[Patrick Bateman]

Hello everyone.

This is extremely embarrassing. I have never said this to anyone before, but I would like to take that large step.

I have three imaginary friends. I have had them for years. I talk to them (in my head, never out loud) all the time, and they come everywhere with me.

I do not have any friends in real life (apart from my two lovely friends on this forum, and an old schoolfriend who I have kept in touch with but who is now married and living hundreds of miles away). I assume that my imaginary friends are a result of my not having any real friends, although perhaps this is not quite right; perhaps creating "perfect people" in my head is a way of avoiding being dissappointed by real people, as you inevitably would be, no matter how wonderful they were.

I have had them for about three years now, and, although I do not feel that they are a problem as such, I do wonder about my mental stability.

Well, am I quite mad, or is this more common than I have hitherto thought?

Best wishes everybody, and look after yourselves.

 

[bunnie]

Don't be embarrassed. I don't have any imaginary friends that I could name, but I do fantasize quite a bit about having friends, and a great social life. I'll imagine myself looking totally confident and beautiful, strolling downtown with my clique of friends (no one in particular, just various guys and girls). It would be just like a sitcom. And the great thing is that they would all be interesting, open-minded and nice.

Then I wake up to reality: alone and alienated.

 

[Keirelle]

Have you had them since childhood?

I don't have any, nor did I in childhood, but I would suppose, if I had, and for any great length of time, that they would have stuck around as well.

I don't think it is all that unusual, people do a lot of 'strange' things that they never talk about. I have an odd habit that I don't like to talk about either, but hey, good on your for being able to do so!

I think most people have something they do for self comfort, and for those of us with SA even more so. Some people it is just certain habits they have that are common, but some have odder things that they don't share. I assure you you aren't the only one out there.

I guess too though that it depends on how you behave with your imaginary friends, you say you don't speak to them out loud, so that should say a fair bit about your sanity level... and that fact that you even questioned it because of this. Also, you know that they are indeed imaginary...

 

[justforester]

I don't want to sound judgmental, because I'm not, but maybe you should seek therapy with a psychiatrist/psychoanalyst and see if these imaginary friends are truly healthy. As you've said, it is a symptom from loneliness and I think it's a sign to try to overcome SA and make REAL friends. Easier said than done, obviously.

(IMO, i don't think it's healthy though I have my fantasies, similar to bunnie, and I understand they do temporarily make me feel better and confident - I want to make them reality to my best ability, you should try too. Don't be content with just having them)

 

[veron]

I don't think this is all that rare. I don't have any imaginary friends, although I used to imagine sometimes that I had a best friend. She had curly blond hair and was quite outgoing, lol. Basically, the opposite of me. I also had numerous imaginary pets (mostly horses). Right now I have an imaginary black cat.

 

[leonardess]

I don't think this is all that unusual either. At least, I hope not. What I do is have imaginary conversations with people that I actually know in real life. Picture it - I'm sitting there in a room by myself, and having a conversation with someone who isn't there. Or, it's like I'm being interviewed, and I get to just talk about myself. as long as i want. to someone who isn't there.

sometimes I do this when my husband is in the next room. Once, he heard me and asked who I was talking to.

I do this, and I *know* I'm not crazy. At least, that's what these people tell me.

When they're not there.

Seriously, if it worries you, then see a mental health professional about it. I think it's really just a way of acting out the life one wishes one had, that's all. I think the advice about slowly substituting it with real life friends is good.

(I'm not kidding about talking out loud to people who i pretend are there. I really do do that.)

 

[Forest]

When you mention it, I realize that I do.
I talk to them sometimes, and it makes me feel crazy :um.

I also have an imaginary girlfriend.

 

[Silence]

No, but I talk to myself a lot. -_-

Sometimes someone overhears me and they're like, "who are you talking to?" lol. And I just say "no one." and go into my room. It's delightful. ><

 

[ellektra]

I wish I was creative enough to have an imaginary friend

 

[rachelynn]

I don't know if it would be considered having an imaginary friend, but I do talk to myself sometimes, and imagining there's someone else there....its not like they talk back though. Sometimes I use names too.

 

[Still Waters]

I don't have imaginary friends - but I talk to myself a lot! - I know it's compensation for a lack of people in my life-but I decided long ago I have no intention of stopping-it doesn't hurt anyone so what the heck! It provides a small amount of comfort and I need all the comfort I can get.

 

[UltraShy]

You're fortunate to live in the 21st century where you can wear a bluetooth headset and folks won't even know you're talking to imaginary characters.:lol

 

[strawberryjulius]

I don't think this is all that unusual either. At least, I hope not. What I do is have imaginary conversations with people that I actually know in real life. Picture it - I'm sitting there in a room by myself, and having a conversation with someone who isn't there. Or, it's like I'm being interviewed, and I get to just talk about myself. as long as i want. to someone who isn't there.

I do this but only in my head. xD

When I was younger I used to talk to the stove clock and the bathroom floor. My mum would get tired of listening to me so I had to make my own friends. =P
I talk to my cat a lot too, but that's more socially acceptable I guess.

 

[PGVan]

I don't have imaginary friends, but I do get into deep fantasy lives (best way I can explain it) where I have everything I want. The people involved are usually people I know and/or have a crush on.

Obviously it's not healthy, and it does make me lose sleep occasionally because in my head at night, I'm living in my fantasy world.

 

[LostPancake]

i have an imaginary friend, and i think she actually keeps me sane. because without her, i'd get really ****ing depressed. i love to lie down next to her and hold her hand. it doesn't get much better than that.

 

[Iced Soul]

I used to all the way up until I was 16, actually.
They weren't really friends after one point, probably about the time I turned 11 or 12. They were more people in my little social fantasies. Like, if I would go to a party, this is how I would imagine people would act, friendly and laid back, and I would actually talk to them, not being shy or stand-offish.
They were like my social interaction buddies.

You're fortunate to live in the 21st century where you can wear a bluetooth headset and folks won't even know you're talking to imaginary characters.:lol

That made me laugh so much, it hurt.
That crappy bluetooth has been the cause of a few embarrassing social moments. Like I was in the store about a week ago and this lady is staring straight at me. I'm in line, and it's long, so I'm not going anywhere. She suddenly says out loud 'So, you're not going to do anything?' Of course, I look at her to see who she's talking to, she's still looking dead at me. So, I stupidly open my mouth and say, 'What would I do, exactly?' She gave me the strangest look and then turned so that I could see her bluetooth. She gives me a little look of apology before walking off. Not before the person behind me laughs at the exchange, though. It was completely embarrassing at the time, but now it's kind of funny.

 

[Braxietel]

I don't think this is all that unusual either. At least, I hope not. What I do is have imaginary conversations with people that I actually know in real life. Picture it - I'm sitting there in a room by myself, and having a conversation with someone who isn't there. Or, it's like I'm being interviewed, and I get to just talk about myself. as long as i want. to someone who isn't there.

I do this all the time, though only in my head. I do talk to myself a bit.. and to my cats too..

 

[Moon Fire]

Well I also did have imaginary friends a lot when I was a child and a teenager. Since I was 18 I had this imaginary boyfriend and sometimes he would come and go throughout the years after, between real life break-ups with real guys (these were lonely periods). I don't do this anymore though.

 

[leonardess]

So, Patrick Bateman. Still feel odd?

 

[SAgirl]

Imaginary friends. I had to think do you hear voices? Are these hallucinations? Do you have schizophrenia?

Multiple Personality Disorder

http://personalitydisorders.suite101.com/article.cfm/multiple_personality_disorder