Imaginary friend at 21 (serious answers plz)?

Question

I’m 21 and I have an imaginary friend.
I keep her existence hidden from people. I talk to her in my mind. I NEVER confuse her with a real person.
We started talking when I was going through puberty. I didn’t know about imaginary friends and called her “Voice” and she teased me.
When I was 14, she incited thoughts of revenge, but that changed and now she encourages tolerance and respect. She became a positive force in my life. I’m usually the rash one and she’s usually “let’s think it over” one. She still teases me, but it’s mostly funny, not embarrassing anymore.
I rarely ran into issues because of her, and those were when I told a wrong person about her.
I’m not social, but I handle myself well in a society. I am more confident than most people. People who know me say that I act younger than my age (usually like it’s a good thing). And I wonder if having an imaginary friend might have something to do with it. I’ve been told that 21 is a bit old for that. Is it?

Just to clarify, she does have a “body” which I can’t really see, but I can feel. Imagine following someone who is just at the edge of your sight. You can’t really see them, but you know what they’re doing. When she touches me, I sort of feel it, kinda like if you imagined someone touch you, you get this feeling, but you know it’s not real.

She usually doesn’t boss me around, but if she did steer me the wrong way, I’d take the blame on myself and “plagiarize” her reasoning as mine.

I don’t think she’s any more real than any other imaginary friend a kid might have. And she acknowledges it and says she’s a “part of me which I dislocated.” Oh and she doesn’t go by “Voice” anymore, she goes by my name.

The reason I didn’t get professional help is because I’m afraid to get a diagnosis, and then this diagnosis will follow me everywhere. Geez no it’s not a whatdoyacallit illness, it’s just that I’d prefer to be employed.

Answer 1

That's a new one for me, but as long as she doesn't tell you to do anything wrong, enjoy her company.

Answer 2

To begin, the scenario as you described it is abnormal, not only according to your age but for any person for that matter. Yes, we have all heard of imaginary friends that are made up as children for various reasons (boredom, trauma, etc.) but normally functioning individuals do not engage in actual conversations with these imagined personalities. You may talk your imaginary friend, but you should not receive an answer back in all seriousness.

Your particular description sounds much like Dissociative Identity Disorder (formerly, Multiple Personality Disorder). Although you only describe two identities: yourself (the host identity) and the female (associative identity dubbed the "Voice") ; that is all that is necessary to satisfy one particular criteria of multiple criterion necessary for a diagnosis in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual IV-Revised Edition. (this is the manual for all clinical diagnosis of psychological/psychiatric disorders).

My suggestion, if you haven't had one already, would be to seek the assistance of a professional psychologist or psychiatrist who is adept in recognizing such disorders if there is one at all. It may be perfectly normal or even beneficial as you have pointed out. However, given the unusual nature of situation it would be wise to seek some degree of certainty.

I hope this helps and I hope you have a wonderful, productive, and peaceful life.

Answer 3

The truth is my dear, that imaginary person or voice, is YOU! It's a safe way to keep yourself from fully being yourself around other people. It's something that you must have needed to have were you were young, that is , when you were a child, you must of lacked encouragement from others, or didn't get enough positive reinforcement you needed to hear, so, you learned how to provide it for yourself in an imaginary friend, or voice to lift you up, help you make decisions, to make you feel maybe not so alone, in your life. Sooner or later, everybody has to face who they are, and make decsions on their own. It's just part of growing up/ maturity.

Have you ever had a traumatic or painful experience, in your life that you wanted to get away from??? I'm talking about, these things, that only you & "she", knows, and no body else, Those things that only "she" understands, is merely a way to distance yourself from pain and other disappointments, that you experienced. She's like your "protector", your,"best friend". SHE, is your imaginary self, the person you invented, "she" is everything you IMAGINE or wish you could be-only, you don't realize yet, that you already are...

Instead of talking to her, as if "you" are not good enough yourself to know what to say, let her speak through you. Stop referring to the voice you hear as an imaginary person, and just except that voice as part of yourself. Accept this voice as your own thoughts and opinions about yourself, about many things in life..as you Higher self-so to speak. Just be yourself.

Every one has second thoughts at times, or feels bad, and need to have possitive self talk. That's not an imaginary person that you hear, it's you, it's your own inner, personal, thoughts and ideas. Own your ideas.

If I think to myself, " boy, that was really stupid of you, what is wrong with you!!" or"just wait, stop and think it over first", or whatever, that's just self-talk, it's just what I'm thinking to myself, what I'm saying to myself, my "inner dialogue, my own personal thoughts & feelings. "Self-talk". It's not a sperate person, or seperate "identity", in my head/imagination talking to me. Just thoughts. Myown thoughts.

Pschysophrenia patients actually BELEIVE there is another person living inside their head, other than themself, that talks to them, and tells them who they are, or who they should be,etc, and they answer them back. You don't want to be like that, do you?? Not at 21! You know,that might have been ok when you were still a child, it might even been ok at 14. But the truth is, you're not 14 any more, You're an adult now.

How do I say this, the State Hospital wards are full of people with "imaginary friends",

If you won't to listen to me, and decide she's real, regaurdless what I or anyone else tells you, what are you gonna do, walk around all your life talking to an imagined-"make-believe" person, that you pretend lives inside your head? What if this imaginary "friend", steers you wrong some time, who's fault will it be then?

One last thought, have you ever considering talking to God, you know, praying??? He's a good real good listener, He'll never yell at you or mislead you either.......He's the Best Friend you could ever have, and He's REAL!!! Just look around, at the beauty of nature, and all He created, the sky, the mountains, the beautiful rivers and lakes, all the animals, and all the new babies. Just as surely as the sun sets & rises each day, and just as surely as a flower blooms, and things sprout new leaves each spring, He's REAL!!

Answer 4

everyones perception of reality is different.most of us are blessed with five senses(see,smell,taste,hear,feel touch) and the sixth sense(extraordinary sensory perception).we use these senses to form our thought processing and realities.everyones reality is dependent on the use of these senses and use of them may differ from person to person.to an artist "mona lisa" is a master piece,but to a blind man it is nothing.for some beethoven semphonies are great pleasure to hear but to a deaf person it would be a waste of time.your imaginary friend is your master piece that only you have eyes to see or ears to hear.i guess this voice is part of your thought process.why there was need for such i dont know but as long is it is positive influence,you are ok with it and in control of your thinking,creativity and actions its alright to have this voice around.

Answer 5

What you described is an active conscience. Everyone has an inner voice. I think you would need to attach a physical body to this voice for it to truly be an "imaginary friend".

Answer 6

Maybe your friend is in fact an Entity (invisible being)...

I didn't believe in this type of !/%*, but my friend sold the house of his dreams because of an Entity !

Don't worry, there are good and evil ones. And yours seems to be OK from what you told us.

But anyway, I still think that you should consult someone who handles this type of situations.

Good luck :-)

Answer 7

For every person,there are 2 worlds.One world is outside,one world is inside.Everyone shares the world outside,but each and every person rules the one inside,because it's theirs.
Do what you want in/with your world inside,it's yours and where nothing can hurt you.

Answer 8

Is she the only "other" voice in your head? When she speaks does she sound like you or someone else? What was your home life like when you were in puberty?

Answer 9

I seriously think you need to see a shrink. This is not normal.