Maladaptive Daydreaming

Let's talk about maladaptive daydreaming. What it is, what it isn’t, and how we can overcome the urge to stay in our daydreams all the time. For years I have believed maladaptive daydreaming to be a form of dissociation, but it could also be added to the DSM as its own diagnosis since it does have its own set of unique symptoms. Either way, at this time maladaptive daydreaming isn’t listed in the DSM as a diagnosable mental illness. The closest diagnosis would be DPDR or depersonalization/ derealization disorder. This is the diagnosis given to those of us who struggle with dissociation, and just for clarity know that depersonalization is when we feel out of our body like we are watching ourselves from above or in a haze and derealization is when we feel separated from our environment and it can feel like we are in a dream or like everything around us isn’t real. These experiences are really common, it’s estimated that half of all adults have had at least one episode of DPDR! 50%! That’s a lot of people, so know that you are not alone!

Also, it’s important to mention that in 2016 four researchers put together the Maladaptive Daydreaming Scale or the MDS. This is a 14 item self-reported scale, meaning that you the patient answers 14 questions based on your own maladaptive daydreaming experience. The MDS focuses on the content of our daydreams, how intense the urge to continue daydreaming is, how much it impairs our ability to function in our lives, and the benefits and costs of our daydreaming. I am not personally familiar with this scale, but I have linked the research article in the description if you want to learn more about it.

When it comes to maladaptive daydreaming it isn’t just feeling out of body or environment. We can create very intense and detailed daydreams with plots, characters, and very life-like issues and storylines. Some people will get the...

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[WillowValdene]

My maladaptive daydreaming is almost like an addiction. It’s scary to think of letting it go. I’m ashamed to even bring it up to doctors or mental health professionals.

[angelicacali-b]

My daydreams are not about me, it is like making a story or movie about someone else that doesn't exist

[CandyLamb]

It’s not always about coping with being overwhelmed, or having high levels of stress... it’s can be about escapism from loneliness or boredom. A lot of people in this world suffer with those two issues.

[ghht-jbpp]

The worst thing about daydreaming is that it reduces determination and desire to accomplish something important, especially when I'm studying

[turbogaming]

One thing that triggers my meladaptive daydreaming is also feeling inferior to others, so when I start comparing myself to others and feel inferior then I start to daydream so I can feel better about myself.

[anitakingsberry]

Daydreaming have helped me survive. I have done it since childhood. Soothing.

[prekshashah]

when i daydream, time literally flies by. especially at night. it feels like it’s been 30 mins but actually, 3 hours have passed. wtf.

[DJiswatching]

I can't go an hour without daydreaming. I frequently catch myself acting out daydreams, crying, laughing, rocking back and forth, pacing around the house, and talking to myself because I'm so involved in my daydreams. I've missed final exams. I've snapped out of it and realized weeks have gone by. I cannot go to bed without turning on music and daydreaming. It's really hard to balance real life and my daydreams.

[hehehehehehe]

It’s hard to stop because I have already built relationships with the characters in my daydreams and there like genuine friends and people I love 😔

[甘いもの-ge]

I always create my own character in my brain, every time I listen to music, or see certain actions, I will always involve the fictional character that I created in my head.

[annal]

When I first found out that this has a name, I broke down in tears. For the longest time I thought I was “crazy” and I never told anyone about this because I didn’t think anyone would understand. I’m so incredibly happy that the internet has let me find other people who do this too!

[aryanjaiswal]

i can have a full length conversations with a group of people in my head.
This started as a coping mechanism but now its habitual

[thehealingfairee]

The making facial expressions in response to the daydream is me 😬 So embarrassing when someone sees

[guidancetoself]

I never realized that it can be triggered by trauma. I daydream about being different people all the time, and even act out everything, walking around, laughing, crying, talking to myself, pretty much do it all. One of the things I do though is pretending I am someone who has a perfect family life, when my parents that are kind, loving, and affectionate, someone I never really got from my parents going up. Crazy how can trigger it.

[hushmychild]

I’ve had this since I was about 8 or so. I’m 28 now. It eats up at least 15 hours a day. I believe I got into it because of the complete absence of emotional warmth growing up, and from extreme boredom and loneliness of being a child left to raise itself. I was always alone and sensitive. Yet no one was there for me, or protected me, or shown any interest in me. I made fictional characters to love and be loved by. I think I have developed this condition to survive a cold, strange emotional wasteland.

[katharina]

I didn't really have any traumatic experiences in my child hood but yet I daydream 24/7...it just became a way to escape my "boring" reality and make life seemingly more exciting. I don't want to loose my entire life to those daydreams at the same time I get sucked back in all the time.

[aoutsky]

This disorder took away my prime years. I was so unproductive, constantly daydreaming. I swear I was smart enough to go to med school.

[thedancerxx-ukrw]

I am so glad for wearing a mask in public because I often zone out in my dreams and start whispering, doing facial expressions etc. so I can kinda hide it

[zz]

The absolute worst thing about this disorder is the lack of support from professionals. It sucks being addicted to your own mind and fantasizing your youth away. It’s even worst to not have any medical support for it.

[AlexRTash]

FINALLY an in-depth video about maladaptive daydreaming and how it’s more than simply “wandering off in your mind.” You create characters, story, setting, and sometimes talk aloud to those characters. Extremely helpful!