Seeing Faces And Creatures Everywhere

[Socha]

It's a little embarrasing to write about it and I don't even know how to describe what I'm experiencing. I have no idea whether it's a symptom a quirky obsession just a creative mind or something I should be really concerned about. It gets worse when depression kicks in and sometimes reaches a point where I don't want it to happen but can't stop it.

I see faces and creatures in almost everything. Fallen leaves, bubble gum spots that stick on the ground, spilled fluids (don't even get me started on ink spots, they make my brain hurt), bubbles in a bubble bath, clouds, torn posters, crinkles in bed sheets, old road markings, everything with a chipped off surface, parts of trees or bushes look like creatures to me... Just to name a few. I discover them in everything that doesn't have a simple geometric structure with straight lines, even when I'm not trying to see them or even trying to not see them.

The creatures and faces are mostly cute even though some of them could be from a Tim Burton movie and have something morbid/weird.
Years back my boyfriend got me a mobile phone with which I could take pictures. I took a lot of pictures of spilled liquids, leaves... Some of the creatures even have names.

Sometimes I take out my copic markers and draw some of them. There is one I just fell in love with because I love how he looks. It's a spot where tar is spilled on the ground. He looks like a quirky little guy, who's trying to catch a chocolat chip cookie with his mouth after he threw it in the air. He has a name from the first day I discovered him and that was years ago. Now he's like a character from a movie I like and watched over and over again until I felt like I knew that character (if that makes any sense at all). Every time I drive or walk by I think about him and his story gets a little longer... Honestly I would be a little sad if they removed that tar spill that he actually is.
(I feel crazy for writing this).

I have to admit I can enjoy my creatures and faces and their stories most of the time but I'm worried because schizophrenia runs in my family :(

 

[Ronin]

I'd worry only if it hinders your life, instead of helping it?

There's nothing crazy in being a genius able to see something artistic in everything.

 

[jaccat]

Sounds like a good imagination to me. I do similar, I am creative and come from a creative family where seeing things in things was kind of normal so it's never bothered me.

 

[Friday]

<grin> I do this! :D

I know there's a scientific principle behind it (our minds search for patterns, and failing finding them? Will create them. Whether it's pictures in clouds, or phones ringing in white noise)... But outside of children & visual artists it's not something I hear talked about much. IDK whether that's just because artists like talking, and everyone sees castles in cliff faces, and wolves running in front of the storm across the sky, and faces in warped glass... Or if it just requires a certain kind of imagination, that not everyone has after they grow up. Either way, it's a good part of my life, so I revel in it :happy:

 

[Fadeaway]

It's called Pareidolia. I spent a good bulk of my childhood doing this because I had little else to entertain me a good portion of the time. I rarely do it now as an adult, but sometimes when I am bored I do. It just means you are imaginative and see the world as an artist does. It is not a mental illness. a musician might hear songs in the activities of daily life, it isn't much different. There are a wealth of internet memes and funny picture that result due to this.

You are probably good with finding things hidden in pictures like Where is Waldo or I Spy.

 

[Ronin]

and wolves running in front of the storm across the sky

Whatdaya mean that was wolves, I thought that's tigers.

Or: what'd worry me more, @Socha, is you don't have a buddy to compare what you're seeing in, and end up isolated instead of having hilarious time with someone & unique perceptions you're enriched with.

 

[Deleted member 28403]

As it doesn't seem to be making your life much harder, enjoy it. It's a completely normal and human thing to do. You know, seeing faces in stuff that even vaguely looks like anything or similar is normal for more creative and intelligent people :)

It's generally a problem only if it makes your life harder, like my fear of dark and seeing of scary stuff in any dark corner/spot. But this kind of stuff is completely normal :)

 

[Anarchy]

What ^^^^ wrote:tup:

I'll put this out of the way too

I'm worried because schizophrenia runs in my family :(

Sometimes several members of a family might be diagnosed with schizophrenia.

I'm not going to rule out the possibility of perhaps an inherited sensitivity, but that alone certainly wouldn't explain what is seen.

The search for " genes" has been on for decades. Unless someone has found one in the last few weeks, and I haven't heard about it...
No one has found a genetic basis for it yet.
The "genain" quadruplet girls, who were supposed to be an example of genetics, are an example of very sloppy science and of confirmation bias.

Where the family link does seem to come in, is with learned poor coping skills
High expressed emotion
And ( not suggesting that this happens in your family) abuse, especially if its sexual, and the victims realities are distorted by gaslighting.

I also see patterns in things

I've even done it as paid work!

 

[Ronin]

Also a friendly PSA schizophrenia doesn't mean you're less a creative genius.

It just means you need to be more careful with yourself genius.

 

[oasis2003]

I see patterns and faces in wallpaper and wood patterns etc too

 

[Deleted member 28403]

@Anarchy

Paid work, where can I apply?

And yea, agreeing with the rest, schizophrenia doesn't have a genetic basis, but it's just that similar people tend to go through similar events, that lead to certain similar stuff. Still, seeing faces in things isn't something uncommon or a disorder. Especially if it isn't trouble making

 

[Socha]

Sorry, I haven't gotten back to the thread sooner.
First of all thanks for all of your replies! Some of them made me worry a little less being schizophrenic (which is closely trauma related for me) but some made me also feel uncomfortable because I can't think of myself as either intelligent or creative. Let alone being called something like genius in any other way than sarcastically. :cautious: :notworthy: