How come when a little kid has an imaginary friend that's generally considered perfectly normal and maybe even cute but when an adult has an imaginary friend their deemed insane and thrown in a asylum?

Answer 1

It's all about perception of reality. Those thrown in the "asylm" (which is nolonger an acceptable term) are out of touch with reality. It's all about the level on which the friend is percieved. If for instance the person realizes that this friend has no physical form and is only in his/her head then that person can usually function so long as there in no battle for control such as the friend telling them to do things shuch as: harm themselves, harm other, break the law, etc. In children there is little worry because children often need some one that they can talk to due to lonliness or certain types of trauma and it often helps in their development so long as at some point the child breaks free of the bond. The longer this friend is with the child the more likely it becomes that either a second personality will be formed or the child will begin to think of the friend as a corporeal being and it can become a drain on them as a person and society to a certain extent. In the end, its fine to have an imaginary friend be it pet, friend, or lover. Even an imaginary spouse is acceptable so long as you remember that he or she has no corporeal form and has no power over you. That is the line that must not be broken, ever.

Answer:

When the imaginary friend is the deity that your culture believes in, it is acceptable to others in your culture.