[LiteraryLark]

When I moved in middle school two "friends" came into my life. In high school, four more "friends" came into my life. These "friends" are all imaginary.

Senior year I had a manic episode which lead to my dx of bipolar disorder. I was in the hospital for two weeks and during that time my imaginary friends were gone. I stopped thinking about my crush as well during that time.

Right now I believe I am in a "mixed state". I'm still trying to figure out my disorder: what's manic, what's happy, what's depressed, what's normal sadness...and learning that I can experience both mania and depression at the same time really scares me. I started journaling how I felt yesterday and today and I can see that I am definitely manic and supercharged, but I also feel very emotional and at times I shed a few tears, followed by laughter.

i noticed that during this time I haven't had any interaction with my imaginary friends. At night I tried forcing them to be with me to help me go to sleep, but it was hard to try and make them feel as real to me as they do at other times.

Reading other's posts I don't see anyone else here who has imaginary friends, but I am learning that everyone experiences their disorder differently. Some are crippled by it, other's are frustrated, and some are doing so-so. I feel like right now I am doing so-so. I can still function, but I've been having heated arguments with my disorder about who's in charge of my life...ME!

Anyways, sorry...even if you can't really relate...Any ideas why my imaginary friends aren't as prevalent as to when I become manic?

[bluemountains]

I have always had imaginary friends, dr. skipper. My t says that this is one of the ways I have protected myself and stayed strong after csa.
Bluemountains

[LiteraryLark]

I've never had any abuse or had anything tragic or traumatizing happen to me. I moved and then couldn't make friends at the new school and was bullied by other kids.

[bluemountains]

Originally Posted by DrSkipper

I've never had any abuse or had anything tragic or traumatizing happen to me. I moved and then couldn't make friends at the new school and was bullied by other kids.

No friends and being bullied can be very tragic. You found a way to cope with your imagination.
Bluemountains

[BNLsMOM]

I wouldn't say I have imaginary friends, but I do often make up scenarios about people that I know to comfort myself. For example, one of the mental health counselors at the hospital was very caring and helpful to me. When I am going to bed at night I imagine him doing bed checks and that helps me calm and go to sleep.

I have other scenarios that aren't at all healthy and they usually come during depression or mixed episodes.

I wonder if when you are feeling manic, you don't need your imaginary friends because you are feeling good and don't need comforting.

[FireBird]

I have never had imaginary friends. But I can help you tell the difference between happy/ manic and sad/ depressed. Happiness doesn't affect you in a bad way and is usually a response to something good happening in your life. Or if you are just generally a happy person. Mania has bad things happening like overspending, random sex with people, reckless behavior or driving, impulsive behavior, and even psychosis which is definitely NOT a symptom of just plain happiness and even normal at all. Sad is the same way. If you are sad because of a loss that is perfectly normal. If it affects your life in a negative way and lasts a long time then its abnormal. You may become suicidal if you are truly depressed. You can be disabled from having true depression or mania. Happiness or sadness shouldn't be disabling.

[diem221]

I understand how frustrating bipolar can be

[LiteraryLark]

Thing is though I have always functioned normally. There was only one episode where I was delusional but now that I am on meds I am just back to feeling like my usual self. This was the first unusual feelings of happy/crappy in several months.

[LiteraryLark]

Should I write them down? My therapist said that I use my imaginary friends to fill the void for friendships and help me act out things I couldn't/shouldn't do in real life (risky sex, drugs, partying, etc).

I couldn't write out things we do because I think it would be embarrassing to read five years down the road, but I'm scared that I will forget about them. They've been with me the past seven years and I know someday I will move on, but I don't want to forget what they look like or what they were like. How can I still remember them five years down the road? What should I do?

You can write it down, but you don't have to keep it if you don't want to. Or write down their descriptions, what they look like, personality, ect. And leave out the parts you don't feel comfortable writing down.

I have an imaginary world I escape too. The people always change but the world doesn't. I never talked to a therapist about it. But I realize that it is my way of feeling safe when I don't. It's also my way of learning about myself. Sometimes tho it interferes with my real life. It's sort of like a utopia, but when I am smashed back into real life ... Not utopia I feel at odds with myself and the world around me. It just makes it hard for me to accept the real world i'm in. So I've tried to back off a bit from my escapism.

I'd write down some stuff, if you are afraid of forgetting. I still remember my imaginary childhood friend tho, but I have a pretty good memory for some stuff.

wow. I thought I was the only person who did this. huge ****ing relief.