Brookline, MA - For the first time since official tracking began in the 1950s, experts in pediatric mental health are seeing an increase in reports of anxiety and depression among childhood imaginary friends.
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| A young child, shown here playing on the swings with an imaginary friend who is suffering from an acute panic attack. Yes, his friend is black. Why does that matter? That's racist. |
"This looks to be the first generation of children who will have significant numbers of make-believe playmates suffering from mental health conditions typically seen only in non-imaginary patients," Pediatric social-cognitive psychiatrist Mort Fishman, head of imaginary psychiatry at Me and My Buddy Mental Health Services in Brookline, explained. "Imaginary mental health is something that myself and my team of pretend social workers and counselors take very seriously because a suffering fantasy companion could be a sign that the corporeal child is similarly troubled."
The presence of an imaginary friend has long been recognized as a common and healthy part of normal childhood development, helping non-imaginary children to hone social skills, provide comfort and entertainment, and to even serve as academic mentors or moral guides. According to Fishman, who has treated a number of fictional buddies and sidekicks over the past few months, early recognition is extremely important. "It takes time to train an imaginary support animal, especially a good one like a dragon or a pony. You can't just dream up a random cute puppy and expect to have a good outcome. This is serious."
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