Is it normal to have an imaginary friend at my age?

54% Normal
26 Comments

im 18 years old, i have clinical depression a few days ago i wanted to kill myself but then somewhere in my mind i heard someone tell me to snap out of it. then suddenly i felt confident and strong and not depressed. the next day somehow i created and imaginary friend. she has been following me around ever since keeping me positive and helping me i social situations which i am not good with. things have gotten allot better for me since and i made new friends and am doing good in school. is this normal or am i loosing it?

Voting Results
54% Normal
Based on 102 votes (55 yes)
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Comments ( 26 )
  • squirrelgirl
    12 years ago

    Your imaginary friend sounds beneficial to you. If it saved you from hurting yourself and gave you inner comfort and strength, then who's to say it is wrong? If anything, I'd say that you were worse off without your imaginary friend.

    For the record, I'm 21 and I've had imaginary friends since I was 5. Not the same ones - they change every couple of years depending on whatever I'm interested in at a given time. I talk to them when I'm alone and when I zone out, I like to imagine that I'm in their world hanging out with them.

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    • calciphur
      12 years ago

      thats so cool, i hope i keep my friend for a long time.

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      • squirrelgirl
        12 years ago

        Thanks! Your friend will stay with you for however long you need them. I've had my current set of imaginary friends since 2010, and they don't seem to be going away anytime soon. The longest I've ever had a specific imaginary friend for was 6 years.

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        • goodatit
          12 years ago

          hello thank you

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          • squirrelgirl
            12 years ago

            You're welcome!

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  • DannyKanes
    12 years ago

    I heard a theory once that imaginary friends were actually spirits :)

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  • purpledino8
    12 years ago

    Ya but wouldn't call it an imaginary friend, its just you telling yourself this..you don't think its you but it is..and you somehow created a person out of it

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  • tentacleTherapist
    12 years ago

    You know what. Seeing this thing pop up made me happy. Some of my close friends are whimps that are dominated by their parents - I'd make an imaginary friend but I don't know if it'd be fair.

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  • la_la_la_la
    12 years ago

    Hiya,

    If she's helping you, keep her about. Write about her perhaps. Anything that makes you happy is better than you wanting to kill yourself.

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  • sunny_wantsome
    12 years ago

    Please don't introduce him/her to your future life partner as it may scare him/her.

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  • ZarsMonkey
    12 years ago

    DannyKanes that was in the ghost whisperer..... And I doubt that's normal.. But... Who ever or whatever this is, as long as it is in your benefit, embrace it

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  • Energy
    12 years ago

    That sounds actually pretty cool! I just hope you don't go crazy...
    I want to try that but I'm afraid if I do it for to long I'll go crazy :/

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    • calciphur
      12 years ago

      that was my concern at first, but she is very nice and im more mentally stable now than befor

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  • shuggy-chan
    12 years ago

    not normal, but its not a bad thing either, i mean you doing better now right? and who really wants to be all that normal anyway?

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    • RavagedSoul
      12 years ago

      Well everyone is quirky in their own way. Just some others are really extreme that even the weird find it weird.

      OP I guess it is normal to have imaginary friends. I envy you for having one actually. I never had fictional or real ones in my childhood.

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  • karmasAbich
    12 years ago

    I wouldn't say it is normal, or healthy. Its not a hallucination do you know? I'm not sure if its a grey idea, but if your imaginary friend is making you feel better, then I say go for it! I've got dysthymia, which is chronic depression, and I no anything that helps make you feel better normal or not, is a great thing. Good luck ;)

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  • NormalIsOverratedBeANinja
    11 years ago

    Completely normal! I have one myself, although I haven't talked to her in a while. She helps me focus on doing the things I need to do, since I'm an awful procrastinator. :P

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  • ebulliance
    11 years ago

    That's good. What is 'bad' isn't black and white. I live a lifestyle people would call crazy, but I'm actually healthy and happy.

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  • Bloodyrawrs
    12 years ago

    As long as it doesn't interfere with your work or school. Your doing better now because of your imaginary friend right?
    As long as it doesn't get too out of hand it should be fine. But if I were you I'd keep that personal from my actual friends xD

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    • calciphur
      12 years ago

      ya actually she helps me with my school work and keeps me focused. i dont think i would tell my friends about her

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  • [Old Memory]
    12 years ago

    i have never once had a imaginary friend and never will me i think its all in your head you need to tell your self that its not their so it will go away i felt like killing my self tons of times let me tell you pills didn't do a damn thing for me you need to think more think really hard your not a nut

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  • redrobin_yum
    12 years ago

    It's not normal, but do whatever makes you happy! Look on the bright side, atleast you don't want to kill yourself.

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  • [Old Memory]
    12 years ago

    imaginary friend in your head , yes, a zombie has no friend in their head, so normal , shall i jump pal ? no! stoopid me , thankyou friend :) ps i love you , but ill jump anyhow

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  • Anesthesiologist
    12 years ago

    Is this normal? That depends. If you are characterizing these imaginary people as real people, then you would legally be considered insane or in serious need of human companionship. However, if you are making one up just for kicks, and you feel mentally sound, then this is normal. But since the only two choices were have are normal or not normal, I'm going to have to go with not normal.

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  • Ibelievethis
    12 years ago

    I'm had an imaginary friend called Elizabet and I could see her, she had long crimped blond hair. I was an only child though until 12, so I think I createde her for company. x

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  • Dozis
    12 years ago

    Oh lord. An imaginary friend eh? That's called talking to yourself. It ain't good. You are so definitely losing it.
    Only people around you can either help you get better or make everything get worse. Not even psychologists can do anything to help you if people around you aren't of any help. It's strange you created yourself an imaginary friend. That's not what depressed people do, it is usually what very withdrawn people ,most of the time schizophrenics, do to cope with their inability to communicate with others due to extreme anxiety and difficulty concentrating. Do you actually hear your imaginary friend talking to you? like:telling you to do or say stuff? I am asking you because that would be another reason to believe yours is not just clinical depression. I wish there was something more I could tell you than: see a psychiatrist but there isn't anything else I can suggest.

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