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...
Impulse log: selfinjury.com/resources/how-...
Research article mentioned: pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26707...
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[@angelicacali-b7384]

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

[@lxcent9913]

Exactly, me too

[@user-ml3bg1fc9b]

Lol same here it makes me want it to happen in real life😂😣

[@MargauxNeedler]

What are the daydreams consisting of?

[@MargauxNeedler]

The only thing I daydreamed of was smooching on my celebrity crushes so I'm not sure I understand

[@not-a-ghost2206]

@@MargauxNeedler @Destiny 100 daydreaming is completely normal, like thinking about a book or a possible crush and actuakly helpful because you process things. When it becomes a coping mechanism is when its serious. Its spending hours in fictional worlds or ones you made up. Its also feeling that the persons and places are with you in your room even (or especially when) you're alone. For example i wasnt thinking of narnia or Phantásia, i was there. I could _feel_ the snow or a dragon. Its kind of like the brigde to terabithia, except you're never leaving. Hope that clears your question (:

[@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.

[@user-ml3bg1fc9b]

It's already an addiction😣😭

[@greerdavis4757]

I honestly wouldn’t call it an addiction, and yeah I so get being ashamed to bring it up. I’ve had this since I was 8 or something like that, and it was never a problem. It was kind of concerning because I knew it wasn’t normal, but I never let it distract me from living life. That is until I got depressed and overwhelmed with emotions, so it sort of took over, but I try and use it for good. I will go on the stationary bike for over an hour just daydreaming or even write my stories down and share them. MaDD really is a double sided blade if you look at it that way, so don’t feel bad about it. Right now, I’m still struggling with it, but the more I work my problems out here, the better the MaDD gets, but simply giving up daydreaming is sort of unrealistic. Even in the best times of my life, I still daydreamed a lot, I just didn’t let it take over. Yeah, well, carry on and don’t feel alone or crazy because there are so many others out there struggling with this same issue! 💕

[@WillowValdene]

@@user-ml3bg1fc9b Yeah, it is 😔

[@weirdzfully]

What do you daydream about if it’s okay to ask

[@WillowValdene]

@@weirdzfully If I think about it, most of my daydreams are either about getting support for something difficult that’s happened or just people being interested in me (being on a talk show or a panel) and what I have to say. In my life I’ve often lacked the amount of emotional support or having friends and I often feel like I’m not heard or like I’m not important to anyone. It shifts on any given day, but the constant is I’m usually with a celebrity or multiple celebrities, like a cast. They’re my friends in the daydreams or I’m with them on the talk shows/panels/etc.

[@ghht-jb6pp]

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

[@tdmguy8304]

Yes that the biggest problem otherwise I would have not mind day dreaming

[@bladerunner2977]

Yes yes you’re like me .There are people like me 😓😓

[@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.

[@HoneyHoney-yf6nd]

Ikr!

[@hium8716]

A lot of the time I end up day dreaming when I'm not with people I know

[@TheMusicalgirl6]

so true, i've only gotten into the habit of maladaptive daydreaming post covid. Staying at home for days, without meeting anyone, or having much to do. I was lonely. I was bored and daydreaming became my perfect escape from that life. I will overcome this now and gain control of myself now.

[@AngelDeed]

I agree, I had an average childhood, no trauma or mental illness as far as I know yet I've been daydreaming since I was a child.

[@springlady8337]

YES! I actually only experienced Maladaptive Daydreams during my periods of loneliness. When I’m not lonely, I don’t really feel the need to do them.

[@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.

[@silvia8643]

same, I just don't know how to stop - it really is an addiction!

[@-criedjupiter-8464]

I don’t wanna throw my life away because of this addiction, its also one of the reason why im failing.God its almost the end u school year, and ive felt like ive learned nothing....stupid me i hate this 😣.

[@sofiastar2933]

same here oh my god, i thought i was the only one who laughs & cries. it feels so real & i have such a good life in my head it makes me feel better

[@SpinDuality]

So true, I can't think straight when music plays. I daydream a lot, and I read a lot of stories to get inspiration from them. I've forgotten places, names, people, ages, birthdays, and school because of this. I'm still happy with it though, it's my way to cope.

[@pemjoy5586]

Lol same

[@thehealingfairee]

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

[@AlisonBryen]

When I know I'm alone I act my out daydreams, facial expressions, acting out scenes, talking to imaginary daydream characters...the works! Fortunately I've never been caught. 😳

[@durgaambika4342]

@@AlisonBryen me too... Why are we people like this 😞

[@AlisonBryen]

@@durgaambika4342Firstly, I think a lot of us are very imaginative and creative people, I know part of me enjoys making up these characters/lives/stories. Secondly however, I think that a lot of us have difficulty facing real life problems and/or have mental health conditions and these daydreams serve as an escape from them. This obviously is not helpful in the long run.

[@pluutoop]

Its ok. I have it tooo

[@-criedjupiter-8464]

Stop!! Something is wrong with us 😂

[@turbogaming5721]

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.

[@reribagbi-uf1gh]

That's me 💀

[@Sosickof17]

SAME 😭

[@Moonlight99995]

Omg same

[@lollol-zv2ge]

Damn, you just described me😢

[@raghu5404]

same here

[@hehehehehehe4560]

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 😔

[@Cherrypoptarts]

HELP THIS IS ME

[@ainaliyana3776]

helpp , what should we do rn😭 i cant inlove because of them

[@snowqueen24]

Yeah, but it can cost you your job and education by staying in your maladaptive daydreaming. I have been where you are at, and it was very distracting. I almost flunked out of college from going to maladaptive daydreaming every single day.

[@jonnyprivat3504]

@@snowqueen24 what have you done to stop

[@snowqueen24]

@@jonnyprivat3504 I just went cold turkey for 3 and a half months and started visualizing in how I want my future to be but only in my head.

[@anitakingsberry2622]

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

[@firstname8348]

Me too. It was my escape from childhood and I use it as coping mechanism as an adult

[@Katimorton]

Totally understand.. a lot of people feel that way. It's safe and helpful. xox

[@ladybaabaa3294]

Me too.

[@eleah2256]

Me too. My father abused my mother and my mother was depressed. At home it was either quiet or violent. I was an only child too. So I just built "my own world" to play in.

[@eleah2256]

I also wanted to say that there are models about mental illness that state that ptsd (and similar disorders) is an adaptation to a dangerous environment, and that it's a mental illness because it's maladaptive when the environment changes. Maybe that can be applied to maladaptive daydreaming too: it's a coping strategy that's not adaptive anymore.

[@aryanjaiswal7599]

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

[@laila79595]

mee too and sometimes i find myself talking out loud with people that aren't even there.

[@pluutoop]

Me too❤

[@II-qp8lg]

Me too unfortunately...

[@abbigeilll7529]

I literally wanna hug everyone in these comments because I feel THE SAME WAY!

[@natnat5480]

Hey! I would really like to know if I have been maladaptive daydreaming or just normally daydreaming. Well for me, I really consider daydreaming as my hobby. I imagine a devised story of a show I watch where I become one of the characters. However I only do it when I'm bored or I don't have anything to do. I have read symptoms about maladaptive daydreaming like vivid daydreams and detailed stories and the like to daydream, which I have, but I can still do work and task. To be honest, I'm pretty productive. However it really bothers me that I have symptoms of having maladaptive daydreaming. I would like to know if I have it? What are your thoughts?

[@user-ou5xn7oj2l]

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.

[@nickmos1499]

Same 👍

[@dianamccandless7094]

Music was always the biggest trigger for me. But also other triggers.....anything in my real life could always be used to make an episode in "StoryWorld" that was funnier, sadder, more amazing, exciting, adventurous, romantic.....

