My Daughter's Friend, Gust

I was notified today that my daughter has a new friend named Gust. Gust is about the size of a large ladybug and can only be seen by my daughter. Gust sleeps on the table.

Psychology Today reports that a team of Yale University psychologists found that pretend playmates produce a happy and creative adulthood. Led by Jerome Singer; Doesn't support the belief that children with imaginary playmates are shy; Flowering of the imagination.

This brings me to my point (as I almost always have one). How come adults are not permitted to have imaginary friends? Those who do have friends are considered to have Schizophrenia. They see and/or hear people that nobody else can see or hear.

Now I am all confused.

It is healthy for children to have imaginary friends, but it is a mental illness if an adult has imaginary friends. Why? If people are not hurting themselves or other people, why can't you have an imaginary friend? Think of how much fun you and you imaginary friend could have?

Take your imaginary friend on the elevator. Crack open your briefcase or purse, and while peering inside ask "Got enough air in there?"

Stand on the street corner with three of your imaginary friends and sing a four part harmony song...you sing the bass or alto part.

You and your friends will thrill and amuse many. You also will have much more fun with your imaginary friend. The expressions provided by others in your general area is priceless. Oh, Oh...make a new Mastercard commercial!

Think about it...

Taxi to the Magnificent Mile in Chicago from the hotel: $35
Tip to be seated against the Window at the Signature Room: $20
Lunch and drinks for you and your imaginary friend: $53
Seeing the expressions of the people around you while you argue with your imaginary friend about how hot the waitress is: Priceless.

Go ahead and talk with your old childhood friend. When the men with white coats show up, look at them like they are crazy.

Did you know...

According to the British Columbia Schizophrenia Society, over 2.2 million people in the United States suffer from Schizophrenia. This is 2 times the amount of Alzheimer's, 5 times the Multiple Sclerosis, 6 times the Insulin Dependent Diabetes, and 60 times the Muscular Dystrophy.

Comments

Meg said…
I love the picture!
Neither of my kids had an imaginary friend, but they do both walk around with stuffed animals (and I don't mean the cats, LOL!) at any given point in time.
7:27 PM
High Priestess said…
My youngest sister had imaginary friends named ragged and yarner? Where she came up with that - who knows? There is another theory that children are often in closer touch with the great beyond. Maybe your little one is just conversing with a person in an alternate universe that we adults are no longer open minded enough to see??
8:57 AM
Anonymous said…
Excellent post, N8! My brother had an imaginary friend as a child, and ended up not schizophrenic. :) I think it's fine for adults to have them, so long as they know they are imaginary. ;) Love the "priceless" list, too!

PS - this is Jennifer, aka, pulling_my_hair_out, from Xanga.
9:41 AM
Anonymous said…
I had many imaginary friends as a child. The first were animals that talked, much like cartoons. When they slipped away humans began to appear to me starting 7th grade. 1 male, 2 females (one for him and one for myself). In time when I got into relationship with a real girl the females I let disappear. I thought I would marry her but the relationship did not last, after this came (and continues) depression, loneliness and the desire to never try to find another mate (since I have failed the system is flawed.) The male I have decided to keep forever, since he is very dear, he is siting with me now. I consider myself moderate schizo and try to focus on its practical effects. For instance, I am the most talented person with computers I have met in person (better than my former computer repair employer.) I often get angry at objects as if they had feelings cursing them and I would try to hurt its feeling by destroying it. This has resulted in me destroying many things, guitars, computers, the inside of my car (a mercedes at that), anything. I know now that they don't have feelings now and I cant hurt them but I still feel the need to damage something to morally hurt it if it angers me. I don't consider myself a threat to a real person and have never been. I still have trouble with thought extraction/insertion, knowing it is not real but trying to justify how it COULD be. If I loose at a game, the game is flawed and did not function correctly. I have record of canibis use and have now quit as of 2 weeks ago and am on adderall for ADHD treatment and am happy to report success so far. I wish to never smoke dope again and see the positives in not doing it in a unforgiving society. Anyway, my point (I have some too) is that A: children with imaginary friends are more likely to develop schizo and B: someone with schizo telling you this could have real merit. I hope this helps a researcher or someone with questions. Godbless
11:24 PM
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