Episode 24 - Imaginary Friends and The Hat Man

In this episode, we explore the often comforting, and sometimes unsettling world of imaginary friends. From childhood companions who help make sense of the world to the deeper psychological meanings behind them, we ask why imaginary friends exist. We also dive deep to find if it's possible to have a collective imaginary friend and encounter the story of a common and unwanted visitor known across cultures. Are they just a phase, or something more? Thank you for being here, we appreciate you! Sources: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11136338/ https://www.washington.edu/news/2004/12/06/two-thirds-of-school-age-children-have-an-imaginary-companion-by-age-7/?utm_ https://www.parenttrust.org/2017/07/11/imaginary-friends/ https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/with_friends_like_these https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12888-023-05360-0 https://www.pararational.com/the-hat-man-unraveling-the-shadowy-figure-haunting-our-nightmares/ https://www.ripleys.com/stories/the-hat-man https://mythlok.com/urban-legends/hat-man/ https://longhornhaunts.com/hatman-phenomenon/ https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaneurology/article-abstract/563685 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17337212/ https://academic.oup.com/book/24530/chapter-abstract/187682001?redirectedFrom=fulltext&login=false https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/sleep-paralysis-and-the-monsters-inside-your-mind/ https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6208952/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30464663/