[@nickmos1499]

@@dianamccandless7094 I also crying 😭 because I know it’s never gonna happen 👎.

[@lacecocoa6272]

Me too

[@lampshade_4970]

Same, but mine turned into a marvel fanfic with my ocs and I can't get out of it nor do I want to😭

[@zz7733]

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.

[@dianamccandless7094]

totally agree! I am 53 years old, and when I was struggling the most with MDD, the counselors always said "oh you should turn it into a Novel".

[@lacecocoa6272]

I pray I can find support

[@prekshashah141]

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.

[@sarwatjehan8275]

Yes it's 6:37am in Pakistan and I am daydreaming 😑😭

[@Maria-in6mt]

Its crazy.

[@Getout634]

Especially during the day I roll over and close my eyes and once I look out the window it’s already 10pm

[@Minerva8888]

Cuz we enjoy it

[@feigekatarina5745]

Nah, it's how the subconscious works. Dreams work the same way. I've had dreams that spanned years, but it's still only a few hours of sleep.

[@bellahunter4025]

I don't wanna overcome Maladaptive Daydreaming because it is the only thing that makes me happy.

[@Katimorton]

I totally understand.. it's not always comfortable to get out of them. But if it's affecting other parts of your life there are ways to overcome the urge. xoxo

[@durgaambika4342]

Same here

[@GnosticMindTrain]

I don't consider it maladaptive in my case. I noticed a lot of my "mental issues" were just over blown by the doctors because a lot I "struggle" with is mostly seen as a positive thing to me. Honestly, I just think I have positive traits of disorders, such as daydreaming, because I've been daydreaming since forever and enjoyed it each time and REFUSE to get therapy for it. I only do it in my free time.

[@durgaambika4342]

@@GnosticMindTrain for me its definitely an unhealthy coping mechanisms ,ruining my life and mental health

[@dylancollins7440]

I like to think it’s a gift that we can learn to harness in a productive way (if it starts to interrupt our ability to function) rather than something to completely do away with/shame ourselves about 🙃 but that’s just me

[@guidancetoself2442]

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.

[@lacecocoa6272]

Me too and I’ve been doing it since I was 5 or 6 this is the first time in my life at 24 that I have a name for this. I’m happy to have a name now I need to find a doctor so I can heal and stop doing this.

[@maryelizabeth5178]

bro almost anything can send me into daydreaming. Excitement, sadness, confidence, no confidence- and the bad thing is I cant even imagine myself NOT daydreaming. Ive found that when I daydream I have to be moving kinda fast, so there's been many embarrassing moments where someone has walked in on my pacing or even jogging while I daydream. Since I cant see myself not daydreaming, I've taken up running and try to only allow myself to daydream when I run. i still don't have complete control, so I didn't exactly fix the issue, just made something out of it

[@Chickenbutt-jn2sp]

RIGHT I’ve daydreamed EVERYDAY for oh most 10 YEARS what am I supposed to do when I don’t? I’m scared.

[@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.

[@jasminedarden23]

Me too. Lost my 20's to it

[@aoutsky]

@@jasminedarden23 I'm so sorry! I got a handle on it in the past couple of years. I catch myself when I start to drift. I don't listen to music that triggers daydreaming. Just small changes. Mindfulness is key. You just gotta accept that life is not always exciting. Mundane day to day tasks are important and completing them with focus will allow us to live our 'dream life' in real life. Sending you so much love!

[@katteresa6174]

@@aoutsky beautifully said and thank you for providing hope for people who struggle with this. I’m 20 and therefore just beginning my 20s and sometimes the maladaptive daydreaming can consume my days !

[@Katimorton]

I am so sorry :( I hope you have been able to manage it now and know just how smart and capable you are :) xoxo

[@erisi6204]

That's how I feel, between day dreaming, anxiety and excessive sleep most of my adult life as just been a waste.

[@annal9010]

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!

[@terrilreece8045]

I felt the same way. I had no idea anyone else did this. I told myself it was sort of like a meditation. I feel a lot better afterwards. It’s very self soothing.

[@forgetmaenott]

Me too, it honestly amazes me to find out just how many people do this because I thought I was alone!

[@pinkera8459]

me too. i’m in tears right now

[@user-fy7tn1jw4s]

me too, but i didn't cry. i'm so glad that i finally know what this problem is, and that other people deal with it too. i always felt alone and a weirdo

[@Iluv999]

I just found out today and never knew about it I knew I was “crazy” but I never knew the name of it

[@hushmychild6745]

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.

[@THEDOORIZCLOSED]

You just described my life

[@THEDOORIZCLOSED]

I’ll be 29 this year

[@WhoDevar]

@@THEDOORIZCLOSED they just described my life as well, this is wild! That is exactly why I started it. I remember as early as 8 years old and I just turned 29. 😭

[@WhoDevar]

You said it! Believe me when I tell u I know how you feel. Praying you find healthy coping skills to deal with life. We got this! 💯

[@melancholy-kate9116]

i share you pain my friend. feels like my daydreams come on so quick and strong feels like nothing outside is real or is happening to me, almost like dissociating.......

[@randomrandom5316]

Recently just turned 18 and I started to feel ashamed of me daydreaming too much. I look at the adults around me how they are literally working their asses off to survive for themselves and for their own family, I see 18 year olds like me who are now working, mature, etc. I always wondered if these people still daydreams like me. Maybe they do, but in what amount? And how ridiculous are their daydreaming? Turning 18 made me feel old af, my daydreams, which are usually me replacing the main protagonist in an anime I just recently watched, or me dating this celebrity crush, made me ashamed. *Only kids do this. If I still cling on to this, I might miss on a lot of things.* This is what I am always thinking right now. There are times when my parents thought I was sleeping, but was actually awake the whole night, just replaying and creating scenes in my head. So many awesome plans about my life in my head that felt so real, but won't be real, just stays in there forever. Lol I've been called a weakling a couple of times in my life, but you don't know that this, this weakling you've been talking about, is very accomplished, talented, and respected, in her own head. This person that you call pathetic actually collaborated with taylor swift in a music video, in her own head. It just stays here, in my head. No actions for it, I won't work for it coz hell I am a pussy, so I'll just dream my life is better. This made me feel even more pathetic lmao.l

[@daviddas5107]

Lol the exact same things have happened to me, including being referred to as weak. I was Taylor shifts costume designer for her WILDEST DREAMS music video and I've also designed Kim Kardashians met gala dress lol

[@marcoslightspeed5517]

This is exactly me

[@ishita2027]

I understand you! I'll turn 18 too in a couple of months and all of this feels so pathetic yet so satisfying I sometimes take a show which I have finished recently and add my character in it and daydream..it's just so weird 😭 Oh my god

[@ycleptprof.5249]

I have read comments on other videos about maladaptive daydreaming, and I realize time and time again that I have found my people. I know this may sound weird, but I wish I could befriend people like you in real life! It gives me a unique kind of comfort knowing that there is an actual term for this behavior, even if it isn't diagnosable, and there are actually people who engage in it other than myself.

[@shahjadatalukder2706]

Lol this is me can we talk i need someone who can understand me

[@merdas2556]

That's why i'm scared of driving while listening to song Song is one of the major things that triggers me, I don't remember a time where i listened to song like a normal person :/

[@skyedl2221]

Same, songs are like soundtracks for my daydreams

[@ed2605]

Me too lmao I just stare into the wall while listening music and while there is a whole movie going on inside my head

[@laibatahir4627]

Same omg I can’t imagine listening to music without daydreaming

[@Maria-in6mt]

@@skyedl2221 EXACTLY

[@shahdyemen6620]

Exactly!!!!

