the real question isn't "will I develop schizophrenia" but rather "would schizophrenia really affect me so negatively"

don't let your own mind frighten you

I too talk to myself, use myself as a sounding board, and generally have conversations with people (sometimes outloud, but mostly in my head) that help me to get a perspective.  I know I am not schizophrenic.  Sometimes I think this is a higher being guiding me, channeling information through me, but most of the time in these situations, I understand that I am really just talking to myself.  That I am tapping into a part of 'me' that isn't usually at the forefront, a hidden observer which is me, just not necessarily the 'me' I put out there!  It sounds to me that without having someone to talk to, you turn to yourself for guidance (we all do that), and that it is easier for you to do this if you visualise and personify that part of 'you' which can help play 'devil's advocate'.  You are not crazy sweety!! Internet diagnosis, whilst useful, can be very frightening, and misleading.  Do not worry!!  And, we are all here for you if you want some more perspective.  Until then, keep chatting, it's far more normal than you think!! xx

Thank you guys SO much. You've all been very helpful, and made me feel a lot better.

Some of the stories about y'all's imaginary friends are hilarious...I'm glad I'm not alone in having one! Justin's not nearly as cool as swimming in the middle of winter and living in a ruined castle or someone I can blame when things go wrong, but he's cool all the same...

In answer to questions...It's probably from sport that I find myself so lonely...it's a self-imposed loneliness probably, but it can suck all the same. I'm in college at the moment, and while I've met some very nice people, I don't have any friends here. Most of the friends I have actually don't live in the same state or country I'm in, which really is no good when you want to call someone up and go see a movie or something on the rare times I have time to do things like that.

Thanks to everyone who replied, you guys are awesome!

I wouldn't worry about it, it can just be a way of making a part of your personality you like more real.

I used to have a few imaginary friends as a child, and still kind of recall them when i'm lonely/bored/in a stressful situation

As long as it's not interferring with your day to day life, there's no harm in it 

To Wolfie and Jomo:

First of all, sorry if my other post sounded a bit strange or weird - I was in a hurry yesterday and needed to write it really fast.

Wolfie, yesterday I asked her why did she appeared, and she replied that my subconcious mind created it to help me carry on my loneliness... and she dissapeared. I thoguht she left me forever, but a couple of seconds later she appeared in my back. I asked her if she was going to leave me when I finally overcome my loneliness, and she replied that she didn't knew, but that she wanted to stay with me. She made me promise her that I wouldn't forget her when I finally overcome my loneliness, and I answered her "You're my friend, I like you a lot, why would I forget you?" I've been lonely and socially inept since my late childhood; but at this stage of my life I'm beginning to get friends like everyne else and I'm doing it really good (which makes the appearance of Lina stranger). I asked her if she was going to leave me when I finally reached her I remember that Lina was also the name of a character in an anime series that I used to watch when I was a child - probably that's why my mind gave her that name.

Jomo, she appeared suddenly at more or less 19:30 on past September 4th.

I've realized that, unlike the depiction of "imaginary friends" that can be seen on TV, the essence of Lina is far different from that. Although her body shape (which is up to a point similar to those little anime characters) shows her as a very young female, she has no age. I feel her as something separate from me, but at the same time I feel her as a creation of my mind and thus as a part of myself; she and I are one. My eyes don't see her like they see any real world object; my iisions of her are the same type of imagery that we have when remembering things (but much more vivid). Her personality is different from mine, although we share a good couple of likes and dislikes. Since she appeared two days ago, our most common talk topic is still her existance. She isn't with me all of the time; sometimes she dissappears and reappears, although she's by my side 90% of the time. When I'm walking or going out, she follows me and sits in my right shoulder. She's right now reading what I'm wrting, with an interested look (she laughs a bit when she read that).

By the way, my mother language is Spanish, so I'm sorry if I make any mistakes while talking in English ^^