Feelings on the Move · 2 of 5

Introjection

Taking someone inside you

SzF

Meet the person

Sándor Ferenczi

1873–1933

A doctor from Budapest in Hungary and one of Freud’s closest friends. In 1909 they sailed to America together. Ferenczi was known for being unusually warm and kind with his patients. That same year he invented the word introjection.

The idea

People don’t just talk to you. Their voices move in. A coach who says “head up!” can end up cheering you on years later, in your own head. A teacher who said “not good enough” can move in too. It’s like downloading an app: it keeps running after you close the store.

Introjection: their voice becomes a voice inside you.

Has this ever happened to you?

Heard a parent’s words in your head just before doing something?Caught yourself saying a phrase exactly the way a grown-up says it?Had a coach or teacher cheer you on in your head when they weren’t there?Had a mean comment replay in your head for days?

Catch it: when a voice in your head is harsh, ask “Whose voice is this?” Often it isn’t really yours.

Spot it

Jay’s football coach always said “Head up, keep going.” Now, when Jay fails a test, he hears “Head up, keep going” in his head. What is this?

▸ For grown-ups: sources

[Ref: Ferenczi S. (1909) Introjection and transference. In: First Contributions to Psycho-Analysis. London: Hogarth Press, 1952]

Written by Dr Saal Seneviratne, Consultant Psychiatrist at The Burlington Clinic, London · Last reviewed 21 October 2026 · About these pages