[@katharina3362]

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.

[@melisturk5452]

same

[@katlover7]

You just described me perfectly also our names are really similar, ik it's not related to the subject but I just wanted to point it out:)

[@fruity3693]

*Me having most likely undiagnosed ADHD or Autism being understimulated all the time when I was a child* : yeah It’s definitely not trauma

[@andrealogal6593]

Yes. Me too. I cannot live in the present. Even when I am w friends or family i daydream.

[@zz7733]

Remember, neglect from parents is a form of abuse too. I used to have the same thought, but where tf were my parents when I was dding in my room all day? Why didn’t they bother to check on me? Or encourage me to play outside? Or make friends? Because they were neglectful. That’s why.

[@rusarrow7126]

Loneliness can also cause Maladaptive Daydreaming

[@OwlKnight32]

But what if you have unbearable social anxiety

[@saffwa.]

@@OwlKnight32damn

[@WouldntULikeToKnow.]

​@@OwlKnight32 you can be socially anxious and lonely at the same time.

[@teew3986]

I remember Daydreaming as early as 3 years old. I've been doing it for 35 years but it's gotten so bad I can't even function at work. After talking to a counselor, I realized I do it as a coping mechanism, but even after realizing that, it's gotten to a point where I can't even function daily. I haven't left my home in a month and I stay isolated all day in my "alternate" world. It wasn't until talking to my sister today, she suggested I go to a psychiatrist for a diagnosis. Long story short, I started googling my symptoms and Maladaptive Daydreaming is ABSOLUTELY what I have. Although it's not recognized as a disorder, it's very much real. I also feel extreme anxiety and have OCD. I feel like a weight has been lifted to find a name to this. Now I want to consume everything I can to learn how to get better.

[@lacecocoa6272]

Me too. Yesterday 06/01/2023 I learned a name for what I’ve been doing for 19 to 20 years. I’m 24 now.

[@soundofgacha6993]

my personal problem with this is that i don’t really want to stop. i have tried to stop a couple times but then when reality hits i feel sad knowing that this is my life, not what i imagined it as, which is why i think i keep daydreaming.

[@alekskush3914]

I feel u. Same for me. Sometimes life doesn't measure up to what I need and want. I feel like I deserve my escape cause life is shit. But the there are those moments of happiness in real life ... I never feel so alive in my dreams.

[@mckayhba360]

I feel you!

[@Marsmadeit]

I feel SO understood here. Literally what it's been like for me.

[@tingztingz3251]

Completely with you

[@HoneyHoney-yf6nd]

Ikr

[@thedancerxx-uk9rw]

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

[@patricethomas5368]

Me toooo!!!!

[@Renatap23]

HAHAHAHA me too

[@HoneyHoney-yf6nd]

@@No_gts the speaking lines on accident is so me!

[@s4zan991]

SAME OMGG

[@ahmed2527]

@@No_gts me too.

[@SeonaleeSobermati]

It breaks my heart to even let go of those dreams. My reality isn't where I wanna be. It's scary. I would rather die. Everything about my mental health scares me. I just hate interacting with people. I'm in trouble 😭

[@melodyxie5889]

The problem is,in most of the time I can partly control my daydreaming,but I enjoy it too much that I don't want to quit.Sometimes it's like taking drugs,escaping from reality and your life will be influenced.

[@elein3225]

Same here

[@MattMendians]

It was for me as a kid and still to this day being 51 years old! Unfortunately for me it did turn into also alcohol addiction and I sit in my backyard drinking and dreaming everyday! For me it’s two addictions!

[@queenaddy447]

@@MattMendiansaww I hope you’re able to have them under control, God bless 🙏🏾

[@trystparadox9186]

I can't even remember my teen years, I was daydreaming all the time, everything real was like a fog

[@palmer491]

SAME...I would come home from school, lock myself away in my room, get really bored, and then start daydreaming. But I stopped when I got older and became more productive and social.

[@marq6929]

Me too! In elementary school it was a nightly trip, and in middle and high school I was home schooled, so I could spend entire days in my own world. It was a great (and needed) escape, but that is likely part of the reason my memories between age 15-18 are so blurred and distant now.

[@heyanastasia698]

I’m 14, I’m so scared that’s gonna happen to me! I do everyday all day!!

[@trystparadox9186]

@@heyanastasia698 Usually there's some unresolved conflict, situation or some people that put you in this mind prison. Read about "gaslighting", maybe it will help

[@agnesdcafango2878]

Wait is this why my memory is so bad 🥲

[@TheeGenesisBrand]

Daydreaming has given me a false sense of productivity and success. The journey to relearning myself is so liberating!

[@strawberryxoxo6841]

Yes learning & being aware about your biggest struggles & weakness are what’s going to make you grow & develop to be greater 🤍 Very liberating !!!

[@wokk9543]

gottdamnn why yo forehead so big

[@prlids]

Omg I feel the samee.. I was daydreaming a lot in my hometown, spinning in a chair with music, and after those dreams I felt confident and stuff-- those dreams were usually about me. But I had to move from home, reality hit me af, I did not have a chance to do it anymore and kinda feel like I have to redevelop myslef again, to build a new personality

[@TheMajorDash]

THIS!

[@samirsuleymanov2099]

Don't forget, any sense is false. But if it helps to keep going, utilize these tools.

[@zii5079]

My daydreaming is taking over my life, I’ve been doing it for as long as I can remember. I’m doing it 24/7, there is never a time where i’m not daydreaming. I’m failing a class, procrastinating religiously, and I can only manage to study for a test the night before, but even then I start daydreaming. I believe it started when my parents starting “disciplining” me quite harshly. I must’ve started daydreaming so I could forget about what my parents have done. I can’t remember much from my childhood, mostly my daydreams from them (I can still remember). I’m stuck in this little world, several of them in fact. I really do need help, I need to get my life back on track, and start over.

[@rimjhil9544]

Exactly same here ....even i want my life back but it's so hard to stop daydreaming My daydreaming starts when I listen to music this is my trigger point and I don no how but I have to overcome it anyhow...becoz I don't wanna ruin my academics 😖

[@SimplySchaun]

I've been doing this since I was like 8. I'm 32 now. It's sooo nice to learn that I'm not alone. It's something that has caused me so much embarrassment and shame. It's nice to find community here. ❤ ☁️

[@lugoluxmedia4394]

Whenever you go into this you can say I have the mind of Christ.,. Father God heal me ... heal my wounds, restore and make me new... then thank Him for being there with you at that very moment.. you are so beloved. You are a blessing.

[@Csjk7]

This is a really long time... Was your studies affected by this? Reply me please 🥺

[@lacecocoa6272]

Me too I’m happy because now I know what I have isn’t schizophrenic

[@natashaj9169]

​@@Csjk7yes!!!!!! I failed everything apart from art and graphics and I believe it is because I could still day dream while being creative. . .

[@broadwaybrat1986]

As someone suffering from maladaptive daydreaming, I can’t even tell you how fast I clicked on this video

[@nicenamehere5052]

Same XD

[@Katimorton]

I hope it was helpful :) Always open to feedback if I left anything out of missed something important :) xoxo

[@kristynaplihalova]

Well I wouldn't say I suffer... I truly enjoy daydreaming, but I have to consciously regulate daydreaming, so that it's not getting more attractive than my real life... That happens so quickly. Excersise mindfulness is really good way to battle that... But ordinary daydreaming is really good to expand your creativity, I think. You cast can't let it overpower you, right?

