Loneliness & limerance

[JupiterTaco]

I shouldn't read at 3am lol... Certain words people use like 'stuck', or random topics will fire up my imagination.

I wonder how the research on limerence & maladaptive daydreaming is going for the lady who asked for participants on here. You could do a poll to see how many limerents had imaginary friends (which I believe is normal up to ages 9 - 10, not to mention the benefits of having them). Lonliness could be one reason kids have them and going by your experience Zsababy, was true for you.

Plus you could have any type of imaginary friend you wanted. I had aliens, animals. Humans are boring...

[L-F]

Plus you could have any type of imaginary friend you wanted. I had aliens, animals. Humans are boring...

True that.
My mother doesn't like people yet she's the loneliest person I know who wishes she had friends or at least long-term ones. She's the type of person who will shut the world out and then try to say it's other people who let her down, or perhaps it's the other way around, who knows. She's lonely and perhaps it's her behavior or her reaction to others behavior that keeps her from being understood. As a daughter looking in it's incredibly soul-crushing. I only hope I don't end up like her with keeping people at arm's length. Lord knows I'd like to have a close relationship with her but will settle for a gently does-it-surface friendship. No deep and meaningful conversation for us. She's not emotionally equipped to handle responsibility of any sort. Oddly, she is aware enough to know her behavior drives others away and gets upset at how she reacts but only after the fact. She doesn't have enough wherewithal to catch herself in the moment and redirect her thoughts or communicate effectively. All this to say, her behavior keeps her lonely which has nothing to do with daydreaming or imaginary friends.

As for imaginary friends, as a kid, I wished I had one but sadly, I wasn't creative enough. Limited imagination. By the sounds of it, those who had one were more cognizant and creative. As mentioned before, there are a host of reasons why kids create imaginary friends.
So no imaginary friend for me but yes to maladaptive daydreaming *sigh*

[Zsababy]

I get maladaptive daydreaming where my daydreaming shows in my face or I slightly move my lips. I had a boss who would joke with me, "who are you talking to?" It's kind of humiliating. I've gotten looks now and again. I know I must look crazy. Wearing mask was great for me.

Dumb update: My LO shaved his beard and is very jowly and a bit homely. You'd think that would kill my attraction, but no. I thought that might do it but I still fantasize about him daily.

I'm working with a therapist on being more productive. We'll see.