When Daydreams Take Over Your Reality #simulation

When Daydreams Take Over Your Reality #simulation . Maladaptive daydreaming is a psychological phenomenon characterized by extensive and immersive daydreaming that interferes with daily functioning and responsibilities. While daydreaming is a common and normal aspect of human experience, maladaptive daydreaming involves a level of absorption and preoccupation that goes beyond typical daydreaming and becomes problematic. Here's a description of maladaptive daydreaming: Intense and Prolonged Daydreaming: Individuals with maladaptive daydreaming experience intense and prolonged episodes of daydreaming that can last for hours at a time. These daydreams are often vivid, elaborate, and highly immersive, involving detailed scenarios, characters, and narratives. Escape and Fantasy: Maladaptive daydreaming serves as a means of escape from reality and may be triggered by stress, boredom, or dissatisfaction with one's life circumstances. Daydreamers may retreat into their fantasy worlds to cope with emotional distress, alleviate boredom, or seek solace from real-life challenges. Difficulty Controlling Daydreaming: Unlike typical daydreaming, which can be easily controlled and interrupted, maladaptive daydreaming is characterized by a lack of control over the daydreaming process. Individuals may find it difficult to disengage from their daydreams, even when they need to focus on important tasks or responsibilities. Interference with Daily Functioning: Maladaptive daydreaming can interfere with various aspects of daily functioning, including work, school, relationships, and self-care. Daydreamers may neglect their responsibilities, lose track of time, or withdraw from social interactions in favor of daydreaming. Emotional Impact: Maladaptive daydreaming can have a significant emotional impact on individuals, leading to feelings of guilt, shame, or embarrassment about their daydreaming behavior. They may feel isolated or misunderstood, as maladaptive daydreaming is not widely recognized or understood by others. #daydream #luciddreams

[ibageldotcom]

Yup that's me. But I've noticed that it only happens when I'm in a decent mental state. If I'm in a depressive state, my mind is too tired too exhausted to bother daydreaming. So if I start daydreaming again, I know I'm doing better... Until I daydream for hours and then I lose all sense of time and space, like I've been in a different dimension

[esosaimasuen]

Oh damn. I used to think I was crazy. I’m always fearful someone will put a hidden camera in my apartment and find that I spend 8 hours a day walking back and forth, talking out loud, experiencing scenarios.

[charlotteluker]

When he said decades I have never felt more called out. I have multiple storylines that I have been replaying and progressing for like 12-15+ years. I literally always thought this was just and overactive imagination

[treesurgeon]

It's only maladaptive until you become a writer.

[MinYoongi-mjvl]

I thought I was weird for walking around my room listing to music in another world this makes so much sense

[MostPowerfulPMofIndia]

This describes my entire life
I have been having extremely powerful imagination from my childhood that it affects me till today and resulted in many negative experiences and thoughts

[Eklulu]

I could be doing something in my room and then stop and just start walking around making up storylines and also match the characters facial expression with my own

[faiths.]

I’ve been doing this since I was at least 20 years of my life. The storylines change but I’m always in a position of power. The emotions I feel are real. I don’t want to let go of my safe space

[lovelydeath]

I do this alot. I just thought I had an active imagination.

[mothbutch]

Im surprised this wasnt mentioned but maladaptive daydreaming has also been associated with childhood trauma and can also be used as a coping mechanism for kids/adults to deal with what happened. Edit: there's also a huge difference between immersive and maladaptive daydreaming. Please research thoroughly the difference.

[kaylabrownell]

I have this, I have had maladaptive daydreaming ever since I was 4 years old, I was abused as a kid and neglected and this helped me to cope with being alone. I'm 34 now and it's still very active.

[Ozgarthefighter]

Yup, I did this my entire childhood. It leveled off as an adult, but every now and then, I fall back into one.

[poisonivy]

Yes i do this everyday. I make up entire scenes with elaborate dialogues and characters.. and the stories have nothing to do with real life, just things i would want to happen irl. I talk to myself as different characters.

[axletheartist]

Mine usually gets triggered by music or reading. If it’s a song, I usually have that song on repeat for hours to keep the daydream going because if the song changes, then my mental images get disturbed and everything goes all blobby. With reading, I usually end up creating my own plot based on that of the original, or I’ll make a new one entirely but with the same characters.

[necromothtv]

Ive been doing this ever since i was a kid. Didnt know it was a thing. It happens when im listening to really good music, when past memories come up and i think up different scenarios on how it should've went and when im feeling melancholic or sad. Theyre like full on movies. Its crazy how much detail goes into these daydreams and crazy how i can make up any person and scene in my head.

[Aaaaaaaalonika]

I’ve done this my whole life. I once spent 5 hours walking around my house listening to music in a day dream. 5 straight hours. That was a nice day but my legs were tired after. It’s a shame I don’t know how many steps I got!

[mariemiles]

It's a coping mechanism that can turn into an addiction. Anything that makes you feel better can become an addiction . Many people who have experienced childhood trauma will use this to cope x

[Luna-sy]

I DID NOT NEED TO BE CALLED OUT LIKE THAT everything thing he said is like 100% accurate. I have so many little worls and they make me so happy ngl. Don't get me started on when I hear a new song.

[vertigoa]

My very own world full of people, so wholly unlike the real world, where I am deprived of friends or physical contact. I can understand other people in my mind, because all of them are controlled by me, and I don't need to be scared of hurting others or others hurting me within my mind.

[lays]

my girlfriend has this, when it gets bad she won't even realize people are texting or calling her and she'll just be gone for up to five hours, staring at the wall. a lot of it is from past trauma.