[@zallandkasi7366]

same

[@adpk4481]

I thaught i was going insane

[@flowerpower4024]

I will never find a partner like that one in my daydreams. It makes me sad.

[@cyjung6488]

Same but then I remind myself that the reason I want the partner I fantasise about so badly is only because they are the imaginary solution towards my craving for validation(yearning for an affectionate partner because I can't love myself，yearning for a good looking partner because I hate how I look, yearning for a partner that appreciates me because I can't see my own worth, yearning for a partner who makes me happy because I hate the way I spend my days ). I remind myself it's not healthy to rely on another person for validation and happiness, because it makes us vulnerable to abuse and that it would mean that we never truly love that person(because we just want what they have to offer)

[@graymantis4116]

You have. Its you! I love that I can go inside myself to feel the love I can't find anywhere else.

[@ahmed2527]

@@cyjung6488 Very well said. I am trying to convince myself by telling these things you mentioned for past 2 months continuously. Hope it will work someday.

[@SisterDottie]

Facts

[@user-nc1dg9cr5w]

@@graymantis4116 same 🥺

[@jarjarwinks7034]

Social isolation really triggers my daydreams. It only really happens when I'm at home by myself. This is why covid has been so rough for people like us. However, if I have an interesting conversation with a good friend or go to school/work, it helps to pull me back into reality. But when I'm with people I'm not close to, I dissociate and temporarily lose my ability to socialize, so it has to be a quality interaction in order for me to feel better. I am so desperate for quality social interactions because since I was a kid, I was starved of social connection. I wasn't an only child, but definitely felt like one.

[@antoniovazquez2744]

You know, after seeing the comments and learning that I was not alone, I felt relieved, thank you for sharing this. Also, I would love to share my experience with this. I’ve daydreamed since I was extremely young and it never really got away, my family even gave it a cute name, referring to the weird sounds and expressions I make while daydreaming lmao. I have created thousands of worlds, characters, plots and storylines, and even fanfics in my head. I can recall them and even go back at them when I want. I have some control, but it is usually stimulated when I listen to music or I am watching something on the TV. As I grew older, I learned when to keep it off, although I admit I’ve more than once dozed off in my school.

[@authorizeking4027]

You are literally me. I have done the same things as you

[@lacecocoa6272]

Same here with me. I’m glad I’m not alone and this thing has a name. I’m trying to stop it for real this time. I’m scared because I want to stop and I don’t want this to take over my life

[@ChaelaGreen]

I clicked fast because I just learned my daydreams have a name

[@Katimorton]

I hope it's helpful :) xoxo

[@user-sd6qv5yn3u]

Mine was labeled ADD but i wonder if it might be this

[@ChaelaGreen]

@@Katimorton THANK YOU ❤️

[@shreyakantaria]

SAMEEEE

[@CatsInHats-S.CrouchingTiger]

Is there less daydreaming nowadays? It seems we are rather unsure whether there is more or less creativity in the moment. Although, there does seem to be a tremendous increase in very talented individuals!

[@Soleftendright]

So you are telling me, all these hours sat on the end of my bed, not hearing when someone talks to me, getting lost in the woods in a trance for hours, sat on the sofa for hours not wanting to move or having the TV on, missing invites and staying in the garden for hours staring at the tree in my own world is an actual thing??!

[@Silveryback]

Sure sounds familiar for me...

[@Soleftendright]

@@Silveryback it's the best place to be 💜

[@MsEKN]

Yep sounds like my life

[@sakurachan621]

Same. Im a student and I usually do this at school while im in class so I dont really hear whats being said most of the time. On the outside im staring at a specific corner of my desk (I always stare to the right for some reason), but on the inside I am living in a fairytail with imaginary friends of which I dont have and a very well thought out plot/storyline. I dont really see this as a disorder I want to get rid of, that is...if it is one. Because its the only thing that I kind of like...doing? since im not too physically active..not exactly sure whether thats healthy or not, but sometimes I feel like I would much rather live in my dreams than what i am living in right now if you know what I mean...I learned about maladaptive daydreaming a few days ago, so im not even sure if this is what I am doing. But it seems pretty close.

[@duck6100]

I can come out of my daydreams super easily. Like if I have to go do something important or have to be in a meeting or something, I can very easily drop the daydream and go do that. My issue is that I really enjoy the daydreams so I'll actively choose to do that over anything that I perceive to be something I don't have to do immediately. It's a form of procrastination. Like most people go watch Netflix but I spend a couple of hours pacing in a daydream. I'm on a PhD so it's a really nice break from stress and also I get bored really, really easily. It's to the point where I can't actually do just one thing at once. If I read a book, I also listen to music. If I'm trying to sleep, I also have some video on in the background (really trying to stop that one but going to sleep is just so boring lol). The daydreams are actually one of the only things that can keep me interested.

[@yvshiee._9429]

honestly sameeeee! this is exactly what I do as well. :)

[@natashaj9169]

You just explained me!!!!! Thank you I feel so validated.

[@kizzy2874]

It's a way of detatching from reality for a while. I believe It prevented me from having a total breakdown in childhood during my parents endless fighting and messy divorce. It affected my school work though, as I would mentally check out during classes.

[@josieseeger8387]

I just thought I was lazy. I'm stunned that it's a real thing.

[@Katimorton]

I am so glad I could help!! You are definitely not lazy.. just overwhelmed. xoxo

[@natnat5480]

Hey! I would really like to know if I have been maladaptive daydreaming or just normally daydreaming. Well for me, I really consider daydreaming as my hobby. I imagine a devised story of a show I watch where I become one of the characters. However I only do it when I'm bored or I don't have anything to do. I have read symptoms about maladaptive daydreaming like vivid daydreams and detailed stories and the like to daydream, which I have, but I can still do work and task. To be honest, I'm pretty productive. However it really bothers me that I have symptoms of having maladaptive daydreaming. I would like to know if I have it? What are your thoughts?

[@Ellielulu_Ellielu]

@@natnat5480 As long as it does not affect your life badly (it doesn't seem like it is for you), it isn't maladaptive... You probably are an immersive daydreamer, though. It's basically maladaptive daydreaming, but without the negative effects. You still have the detailed, vividness from your dreams, but they don't get in the way of your life Of course, though, just keep an eye out to make sure it doesn't progress and start hindering you! ^^

[@natnat5480]

@@Ellielulu_Ellielu yes I also concluded that I am an immersive daydreamer! But I still always check so it doesn't turn into a maladaptive one. Thank you for responding! ♥️

[@gpmiranda873]

I started doing this as a child to survive an abusive childhood. I used to feel like such a weirdo for doing it. Its comforting to know I wasn't alone.

[@jessleighton3795]

For me it's even kind of a healthy option. If I didn't have daydreams I wonder what I would have done... drugs or reckless sex?

[@Mymimemei]

Same

[@Mina-mb4bh]

You are not.I am happy too to see a lot of others people with same problem

[@bambiblushofficial1275]

Same

[@gokulkrishm51]

@@jessleighton3795 I think the same too. But now it tampers with my reality. Even though it's comforting at times, because it's a 100% more fun and exciting than my current life, I can't continue this anymore. I don't want to.

[@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!

[@flowerbloom5782]

I started maladaptive daydreaming since when I was little and I'm now in my 20s. I need to get out of these daydreaming because it's intruding my life. I'm gonna apply this mindfulness and also see my triggers. This has been helpful. My maladaptive daydreaming manifested from loneliness and anxiety.

