudomemories and parts can also develop pseudomemories of what may feel like a "past life". Trauma re-enactments that occur in the innerworld are also pseudomemories.

Finally, pseudomemories are not just of traumatic experiences! While they commonly are related to trauma, innerworld experiences like communicating to other parts or meetings, gatherings, or other events are also pseudomemories.