Is it normal i am a personality parasite?

57% Normal
6 Comments

Im what my friend dubbed "A personality Parasite". Ive lost who i used to me in a bout of depression, so i dont know who i am.

To compensate for this lack of personality ive incorporated almost everyone i've ever mets personality into one disgusting lump i call myself. This includes:
- Physical Habits (twitching, eye rubbing in an unusual way)
- Various Phrases ( e.g. "That game is pony)
- Occasional Accents (Using scottish accents for some words)
- Sayings (for examples sake: See ya later alligator)
- Traits such as kindness, lying and exaggerating.
- Humour (I hated pranking people, i now LOVE it)
- Voice tone when story telling
- Some emotions i never possessed such as greed and envy.
- Facial Expressions and habits when talking. (winking)
- Language and dialect (e.g. How are ya? - (ya instead of you)

and more.

Does everyone subconciously do this? Or is this the monster i have become?

Ive almost divided it evenly to almost make sure that i never take to much to just copy someone straight up. My best friend noticed i possess habits (he hangs around with my friends too and is very observant about their various habits etc) of nearly everyone we go out with.

I think its a desire to fit in, but i dont like fitting in anywere i prefer solitude.

Voting Results
57% Normal
Based on 49 votes (28 yes)
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Comments ( 6 )
  • Arther.D
    11 years ago

    You would be surprised to see how little the friends you "imitate" actually contributed to their own style.

    You don't have to invent the jean to wear one.

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  • ProseAthlete
    11 years ago

    NeuroNeptunian's advice is fantastic as always, and I agree that your friend is an asshole.

    It's called mirroring behavior, and it's something a lot of people do subconsciously or consciously in an effort to be accepted by the person they're mirroring. Given what you've been through, you have more reason than most to seek comfortable, low-stress social relationships, and one way to do that is through adopting another person's behaviors.

    Also, sometimes other people just do something cool that becomes part of you. I still say stuff college friends used to say 20 years ago because they got ingrained. No one cares that I "stole" a trait because we all do it all the time. People are social animals and regularly mimic their peers.

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  • NeuroNeptunian
    11 years ago

    Your friend is an asshole. Imitation is the highest form of flattery.

    Yes, it is normal to try to change yourself and be like others if you're dissatisfied with who you are. Once you find a you to be comfortable with, you'll lessen this tendency and eventually become YOU. We all imitate people we admire to some extent.

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  • Pwnfacertwn
    11 years ago

    Nobody's alone in this world and no one is truly unique. We all borrow - beginning at birth from Mom, Dad or whomever our primary caregivers are and build from that. Also, there's a bit of a "when in Rome" syndrome many of us are subject to wherein we use certain language devices, accents, slang, etc. around certain people that we don't use as commonly around others.

    I know how you feel about starting over too. Depression, addiction and other mental illnesses can make you feel like you've lost part of yourself and wake up each day with a blank slate. Embrace it. One day you'll realize you're you again and always were. Time is a great healer.

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  • RoseIsabella
    11 years ago

    I sometimes talk to my cat in a Scottish brogue. But I did name him after Saint Andrew.

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  • q25t
    11 years ago

    I do the exact same thing with both people and books. I think most people just don't realize it when they do start taking things from other people.

    You do have a few advantages now that you know you do this. If you hang around people that you want to be like, you may develop some of their traits. That, in essence, I think is who you actually are.

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