Did you have an imaginary friend when young?

Post Reply New Topic

Though I had some good 1-on-1 friends, maybe 4-5, even in grade school-high school, I had lots of stuffed animal friends. I once jokingly asked them "am I you or are you me," I interacted with them in my head even in school, esp. on the playground early, and gave all my dogs "personalities" and they even had their own government, when my fasicination was with the Presidents in 2-6th grade.

Is that something typical of Aspies, or does it indicate something else since I was able to pretend so much? Or is it something that might have developed b/c I was reading so early & just soaking stuff in.

I had no imaginary friends. I was friends with my cat, and occasionally I'd make friends with bugs during recess, though. I had some human friends, but I also had plenty of difficulties with the other kids, too.

As far as I remember, I did "pretend play" during elementary school. I also liked to line things up and order things in certain ways. I am not diagnosed, though, so do not take my word too heavily.

When I was little, my imaginary friends were Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny. I loved my Holidays and I still do.

I don't think so but I could be wrong, as I purposely tried to forget much of my early life, then again, I try to remember to commit it to paper for reference just in case. Does that include thinking like there are two people inside your head and you are one and talk to another form of yourself or whatever the person might be as an advisor to a council of many other people that represent different types of behaviors or interests? If not, then forget I asked.

I voted no. Why would I need imaginary friends when I can have long engaging conversations with myself? Seriously, I talk to myself all the time... no joking....

I got dibs on you winning an argument with you. No, I think you sounds like you got the edge over you. What do you think? Are you the better talker or are you?

Would that be the same as what I described? Hypothetically of course. (dont want the boys in white to come around again (lol)), no they have not caught me yet. At least, I don't think they ever did.

Yeah, it's pretty well what you described. Although generally the part of me that I talk to isn't any different than the part of me talking, just even more logical and perhaps slightly more objective.

Thinking about it more, I realize that I have in fact talked to imaginary people on occasion. I now remember once talking to an imaginary phyciatrist when I wasn't feeling so well, it actually helped a fair bit.

Mostly though, I just talk to myself.

P.S. I would still say I've never had any imaginary friends as I have never talked to the same imaginary person more than once.

Actually, what you describe does sound like what I'm thinking, it's just I always used my stuffed animals. They were, though, more objective and such, as you say. And not just as psychologists, as ministers, when I was bothered by some stuff in school once I can remember *and maybe here's another sign, I recall some conversations years later) one of my "stuffed dogs" suggesting I talk to God about it.

I've always had great faith, and now I do talk tot he Lord enough some would think He was an imaginary friend, even though He's quite real in Spirit

I still have a stuffed bear I talk to once in a while when I am really needing to get things out. I used to have a childhood "imaginary" friend before starting school but that went away. That same stuffed bear that was there for me through my teens is now my oldest Autistic son's bedmate. Though I sneak Ted E. Bear out for talks at times.

Tim wrote

My imaginary friends were an Elf named Fred from as young as I can remember. He was able to become any size he needed to be.
My real life stuffed toy is a Raccoon named Ralph. Mum and my sister called him Rack Off Raccoon. The boy across the road tried to murder him by trampling on him in the mud. Ralph recovered yet still bares the scars. He is still alive today, but looks a bit anorexic.

I also had an imaginary camel for 2 years while I was in high-school. Mum and my best friend (from year 8 who is still my best friend) remember him better than I do. He was mostly well behaved but would ocassionally refuse to get on the school bus or spit at people.

Have I incriminated myself enough or should I keep going?

ElfMan

I loved my pet cat so much. I didn't have any imaginary friends.

But in my early days of schooling, when I was about 5-9 years old, I would play on my own.

I'd make conversations in my head about games to play, and just walk around and play them , without talking out loud, but talking in my head? It's hard to explain.

I only had one friend for ages, and when she wasn't there I would DREAD play and lunch time.

We grew apart quickly. She was a more popular NT, and I don't really like now, and don't talk to her.

I used to play with stuffed animals all the time. I would go to friends houses to play, but the best part was coming home and playing on my own.

Late 1987 through about the first half of 1988 my friends were pound puppies, those stuffed dogs that you could get at hardees. It was during that time that I saw a commercial on TV where a kid went to sleep with a stuffed animal and I thought that all kids did that same and thus so should I. And so for about 9 months I went to be with my pound puppies. I managed to get all of them and still have them in the basement of our home.

Tim_P: That was kind of what I meant by the advisor in me, though it is hard to say which is more logical, I just kind mentally bicker back and forth with myself, or discuss through logical and reasonable style one against the other. The council does not seem to meet at least not as often as they used to, so they usually just come out when I hold an election on which interest/personality set takes the dominant role and when their particular expertise is needed. One of them though seems to when most often, but I suppose that has a lot to do the circumstances I am in.

Hale_bop: That is usually it works with me. Its all in my head, though once in awhile, I find myself thinking out loud. This seems more so, it is too quiet.

Still do (at the age of 23), and not only in times of stress, so no voting...

Authors and actors sometimes have characters who become "real" - start having a mind of their own, in a way. Nobody quite knows how this happens; maybe it's subcreation.

Imaginary friends encouraging you to talk with God - oh yeah, familiar. Once asked an I.F. if he was an angel; he was quite annoyed by it...

Oh yes, stuffed animals and dolls used to have very definite personalities. Stuffed animals were never for "protection" or security; they were people of a sort.

Still can't throw old toys out for this reason. It's not a belief that the toys are alive in any way, but they got... invested with personality. It would be like betraying a part of oneself.