Is it normal to always pretend i'm a character?

42% Normal
6 Comments

Ever since I was young, I always pretended I was a character (first from books/tv, now mostly from games/anime). It got more frequent and thorough the older I got; it was just when playing before, and now as an adult, I can't go a single day without pretending to be a character.

Some days I'm a singular character, some days I go through 5 or more. Whenever I get a new favourite character, they are added to my imaginary list of characters I've been. I begin acting like them and realize...whoops, looks like I've got another one. I've never ditched a character I've been...rather, they go 'dormant' until they one day resurface, usually if I see a picture of them again.

The characters sometimes drastically differ in personalities. Some are kind and gentle, others violent and sadistic, but I don't hurt others when I'm pretending to be a violent character. At the current moment, I am devoid of a character. When this happens, I tend to feel very down (so my mind shuffles through which character would be suiting for the moment). If my mind can't decide on one, it creates a temporary one; I'm currently typing as a person at least 7 years older. It's just a temporary character my mind will 'delete' later, and since it's not in a book/otherwise, it won't be kept.

When I am pretending to be one, I see my appearance as the character's. Looking in a mirror sometimes dissolves this...or, if I look similar to the character, which is the case for 6, heightens it. I act very subtly like them, too much would be forced. I'm satisfied with this subtleness.

Not including those who have been dormant for many years, the amount of characters I have in stock are over 100. If the character clicks somehow, I will almost immediately 'absorb' their personality. These characters aren't always human and are usually very odd.

I can't comfortably go a day without being at least one character. I can't function properly if I'm not someone besides muself.

Do any of you guys do this? IIN, or is there something wrong with me?

Voting Results
42% Normal
Based on 45 votes (19 yes)
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Comments ( 6 )
  • Gonfaloniere
    9 years ago

    Wow, for a second, it felt like someone was describing my life. Mine are all from tv shows, but the part when you said a character is 'dormant' for awhile really resonated with me, because I too have been through several characters, but they are all special in their own way. Sometimes I'll look back on my life or a certain time and remember which character I was pretending to be and found that it influenced my decisions at that point in time.

    I voted normal, but I don't know if it really is. Are you able to function at work or school? If you're like me, I don't think anyone would ever know my secret, but once I'm alone, I turn into that character fully. For me it really is escapism and it doesn't hurt anyone, so if that is the case, I'd say go for it. Maybe use that imagination to write or draw or rp?

    The only problem I've faced is the realization that I am now 25 and I really have no idea who I am as a person because I've been pretending to be a character for so long now.

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    • Anonymous Post Author
      9 years ago

      It's great to see that I'm not alone. Many of my decisions are also influenced by the character I am, though only if the decision isn't too crucial. If it is, I sometimes switch to being a character who would make that particular decision.

      I am currently not employed, but when I was at school, I could function because I was always behind the veil of a character. Nobody can tell I am, not fully-- but I have had a couple people mention to me that I was slightly similar to a character I was behind at the time, so I became a little more subtle (though it made me feel pleased to know that I was doing a good job of the character, even subtly).

      I do actually rp, someone got me into it a few years ago and I realized how perfect such a thing was for me. I draw and write a lot, though I'm very unconfident about my writing skills and feel that my drawings are mediocre at best.

      I'm sorry you feel that way, though if it helps to have someone share this, I also feel this way-- I know nothing about myself; almost every single personality trait I possess has been melded with a character's. As in...some traits I know are mine, but I have taken those, found a character with them, then merged the two. If the few I know are mine conflict with a character my mind has chosen, I will suppress them. Other than that...I have no idea as to what sort of person I am and can't imagine being without a character, even a temporary one (I am the same temporary one from yesterday, and this one has both my traits and traits I have added).

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  • AngelDaKat
    9 years ago

    Definitely normal. Like,why not? It is pretty fun to do it. I pretend I'm the energetic stupid idiotic stubborn person.

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  • zoffix
    9 years ago

    I only do this if I've been playing some game for a long period. I then walk out outside but still feel like I'm that knight or spaceman or whatever.

    I voted "Normal" because it doesn't sound utterly weird to me. Being down when you're not pretending to be a character is probably not good, but if you got 100 characters, who cares?

    Have you thought of writing fiction or becoming an actor? It'd probably be very easy for you to do top-quality work.

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    • Anonymous Post Author
      9 years ago

      I often do this as well, but I actually don't play many games these days.

      Since I have so many characters and can make up one on the spot if my mind won't select one, I rarely feel down because of this (though I do suffer from depression even when I have one I'm being).

      I need to really brush up on what little writing skills I have now, but I've kind of wanted to write a book one day (thanks for your encouraging words, but I'm not confident at all with my writing). I thought of being an actor when I was younger, but came to realize that I didn't want to since I don't like being put on the spotlight; social situations aren't exactly my forté.

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  • Spankz
    9 years ago

    I'm very sorry to tell you all, but this sounds like base schizophrenia or at least a multiple-personality disorder. The way you personify their personalities is a little concerning. I could be wrong, but I would really seek medical attention for this. It is not normal for a person to have more than one personality that they can so easily switch to. I don't want to worry you, because I might even be wrong. Maybe this is normal? I really don't know. But, I would at least talk to a doctor just to be sure...

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