[@gabrielleisalanastan]

I maladaptive daydream so much that its ✨scary✨

[@Katimorton]

That's very common, and I hope some of my tips and ideas are helpful!! xoxo

[@Maria-in6mt]

Yea same

[@Tyrenexg]

Same

[@crazycatgirl]

I had a "plot" for months when I was a kid. In my teenage years, I spent hours in front of the mirror just dreaming. I still have this but it takes me minutes or so. I have never told anyone, I dont think they will understand. As many others conditions, It's so isolating.

[@karenelledge7034]

I can relate.i really have been scared my whole life.im 65 now.relationships were always abusive my daydreams of happiness and love were just that dreams.fipping back and forth dreams to reality

[@emilyesnyman]

There are people out there that will understand and can help you to improve. Maybe consider a therapist or medical professional that deals with these types of situations often💕

[@OliPop_Official]

I have also kept it a secret for so long. I'm planning on sharing it with my therapist this week. I just always found it so embarrassing.

[@-chiara-3247]

I do understand, i tend to have plots that continue over time. You are not alone❤

[@crazycatgirl]

@@-chiara-3247 Thanks Chiara, send you love

[@zoeymanaog]

My maladaptive daydreaming was so bad that I do it while watching this video.

[@BokunoRico]

I'M JUST LIKE YOUUU. My mind is currently creating a whole monologue I'd tell if I were recording such video in the future talking about my experience about this issue. 😀

[@MazorKuziaki]

My daydreaming isn't just an escape, it's a pass time. It's genuinely fun and exciting like playing a video game. I don't want to stop.

[@SilverstreamPJ28]

I've actually been writing down my daydreams into an actual novel plot. It's productive at least, because I can't let it go, I've lived in this world since I was a little kid.

[@skyeluvsyt]

same !

[@akashsejwal3178]

that's a great idea

[@sowmyaanand2194]

@probiotic drink do u think that helps?

[@iamjoyt]

That’s pretty genius! Love that!!

[@akashsejwal3178]

@probiotic drink yup I am , i think my reasons for maladaptive daydreaming are loneliness , power I would recommend you to watch video on maladaptive daydreaming his youtube channel is oggamer something like that. Lot's of love yo you:).

[@berry874]

As a person who couldn't get enough love from her parents, I always found it therapeutic to daydream. Because in my dreams I am loved and respected and I know I sound pathetic and lame but it's been way for me to feel better and I don't want to stop doing it

[@septembergold8095]

Yup, that's me.

[@williamfallar8733]

I do this too. I always dream about having one best friend that I go to school with, I hang out with, I protect and do other things with. I also dream about having influence and power so that someone would need me. It's an addiction and I can't have a day without daydreaming.

[@berry874]

@@williamfallar8733 yeah. I can relate way too much

[@lonewolf6561]

Me too

[@Claring23]

When I I feel that my friends are not interested for something that I exited to share to them,I'm just imagining them listening,imagining them interested and I started to share it to them in my imagination.

[@tamzin00]

When I found out this was a thing, I couldn’t believe it. I found inner peace knowing my daydreaming was an actual condition

[@garycooper9207]

I truly think my daydreaming saved me from loosing my mind or doing something really bad to myself when I was growing up. Reality was so rough it was my coping mechanism. At home there was abuse, not much food, insecure times, I was always waiting what bad happens next. If as long as 2 weeks went by without getting hit, being called names, humiliation of some sort I became anxious. I knew it will happen soon. My mother was a beast. Waiting was the hardest part, not the abuse itself. Then after that I could relax for a while and tell myself I survived. Daydreaming took me away from that horrible shit. I had no-one to talk to, no-one to trust. If I would have told someone, I knew I would pay for that later..

[@hyphydan]

I feel you. I was an immigrant child with a mean Mother. I used to imagine getting childhood cancer and that my Mother would cry for me. 😢

[@nourrrefaei3441]

I cant even imagine going through a day without maladaptive daydreaming

[@OwlKnight32]

Sometimes I get into these "flow states" which is super rare, but when I do, it's two distinctly different realities. Then I fall right back into the daydreaming.

[@Hans8520]

​@@OwlKnight32wdym? Like you feel Ur daydream or something?

[@jupiter6942]

Oh, the embrasement when the teacher asked me why I was smiling while daydreaming in class... 😬😬😬

[@annayra6458]

Ouch that happened to me in fifth grade, you brought that memory back

[@nolanbuelow562]

That hurt my soul bro 💔

[@nidasaiyed6332]

It happened to me many times.. it’s just so embarrassing. Especially when you repeatedly tell them that ‘it’s nothing’ & they still won’t drop it & ask you again & again “just tell me the truth why were you smiling.”

[@neon.pink.productions]

That’s happened to me with my mom 😂🤦‍♀️

[@enicola6697]

The embarrassment when you are the teacher and the students ask why you're laughing or smiling...

[@KimJansenn]

maladaptive daydreaming is my coping mechanism. I don’t want it to stop. It helps me, it makes me feel good. It hasn’t taken over the ‘serious’ parts of my real life and instead it’s a bonus to my day, to visit this world i’ve created in my mind a couple of times a day makes me so happy. Almost like i’m living two lives, my ‘real’ one and my ‘fake’ one in the world within my mind. It’s great

[@eggchin22x78]

With mine I continue conversations with people with what I actually wanted to say over what I actually said. I have done this for years now have even gotten caught doing it but I just play it off lol. I even have storylines in music I hear for some of the songs I love, I love doing it.

[@firasarafi1870]

Its not called maladaptive daydreaming if it doesn’t INTEFERE with your LIFE instead its called immersive daydreaming.

[@eggchin22x78]

@@firasarafi1870 k.

[@jacksoncitytravels6841]

It will get worse overtime. Trust me on this. It's a seed that has been planted and give it time to grow, you'll see it becomes a nightmare. Your fake life will eventually overshadow your real life. It will cause you much depression and problems in your relationship with others. Just a warning.

[@eggchin22x78]

@@jacksoncitytravels6841 I've dealt with it for a couple decades at least.

[@terrilreece8045]

I find it very soothing. It’s like taking a break from life for me. It’s almost an every day thing. I always feel better and even energized afterwards.

[@jasminefreya]

One thing I would say (as someone with maladaptive daydreaming disorder) is that is doesn’t just trigger because you can’t cope or because you get anxious. I often drift into it when I’m bored so I have something to do. If it’s quiet at work and there’s no one to talk to, to keep myself busy I’ll drift into it or if I’m on my way home in public transport or walking to keep my mind active. It has been a big indicator of how I am feeling mentally, if I feel depressed or anxious most of the time I don’t tune in to how bad I’m feeling until my daydreams get dark (like someone trying to save me or having nearly attempted suicide in my daydream) that’s when I start to realise when I’m slipping back into a state of depression. Other times it helps me to not feel lonely. The thought of taking away those happy daydreams where I have a great life and people around me is very scary and not something I would really think about. I’ve had it since I was a very young child so to not do it anymore doesn’t feel like an option. Would feel like a part of me is missing. Though I do notice when I’m around friends or my boyfriend or being very social it doesn’t pop up as much as when I’m feeling lonely. That being said it still feels like a good release

[@christinemaure4216]

@Gillian BELLONI OTAYZA maladaptive daydreaming is not natural thoo

[@isapozzo8307]

OK BUT THIS YES YES YES

[@hollywhelan]

eeek.....i just thought this was a part of my personality since i was a child. I always lived in my head or closed my eyes and "re-did" scenarios and perfect fantasy's. I have struggled with ED, OCD, Depression, and trauma...so this makes sense.....writing down for my next therapy session..

