I'm an adolescent/teen and I have an imaginary friend.
Just to be clear, when I say imaginary friend, I don't mean the kind like the one from Inside Out, but an actual person that has a life, emotions, and personality.
I often "see" him when I'm really down or when my depression gets bad. Sometimes, he's just there during my daily life (at school or at home). When I'm having a breakdown I tend to go off into my daydreams and he's always there and comforts me, always saying things like: "you'll be fine" or "it's OK, I'm here".
When I'm not sad, I'd always faintly feel him presence during the day like he's by my side experiencing the day like I am.
(btw my counsellor says my excessive and unconscious daydreaming is most likely a coping mechanism, but she doesn't really know what to say about my friend)
The real problem about this is that when I finally realise that I've been daydreaming I feel like a truck load of bricks have been poured over me because I realise that my imaginary friend is, well… imaginary.
I tend to forget he's not a real person, and since I already have a hard time distinguishing my daydreams and reality, it's even harder sometimes.
My question is: Is this just an ordinary coping mechanism or a full on mental illness/disorder that I should be aware of?