What is Maladaptive Daydreaming? #shorts

[carolynkepler]

It was the only way I could escape a chaotic childhood. I always knew it wasn’t real. It was the only place I felt happy and accepted. They could do whatever they wanted to me but they would never get to my safe place. I’m 67 yrs old. For the first in my life, I don’t feel ashamed to show my real self.

[singingsiren]

I've had the same characters and daydream go through my head since 2nd grade (I'm 40 now). The story changes with the time, many times thrown into TV worlds. I've honestly never told anyone about it and I find that it has a name fascinating.

[Kat-trig]

It was my childhood coping method. But it followed me into my adulthood and has caused me lots of problems (because I slip into maladaptive daydreaming when I should be listening to, for example, a boss or when I should be working). It really hinders your life.

[missmiaw]

I daydream that I'm a certain chracter with a slightly different story every day. I even considered writing a novel based on these fantasies.

[lupine.spirit]

my main problem is that i prefer my headworld to the real one and feel distressed when I have to interrupt daydreaming while at the same time knowing that I have to to somehow like get my real life together

[marissasimas]

I did this from elementary school till about age 38 or so. It was a way to cope with trauma.

[Thatveganlifestyle]

Can you please do a whole video on this topic?

[translucent]

i swear it is so hard to study with this

[sweetlollipop]

I used to this a lot from middle school until college. It got to the point where I preferred being at home so I could day dream rather than going out with people. Once I finished school, got a job, and a boyfriend it’s pretty stopped? I think I used it as an escape since I was so stressed and unhappy

[cocoq]

My brain tends to do this when I have some form of free time or relaxation, like if I have a day off and my kids aren't around and I don't have work obligations, this is what my brain wants to do to unwind. I ended up taking the daydreams and writing it into short storylines with journal drawings or short dialogues between characters. I just do it for my self and it feels therapeutic. Makes me wonder how many writers or artists have this same condition.

[carydum]

Me. It's amazing to find a name for this shameful compulsion that I am addicted to for more than 30 years of my life. It's also comforting to know that I'm not alone in this. Stay strong dreamers. 😊

[luluszahir]

I have this problem... But in my case, it started when I was like between 4 or 6. I come from a disastrous family and was abused by both parents, so basically this was my only escape! Is very sad but till this day I have to snap myself into reality 'cause my mind just goes to that very colorful, sunny and QUIET place where I found peace... 😥

[candibell]

Because in your daydreams you have full control of your inner life. I have maladaptive daydreaming. I can envision, in extreme any detail, any reality I wish at any time and it FEELS real. My biggest fear is forgetting how to enter my inner world forever.

[thanosdoomjuggernaut]

I rock back and forth daydreaming. I’ve done it for as long as I remember.

[ashleybriones]

I did this a lot as child..I had a lot of trouble in school because I was constantly day dreaming; I would get called on and have no idea what the class had been talking about

[urdnal]

As a child/teenager I had some very involved daydreaming. Two main settings, the space sci-fi setting and the medieval fantasy setting dominated. A minor off-shoot combing a bit of both was the post-apocalyptic wanderer that emerged in my teens. Seemed like everywhere I'd go would be converted into one of these settings in my mind. I was diagnosed with inattentive ADHD (little H to speak of usually) as an adult and felt this was tied to the daydreaming.
In my early 20s it became increasingly difficult to maintain these daydreams. They literally became fainter, duller, both in colour and interest, and less frequent until stopping altogether. At about the same time the intensity of my emotions diminished.

[dennisossianderrmplmtcst]

I enjoy practicing and teaching intentional incubated lucid dreaming for fun, entertainment, future pacing, and problem solving. It’s lots of fun, for sure! As always, thank you for the informative video Dr. Grande, I really, really appreciate it. ✨🙏✨ Gratefully, Dennis

[AddictiveSugar]

I've been daydreaming my whole life, but recently it has gotten worse, to a point that I am no longer aware of reality and when I "wake up " from the daydream I feel deeply saddened and depressed. Reality sucks.

[hushmychild]

Becoming forever lost in maladaptive daydreaming. This has happened to me. I lost my job as a social worker, my apartment, my health, all of my relationships, everything due to this disorder. I'm currently involved with a student earning her masters in psychology on this subject. I've been doing this for most of my life. I spend 99% of my time in bed, isolated and alone. Eventually picked up drugs and alcohol. I'm killing myself slowly.

This is no joke. I started doing this when I was 7. I'm 32 now.

[brittanywilcox]

YES! THANK YOU DR GRANDE!! I have this issue, and it is definitely correlated with my OSDD/DID diagnosis. I've learned recently that adults who experience NDE's are more prone to issues like maladaptive daydreaming as well!