Hello wanderer,

Recently I have come to realise that daydreaming isn’t normal. What started as a fun little coping mechanism as a kid has turned into a full-blown addiction. For most, daydreaming is a harmless way to pass the time or explore creative ideas. However, for some, daydreaming can become an all-consuming activity, leading to what is known as maladaptive daydreaming (MD).

We are going to be talking about few of the questions I’ve been thinking about as a daydreamer wanting to get rid of it.

What is Maladaptive Daydreaming?

Maladaptive daydreaming is a mental health condition where an individual experiences intense, vivid, and often compulsive daydreams that interfere with their ability to function in daily life. Unlike regular daydreaming, which is typically brief and sporadic, maladaptive daydreaming can last for hours and is often triggered by external stimuli, such as music, movies, or specific scenarios.

Those who suffer from MD may create complex, detailed fantasy worlds that they retreat into, sometimes to the detriment of their social interactions, work, or studies. These daydreams can be so immersive and enjoyable that they become more appealing than real life, leading individuals to neglect their responsibilities and relationships.

What are the Symptoms and Impact of Maladaptive Daydreaming?

Maladaptive daydreaming is characterized by several key symptoms:

1. Prolonged Daydreaming Episodes: Individuals may spend hours engrossed in their fantasies, often losing track of time.
2. Difficulty Controlling Daydreams: Despite recognizing the negative impact, sufferers often find it difficult to reduce or stop their daydreaming.
3. Detailed and Vivid Fantasies: The daydreams are often rich in detail, involving complex characters, plots, and scenarios that evolve over time.
4. Emotional Attachment: Individuals may become emotionally invested in their daydream characters or narratives, sometimes experiencing real-life emotions like joy, sadness, or anger based on their fantasy world.
5. Impairment in Daily Functioning: The most significant impact of MD is its interference with daily life. People may avoid social situations, neglect work or school responsibilities, and withdraw from real-life relationships in favour of their fantasy worlds.

What are the causes and risk factors?

The exact cause of maladaptive daydreaming is still unclear, but it is believed to be linked to a combination of psychological, neurological, and environmental factors. Some potential contributors include:

• Trauma and Stress: MD is sometimes associated with past trauma or chronic stress. Individuals may use daydreaming as a coping mechanism to escape from real-life pain or discomfort.
• Loneliness and Social Isolation: People who feel lonely or socially isolated might turn to daydreaming as a way to fulfil their unmet social needs.
• Mental Health Conditions: MD is often comorbid with other mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, OCD, or ADHD. These conditions may exacerbate the tendency to retreat into fantasy.

The Challenges of Diagnosis and Treatment

Maladaptive daydreaming is not yet officially recognized as a distinct psychiatric disorder in major diagnostic manuals like the DSM-5. This can make it challenging for individuals to seek help, as the condition is not widely known or understood by many healthcare professionals. However, those who suspect they might be struggling with MD should seek support from a mental health professional who is open to exploring lesser-known conditions.

Coping Strategies

For those dealing with maladaptive daydreaming, who may not be able to get a diagnosis here are some methods I have created to try combat my daydreaming:

• Set Realistic Goals: Focus on small, achievable goals that help reduce the amount of time spent daydreaming, having a goal for the day ensures that you are filling the day with activities instead of spending hours daydreaming.
• Mindfulness: Practices like mindfulness, try staying in the present and doing things that bring you back to the moment like reading the bible, or focusing on reading a novel.
• Understand the reason, accept it:  Figuring out why you started to MD will help categorise it and work through it, for loads of people it is a coping mechanism where they imagine a different life to the one, they are living. Learning to understand that enables you to begin the process of finding a method to stop suited to you. Sometimes you have to learn to accept your past so that your present and future aren’t about escaping from it.

I actually found writing my daydreams or drawing them out tended to make them go away, I was getting rid of the creativity behind it by bringing them to life. Honestly deciding to make them into stories was God’s idea because I was in such a slump for so long. Something I noticed was that after the daydreams are gone the mind becomes painfully empty which is what gives space to negative thoughts. I think it’s always good to fill yourself with things that you love doing, so you don’t have to give space to the bad.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Lots of love and encouraging thumbs up

Mother Marise <3

PS. I feel like daydreaming kills your imagination because you’re stuck in your mind rather than the present. But at the same time if you can utilize it, daydreaming becomes a weapon !