[@neuroticgurl0295]

SAME. my gmum lowkey called me out, not addressing me but talking about me and my “virtual characters” to her friends in front of me a few years ago. not cool :(

[@Katimorton]

I hope it's helpful in your own therapy process :) Sometimes it's just nice to know what we are doing has a name and that it can be worked on :) xoxo

[@hollywhelan]

@@Katimorton very very true! Im sure it got mixed in with ocd stuff (pure o) but it's definitely good to know and notice going forward. Thank you xoxo and for everything!

[@eden_7]

At first I did not know that it will go that far, I just see it as imagining of my future life, but then I release that I have spent 4 to 6 hours just by living on that unreal world. I feel more anxiety in my life because of not controling my self. It may be hard to stop it but I promise you all this will end up if we work harder. My maladaptive daydreaming has not an ending. It will continues but with out an ending. I also live in many stories that created whenever I come across to something. If I watch a movie, I will again write story based on that movie in my brain by making an actors and actresses that doesn't even exist. I know like imagination will help as to be creative but this kind of imaginary will destroy us. I personally get the lowest score in every subject from being the top student even in the whole schools that found in the region I live. It took my happiness in life, my hope, my hardworking self, and bring anxiety, depression, guilty instead. Eventhough my brain tell me I will not recover from this and spend my while life in this state, I will not stop my journey to becime the priductive person as I was and more. I will recover from this disorder with the help of my God, my religious and my future self. I know it is even hard to tell peoples about this condition (my society doesnot believe in all mental disorders, I also doesnot believe until I came across to this ) we will get over it soon by not let be easy to enter the daydreaming as much as we can. I hope to everyone suffering from this to finally become his/her self without any kind of mental disorders.

[@hollysw263]

I never realised this had a name! I generally thought I was the only one! I was so scared that I was some kind of freak who would spend all their time creating worlds for me or my characters. I had a very traumatic and turbulent childhood with no security, so these "daydreams" or stories I'd create generally saved my life. My world was so devastating that created many, many more and then I could finally find some escapism and some happiness. Thank you for this. I feel so much less alone now.

[@user-xm1nm3nn7u]

I'm constantly looking forward to when I'm able to sink into my inner world. Sometimes I do it accidentally, and completely forget where I am.

[@pluutoop]

I will do it sometimes automatically in a car and it got dangerous sometimes. I feel I'm out of my body. So I need to snap back not to get into accident. Sometimes also I will be at the traffic light and start daydreaming and it would turn green but it takes 5 seconds for my brain to catch up to it.

[@theworldofashley]

I started escaping into my head as a kid because of chronic stress and trauma. Then when I hit my 20s, I developed depression and anxiety and spent my life daydreaming. Couldn't get out of bed to live my real life and instead hid in my brain and the stories I created for myself. It is highly addictive. And I would get emotionally invested in the stories, people, and places I would create. I spent 12 years there. I've worked really hard the past 2 years to get better and I am finally living my life and am happy. But there are times that my brain will slip into a daydream. The habit ( neuro-pathways) are still there. At this point I try and learn from the stories I create. If anyone reads this that is struggling with Maladaptive Daydreaming, my advice to you is figure out how you can apply what you do in your stories to your real life. For instance, I often daydreamed about being a superhero or witch. So I learned how I could apply these to this world. Over the past year, I've become a certified Life Coach, Reiki Master and Tarot Reader. Now I have the superpowers and psychic powers to help people in the real world. ♥️

[@danielaaguilar3595]

Hi, I need help because I don't know how to stop this, I don't have a clue about what can I do with my Maladaptative daydreaming

[@hilwataqiyya1682]

Wow that's cool

[@judgedread2888]

I often daydream about making people suffer, bad. :(

[@Kyatia]

What if you don't exactly daydream about yourself? I usually create other characters and/or use pre-existing characters that are appealing to me.

[@theworldofashley]

@@Kyatia try and identify what things your character is doing and see if they can be applied to your life. I don't know what you daydream about exactly, but certain activities must be of interest to you in some way if you fantasize about it. I hope that helps😊🙏💛

[@ryshglieresindanum3491]

I swear i thought i was a weirdo for so long until i found out maladaptive daydreaming was real, i couldn't go an hour without daydreaming, it makes me so happy i'm not alone.

[@neant2046]

I've been struggling with this for 20 years or more. Last year I started writing a book about the plot I was "obsessed" with - and suddenly everything in my life started clicking and coming together! Getting it out on paper and treating it rationally - as a real book plot that is supposed to be well thought-through - helped a lot. And, it gave me one more cool project to work on!

[@eclowe6594]

this! is mine maladaptive? I mean probably, it does sometimes get in the way of my life... but also I don't think I would be able to write so vividly if it weren't for the intensity of my daydreaming. I honestly don't want it to go away because it's part of what makes me creative. I mean as with anything I think there's a range. if your job is at risk because of it or if you're checking out driving because of it and that kinda thing yeah maybe it's time to look at other options... but I'm tired of people looking at things like this like all or none... what is the difference if I spend my day off in a day dream or if I spend my day off watching ten episodes of whatever show on whatever streaming platform? the shows are generally seen as socially acceptable so why not the day dreams?

[@chs18311]

Maladaptive Daydreaming is the only reason I’m still alive. Since losing my job through a layoff, I have created an alternate life in my mind and I live in that world all day. Most times I never even get out of bed.

[@ABhattacharya]

But that's depression. Its not helping you.

[@kvp06933]

I’ve slowly reduced my maladaptive daydreaming because I realized I was ready to experience the things in my daydream for real. I even “divorced” my husband so that I can make psychological and emotional room for a real relationship. I’m also in therapy and slowly detaching from the traumatic people that trigger my daydreams.

[@05videos6]

how did you reduce day dreaming

[@kvp06933]

@@05videos6 I'm in therapy. I realized that what I specifically seek out in my daydreams (romantic relationship, children, leadership) are something I want to actively pursue in my real life. I focus on small daily habits and changes that bring me closer to goals like dating. I'm extremely shy and HATE rejection. So, I'm working on this in therapy and daily life. I also realized what triggers my daydreams: anger about personal situation, reaction to others emotions. It was my safe-space when I was a child and couldn't remove myself from the situation. Now I have more control over my life. Ultimately, my daydreams are a hinderance now and not a positive part of my life, at least the mutlihour/day long epics. If you want to leave your daydreams behind, or at least reduce the time spent dreaming, focus on the underlying emotional comfort and situations you're craving. I hope this helps. Also, now I try to imagine a door that my "husband" sits by that opens up to my daydream world. When I want to daydream, "he" asks me why, and if it would be helpful. If I can justify my daydreaming, I time it. That way I don't turn a useful relaxation period into hours of wasted time.

[@05videos6]

@@kvp06933 u just described me but i am a man now i found out that only way to get out of my daydreams is by making them real currently i am working hard for it i hope you will also achieve what ever you want in your life and be happy

[@thehealthywriter]

@@05videos6 If you'd like some tools and techniques you can check out this vid: kzbin.info/www/bejne/q56UfIdqpLpkrpY&ab_channel=TheHealthyWriter

[@THEDOORIZCLOSED]

Im ready to put up the door to these dreams too. Im actually living out the lyrics to Brick by Boring Brick by Paramore. Its time for me to bury the castle. Im crying right now bc its gonna be so hard to lose the “intimate relationships” i formed in my head and face my loneliness but the MDD has done me nothing but harm. I want to know if i can be happy without it and get my energy and youth back🥺🥺🥺🥺

[@anonymouschan9910]

Daydreaming was a coping mechanism I used my entire life since I always felt alone and an empty hole in my chest. I used it everyday and even at school (it started when I was in 1st grade)

[@udbhavsaikarthikmetla]

I saw somewhere that " we should focus on solving our incomplete life , instead of focusing on dreaming (we will eventually stop once stop all the underlying problems)".

