imaginary friends (not hallucinations)

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Sometimes, when I'm in the plane or travelling on the freeway, I start to talk to George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, or Benjamin Franklin. I tell them, See? Look what reason hath built us! Then they respond in amazement and wonder, along with approval. Note that these are not hallucinations, but more like temporary imaginary friends. I know that they're not there, though sometimes it feels as if they are there.

When I read a book or watch something, or while I'm stimming to the same song or TV scene over and over again, other people pop up in my mind, people I know or don't know. They always make comments on what I'm doing or what I'm thinking about as I stim, or they make reactions. Sometimes I will converse with them and it's like they talk back to me in my head. I know they're not real, but they feel like they're really there.

Have others here had a similar experience?

I think it's referred to as having a good imagination. I still do it occasionally.

Yeah, I've had imaginary friends too ( that are not hallucinations and I know are not real) it helps with loneliness and also I just find it fun, it kind of gives me a little buzz.

I definitely do and have created whole imaginary worlds with an alter ego for myself partly as a coping mechanism and partly because it is sometimes fun and then maybe partly because it became habitual almost like a mental stim. For a lot of my highschool and adult life I felt guilty and kept it a secret then I wrote about it in a personal essay that an online journal called poeticdiversity.org asked me to write on why I write. Now that I'm gradually coming to terms with and acceptance of the fact that I probably have Aspergers or some other form of HFA and have been on a few forums for a few months, it's interesting and reassuring to find out I'm not the only one who does this.

I imagine people. Normally they're characters from the book I'm reading but sometimes they're historical figures. If I want to write a story, I imagine I'm talking to the characters before I write it, which helps a lot. It's usually fun too (I don't like all the people I write about).

Imaginary friends are excellent. As are animal friends. I also find an imaginary colleague pleasant to have, especially when I'm stuck on something.

I used to create personalities for my stuffed toys as a kid because they were my only friends.

I often pretend someone is with me, but they haven't got an image or anything. It is just a voice in my head what I often have conversations with in my head. And it's not hallucinations, I know I'm doing it and just enjoy it sometimes.

I have imaginary friends, too - these friends are "invisible" ones, and also my stuffed animals that I imbue with personalities, like zer0netgain. My die cast cars are also imaginary friends, as well.

My understanding is that imaginary friends are relatively common among aspies.

I've had an imaginary friend who's been with me 24/7 since I was eleven. He's great to talk to, and after all this time it feels really weird if he goes into the next room and I know I'm "by myself".

Can you create the people at will? How real are they, compared to real people, in terms of social needs?

And most important: does it work with imaginary girlfriends, without becoming psychotic?

I don't know if it's imaginary friends - but in my head I live in sort of an alternate universe. I'm glad it was mentioned actually, I was a little worried about it. I spend like 70% of my time in my head, more when I'm depressed. I have an alterego there and life is just better. I'm better. I can socialise and achieve goals and all of the stuff I can't do in real life. It's relaxing, but sometimes I wish I could cope without it.