Imaginary friends and imaginary worlds. Best coping mechanism.

[ForsakenDial]

I saw Cupcake make a thread about it back all the way in 2019 (Here). And sad_frog made a thread about imaginary worlds (Here). but not sure if its okay to necro. I found their experiences very relatable.

So, I myself have imaginary friends. Had them for most of my life. People who are kinder. I like to imagine them socializing and spending time with each other. Maybe friends are not the most accurate description as I am not directly involved in these scenarios. But, I don't know what else to call them.

I also imagined them in their own worlds, and would write stories about them. These worlds were sometimes beautiful, others were filled with misery and suffering. They were reflections of my own experience and my mental well being at the time just like Cupcake and sad_frog. It was these worlds and characters that saved my life more times I can count.

I personified my razor initially unintentionally at some point. I was trapped in the throws of an intense depressive episode, and it was the only sense of relief from such intense emotional pain. It was there for me, and I trust it. This is one of the few times I imagined something directly interacting with me. It never said anything, but listened. I projected my thoughts onto it and it heard me.

Does anyone else have imaginary friends? Or create imaginary scenarios? Things built by the state of our minds and where it takes us? Whether it be an object, intangible figure, or something else?

 

[hikikomorizombie]

i envy u so much!! :') i lost my imagination longggg ago & no matter what i try, i can't get it back :( i used to <3 to write & be able to create intricate characters, worlds, & stories in my head. now i can't even manage to daydream while listening to music anymore ://

i have a few comfort characters, but only 1 of them i really 'created', & i use that term in the loosest possible way. lol. my bear Mr. Kuma in my pfp's prob the only true imaginary friend i have :) i'll be bringing him w me omw down when i finally fall, he's like tangible comfort.

do u have any stuffies??? & who are ur fav imaginary friends/ones u go to the most? if u don't mind me asking.

 

[RosebyAnyName]

Definitely relate to this too, my imagination has been supporting my mental health through my entire life. It started with me struggling to understand and feel my own emotions (autism), so as a mental exercise I'd imagine what a made-up character would look like / act like in the same situation and that helped me process my own emotions. It turned out that was very fun, so now I have multiple imaginary worlds and characters that I think about not just to help with emotional processing, but also solely for entertainment if I'm bored.

 

[Forever Sleep]

When I was young, I had a whole population of cartoon characters that I tried to imagine would take care of me. (I was growing up with a suspected narcissist at the time.) Some of them were what I hoped to be- athletes and kind of goofy and others were warriors. I used to draw them and make models of them- neither very good! But yeah- that was a form of escapism really.

Interesting really that your imaginary worlds didn't always include you. I think mine mostly have, although I think I used to struggle trying to picture myself around friendly, protective cartoon characters!

As I aged, I guess I branched out into fantasizing about romantic partners. Really though- they were less original and more in the scope of fan fiction. Lol. Honestly- I still do that now and I'm 44! It tends to come and go but yeah- it's distracting and comforting really. It likely sounds hugely pathetic too but, I don't really care. I don't think I'm built for an actual relationship now but I really enjoy having imaginary ones. It's one thing that makes life more bearable.

 

[ForsakenDial]

i envy u so much!! :') i lost my imagination longggg ago & no matter what i try, i can't get it back :( i used to <3 to write & be able to create intricate characters, worlds, & stories in my head. now i can't even manage to daydream while listening to music anymore ://

i have a few comfort characters, but only 1 of them i really 'created', & i use that term in the loosest possible way. lol. my bear Mr. Kuma in my pfp's prob the only true imaginary friend i have :) i'll be bringing him w me omw down when i finally fall, he's like tangible comfort.

do u have any stuffies??? & who are ur fav imaginary friends/ones u go to the most? if u don't mind me asking.

I have nothing else than my razor. I make art of my characters and worlds and write stories about them. Mr. Kuma is adorable <3
I am giving consideration into getting a teddybear, they are nice to hug.

 

[NoAIarmsNoSurprises]

I've had them all my life, it's the only thing that kept me sane and made me see life as a cup half full instead of half empty. As embarrassing as it is for me to admit, this maladaptive habit I've carried with me well into my adult years. I know they're not real, I don't share them with anyone nor do I plan to but I owe credit to my imagination for giving me the comfort, love, support and understanding that I so desperately crave in life. They also give me a chance to step outside myself and look inwards, to reflect. If not to reflect then to escape. I know they're not enough to keep me here and I'd much prefer the company of like-minded people, but beggars can't be choosers I guess.

 

[ForsakenDial]

I've had them all my life, it's the only thing that kept me sane and made me see life as a cup half full instead of half empty. As embarrassing as it is for me to admit, this maladaptive habit I've carried with me well into my adult years. I know they're not real, I don't share them with anyone nor do I plan to but I owe credit to my imagination for giving me the comfort, love, support and understanding that I so desperately crave in life. They also give me a chance to step outside myself and look inwards, to reflect. If not to reflect then to escape. I know they're not enough to keep me here and I'd much prefer the company of like-minded people, but beggars can't be choosers I guess.

There is no shame in immersing yourself in your imagination. If someone shames you, then they were likely looking for any excuse to do so. Authors and world builders spend a lot of time daydreaming to forge every detail of the abstract worlds in their heads. Immersing in fiction of your own creation has little difference from embracing the fictional works of another person. This is how you cope, and how you manage to get through everyday. It can even become productive if you hone your imagination and give it a level of tangibility through art and writing. There is nothing to be embarrassed about creating your own means to continue your existence. The mind is of our own creation, processing your feelings and thoughts through a different lens. To use your mind to fill in the emotional needs that life has left unmet is making effective use of the tools being human has given you. Your imagination may be the very thing that can help you find the real company you are looking for. There might be communities out there with people just like you. You found some of us here, this means you are not alone. Maybe searching for communities for maladaptive daydreaming will let you find exactly what you are trying to find. I remember finding one on Discord a long time ago, if you look there you'll find people just like you.