[@madnessintomagic]

ugh... imagine being one of those people who can’t see things in their head. Have no ability to visualize. My life would have been unbearable if I couldn’t daydream at will.

[@somanlezi525]

True

[@AngelDeed]

I can't see things in my head and I've been (maladaptive) daydreaming since I was a child. You don't need to see things to daydream, you can just think them. But I agree, it sucks that I can't actually see my stories in ny head.

[@madnessintomagic]

@@AngelDeed but when you think them, is it just words? Or experience?

[@somanlezi525]

@@madnessintomagic expérience

[@kiera6326]

Interestingly, I know one of those people, and she’d still one of the most imaginative people I know

[@summerha6438]

For me day dreaming is more like a coping mechanism. I realized this a while ago when I was going through a really tough breakup. I noticed I would purposely daydream to make myself feel better and I would consciously create those factors to help me daydream aka sad music, a quite place, walking around etc. I know I should be facing the problem instead of using my imagination to escape. But daydreaming has really help me to cope with a lot of problems in me life temporarily of course.

[@hyenaedits3460]

Yeah. I don't think daydreaming is necessarily bad and can be very useful to help you keep your sanity but knowing how to come out of it when you need to is an important skill.

[@samriddhilahkar6426]

@@hyenaedits3460 thank you !!!

[@sunshinesunshine383]

I'm glad to know that i am not alone and experiencing this. As much as i'd like to quit maladaptive daydreaming..I feel as if I can't because it is like an escape for me. It's hard to live in the present most of the time so i guess this has become some sort of recluse for me ever since i was a child.

[@juicyloveglitter26]

As I watched this video I literally went into such an intense day dream I had to rewind it twice.

[@lexmcmahan7657]

I literally slipped into a daydream while watching this video. I had no idea it was this bad.

[@luhen7372]

Finally someone made a video about my life. The characters I have created still accompany me and have truly shaped me as a person. I’m 23.

[@francescaellis2606]

Felt that

[@sarahelena5641]

True! I have slowly shaped myself to be that version of me I like most in my daydreams. And it's actually making me a better person!

[@sheryarahmed6331]

I tend to walk in circles while listening to music for at least 30-120 minutes everyday, revisiting old memories, creating almost delusional fantasies in my mind. Sometimes I am not even present in my fantasies and the things I fantasize about can be extremely fragmented and disjointed. I do this because it feels good, and seems preferable over taking responsibility and living in my own reality. I am not sure if what I am doing can be accurately defined by the term "maladaptive daydreaming", but I'm certain that it is a very unhealthy way to spend my time and energy.

[@sutuudehshaariiaatii1910]

😭me too

[@laisduarte3607]

oh my... I haven't thought that there are so many people with the same issue!!! it is exactly what happens with me! I thought I was never going to be able to name it, or escape from it, every time I think I managed to stop thinking those stories, I fall in them again and it may last many many days, and I will be thinking those stories from the time I wake up till the time I go to bed, it really goes on the way of the things I have to do and on my relationships... I will just stop thinking them when I am mentally exhausted... and then I will say "no, I'm done with it", but next month, week, i don't know, I am inside this "daydreaming" again.

[@juliaostlund9360]

I definitely struggle with this as someone with ADHD. I'm in college and every semester passes and right around midterms I lose my resiliency and I just want to tap out but I can't. I escape through daydreams, videogames, youtube, and hobby projects I hyperfocus on. Then my grades slip and the work piles up, I become overwhelmed and I don't know how to stay in control of the stress, I fallback onto those escape mechanisms even more. The same thing's happened again and I've dropped 2/4 of the classes I was taking this semester. I don't know when I'm going to graduate anymore.

[@_just_TK]

Talk to your advisor and your professors & they may make accommodations or allow you to make up the work after the semester ends

[@emilyesnyman]

You just perfectly described my life rn🙈 Will use this wording to communicate with my therapist, thank you. Hope you're going okay❤

[@annasophieb.734]

I’m in the exact same position, its so hard to get out of it and deal with it as someone struggling with adhd. it’s almost like the adhd is distracting me from getting out of the daydream even though the maladaptive daydreaming itself is a symptom of the adhd. such an annoying paradox. much love and strength to you 🤍

[@christopherneufelt8971]

Good Night Ms Ostlund. For ADHD you should rely on two things: 1. Medication 2. Training on Personal and Time-Management. 3. The focus of your studies. Please, please get your medication from a medical doctor and don't let anyone to know that you take it. And finally: have a sleep schedule. @ daydreaming> its impossible not to daydream, but is possible to use a pen I suppose. Write it down until it start to reveal to you the trauma pattern.

[@juliaostlund9360]

@@emilyesnyman Thank you

[@sarahs8566]

I set a alarms to "bring me back" in case I drift away. That way I don't lose hours without realizing until it's too late. I am so happy this video is up, thank you Katie Morton!!

[@Me_a_documentary]

me too, i used to time myself, sometimes it wouldnt work and i would just add the alarm being annoying to part of my daydreams

[@dannyray180]

i get bored with life so i imagine stories and scenarios and make it more magical and realize that i have to go back to reality and get depressed because my daydream is more exciting and vibrant

[@nicoleezs]

I can’t believe this has a name I’ve been doing things like this since I was 6 or 7 I can’t stop pacing around at random times of the day and talking to myself and creating a different reality with other “people” and making expressions it honestly has just become another part of my life

[@nicenamehere5052]

HOLY MOTHER OF GOD YEEES, A VIDEO ABOUT MALADAPTIVE DAYDREAMING :')) FELLAS WE'RE GETTING RECOGNIZED

[@Katimorton]

I hope it was helpful!!! xoxo

[@shreyakantaria]

Yessssssss🥺🥺🥺🥺

[@gelukkig1357]

So manny proffesionals dont have a clue. So annoying.

[@jennamartin5913]

All of this! I live in my daydream so much, it feels weird to be in the “ real” world. I’ve done this literally as long as I can remember. It feels like an addiction. It feels impossible to stop.

[@jasminedarden23]

Same

[@karenelledge7034]

I thought i was going crazy.teachers would make fun of my daydreaming

[@karenelledge7034]

Oh and a teacher in 60s called me lazy dumb and stupid

[@jennamartin5913]

I remember once my mom came in my room and goes “ who ya waving at?” Oops

[@coralvillain490]

Same it's so hard to stop I keep going back in

[@Nathan-fq4yv]

As someone who has used Maladaptive daydreaming most of my life as a coping mechanism I feel relieved I'm not alone

[@Disgruntled_Fork]

Never realized there was a name for what I do. Sometimes I just slip into it without even realizing it. It's basically how I've lived my life the last few years. When I come back out of it, I just feel more depressed, because I'd rather go back to that world I've developed in my mind.

[@melhaniegean903]

Maladaptive daydreaming is very addictive, can't escape.

[@squidge125]

As someone who is an immersive daydreamer who has fallen into maladaptive daydreaming at various times it was a huge relief to understand this condition. It has helped me to understand that immersive (fun) daydreaming for me is a relaxing time like social drinking, and when it becoming maladaptive is the same process as slipping into a substance dependancy. It's a thought addiction.

[@zz7733]

I’ve suffered from this disorder for 17 years. It’s so difficult having to deal with an obsessive-compulsive disorder/addiction by yourself. It’s even worse when it isn’t even recognized. Like, how was child-me supposed to know that I’d end up becoming addicted to my own brain?

[@StonedApe93]

I suffer from depersonalization derealization disorder and it kinda blew my mind to know there is a correlation between daydreaming and dpdr. It's been one hell of a rough ride but things are better here lately. Stay strong guys 💪

[@autumncortez6254]

Wow. This is amazing. I started doing this when I went on long walks and listened to music. I would put these fantasies or daydreams to music, like a movie. Sometimes I would lay in bed and listen to music and the same thing would happen. My trigger was intense rejection and overwhelming loneliness. Hours could go by and I’d suddenly realize it was 3am and I hadn’t slept.

[@kylaj.4975]

Same here!

[@littlek5506]

48 yrs old and never thought this was an issue to be aware of. I'm always dreaming for hours everyday.

[@010101015467]

I suffer from maladaptive daydreaming all my life. Thanks for this video. It's very informative.

[@lgjc]

I know she’s named every psychological reason behind it, but my personal issue was music and fantasizing since the age of 11. I stopped maladaptive daydreaming when I cut my earphone wires and I forced myself to live without them (and music). I would only listen to music in the car during that time, and my life genuinely drastically improved after some weeks had passed. I fell back into the habit of listening to music and pacing back and forth recently, but living without it was a much better experience: you will miss your fantasies at first, but that is only until you adapt and it will become normal very fast. I started appreciating music and life so much more when I did not have ear- or headphones; I even “healed” from my depression after months had passed, because I started living more being myself! I wasn’t living in my head and fantasies any longer, and I became so productive doing that, because pacing back and forth in my home and fantasizing didn’t take up half of my day anymore. I know cutting up the wires feels very extreme, but trust me when I say that only then you will notice how addicted you were: I literally had to go through withdrawals, but when I noticed how my depression had faded and that I suddenly had new hope for my life and its experiences, it changed me a lot. I also quit all social media and started playing music on my record player during that time, and I just enjoyed life and music so much more. So, even if you adore music and / or singing like I do, know that having an unhealthy relationship with music and fantasizing isn’t exactly what “loving music” or “being creative” translates to. Lastly, you are not harming yourself. However, you could be wasting your time and your potential if you become addicated: I realized that when I quit, and healing from this has pretty much caused me to become the person I always fantasized about being, charming and confident. Because, instead of dreaming about it all day long: I became that person through actually doing.

[@ItsClaudx]

This really gave me hope that I can still stop myself.. thank you so much!

[@infjelphabasupporter8416]

I've never thought of it as something bad. I managed to publish a mildly successful novel at a young age thanks to the intricate plots and thousands of hours I spent maladaptive daydreaming. And more importantly, it allowed me to survive and even have fun growing up with an abusive parent. *(Edit: Actually I've discovered I'm not a Maladaptive Daydreamer. I'm an Immersive Daydreamer.)*

[@yokarkat]

I feel like the term "maladaptive" really only refers to something that gets in the way of your daily life. Stops you from doing the things you need to do or makes it hard for you to function past it. If you've managed to use it in a way that benefits you, that's great! Maybe it means you're on the right track in your life, and I hope it takes you farther.

[@roshanrahealer]

I've turned my maladaptive daydreaming habit into an author career. I still have DPDR, C-PTSD, and BPD, but I am more stable on days when I write. Thank you for sharing your knowledge in these videos!

[@strokeside1178]

Thank you for this. I was in denial and thought it was normal since I've been doing this since I was young. I could spend hours in my daydreams even until now. Sometimes, they play out as long stories. Other times, they are just repeated short clips of made-up situations I particularly liked. I actually almost got "pulled in" while watching this video. It made me feel sad that this looks like a disorder and I wanted someone to look at me and say, "Dont worry, I'm here." I tried to catch that moment right before I daydreamed as mentioned in the video, but now, I dont know what to do about it. I will resume watching when I've calmed down.

[@caldep9692]

I go through the same thing, and I thought I was the only one that went through repeated short clips of made up situations!! I'm so glad other people go through this!

[@raquell7]

I’m relieved that this is more common than I had thought, because I have a lot of shame over it. I do it frequently to cope with stress and primarily to deal with excruciating loneliness. When I was a child I did it so much at school that I didn’t learn anything and barely passed my subjects, which is a shame because I have a high IQ and had lots of potential. I was just punished for it rather than someone intervening and seeing that I had a highly traumatic home life.

[@kaminipersaud8997]

if your alone you can share your social media? we can connect

[@wooosh8712]

I have a friend who is a maladaptive daydreamer and I'm really excited to learn more about their struggles and be able to support them :)

[@emilyesnyman]

Yes! I love your attitude towards this :) As someone who wants to study psychology, I love when people want to learn more to support their friends, cause that's exactly where I get my drive to study this☺

[@Katimorton]

I hope this video helped!!! xoxo

[@wooosh8712]

@@Katimorton Yeah, it was !

[@pluutoop]

You are the nicesest

[@em-vo4ml]

aww that’s very sweet of you; you sound like an amazing friend

[@camilenauta5816]

I'm so happy maladaptive daydreaming is finally being talked about more. makes me feel so much less alone :')

[@pereiramwgd]

For those who have no friends, like me. For those who haven't had, or don't have, excitement like me.... Wow, I have "lived" such pleasurable moments with daydreams, but at the same time I am feeling stupid because I have never actually experienced such fantasized situations. Wow, my childhood was so boring, tedious, frustrating and suffering, just like now at my 18. I started daydreaming at 12. After I watched a report on a program that no longer exists, it was a show about child singers who didn't act like children. There was a boy. At the time I thought he was beautiful, but anyway. I was very innocent and childish. It's insane, paradoxical even. I remember that at school, in class, anything I found funny (ah, nonsense and hilarious things done by students in class. Saudades) I would instantly take it to become reverie, as if I was the one who caused the situation. I would "take it" for myself. Wow (gee, how many "our". It's all too impressive for me), I would get so excited to get home after school. Oh my gosh, what a strong feeling, and to grab my phone and headphones and start doing the magic. Unfortunately, there is not a lot of extensive research on excessive daydreaming. There are no medicines to control them. And there are psychologists who don't even know what daydreaming is about. I want to know if daydreaming can cause attention deficit and/or hyperactivity. I wanted to know if the hyperactivity and deficit medications could be used to treat the daydreams. My depression started in December 2021. The daydreaming didn't help much with the melancholy caused by the depression. It got really bad to study, but not before the depression. The daydreams got in the way. To study for exams was an insane shame. I only managed to get into a college through a complementary selection process of remaining vacancies from an institution in another state, which wasn't even the one I lived in, with a low score. I didn't even have to take the vestibular. I'm in Economics, I wanted Pedagogy because I don't need to do a lot of head banging, anyway. I wanted more videos and KZbin channels that talked about daydreams. Daydreams are there. They damage a lot of things. I don't know if I have bipolar disorder, but anyway, I don't have both phases, as far as I can see, but in February, and apparently in December, I had a moment of insane euphoria that lasted a couple of days. I went mad. The daydreams got even more pleasurable, but anyway. I want to make my daydreams open to the world. A great fact about daydreaming is that it will make you less social. There is no game, relationship, movie, anime that makes daydreaming less interesting. It's an extremely and absurdly peculiar disorder.

[@user-ti6wk7tk3l]

Uma vez eu fui tomar ritalina de 10mg e depois fui ler um livro mesmo assim fiquei sonhando acordado

[@tyben9760]

Thank you! 20 years of this and for the past decade its been very serious. I feel very relieved that I'm not the only one. Thank you for all the tips as well!! To everyone reading this, you can do this!!