5 Signs of Maladaptive Daydreaming
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Date: 2023-08-20
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Comments and reviews: 25
Creative
2: 44 I remember this being linked with something. With maladaptive daydreaming, every time I walked to a room, Id picture a certain image and sound in my head. I dont know why, I was just stressed that if I walked into the room thinking something random that could mean something bad ( Like, I coukd mean eye, and Im terrified of eyeballs. Another part is when I would walk around in my room, if there was a word in the song, even if its something like ew, Id go back, pause the song, and touch my foot In the same area. I think that after doing research its something to do with OCD. Im not diagnosed and not saying I have it, but its a shame on how these things linked so theyre both 2X worse.
Oh and the walking around, it started when I was very young and drew a character. I then walked around and pretended to be with the character for a few minutes. When I was bored, I realized that I could listen to music on car rides, and picture some characters or something linked to the beat. Outside, i walk around in circles in my backyard theres a PATH. a DENT in the field where I would walk around for hours. Problem is, I had to stop because my mom loved her yard. Id always anticipate summer becayse normally I have to walk around in my room, or downstairs around the table, but outside was just better because I was more used to it. Even when Im on vacation, I walk around the POOL in the vacation house.
Do I really think maladaptive daydreaming is some sort of curse? Well, yes and no. I often leave my friends in school to walk around an area, where they feel neglected but I just have to do it. However, I do really love doing it and I get some time and excise. A lot of people walk up to me and ask if Im okay, so I just say yeah, Im using my imagination, which normally leads them off. I also have a schedule. If its Friday or Tuesday, all of my class teachers are out and I cant do it. I also swim, and think about all the things that can be underneath me. I dont know if thats thalassophobia or just daydreaming, but however, this has been my experience.
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2: 44 I remember this being linked with something. With maladaptive daydreaming, every time I walked to a room, Id picture a certain image and sound in my head. I dont know why, I was just stressed that if I walked into the room thinking something random that could mean something bad ( Like, I coukd mean eye, and Im terrified of eyeballs. Another part is when I would walk around in my room, if there was a word in the song, even if its something like ew, Id go back, pause the song, and touch my foot In the same area. I think that after doing research its something to do with OCD. Im not diagnosed and not saying I have it, but its a shame on how these things linked so theyre both 2X worse.
Oh and the walking around, it started when I was very young and drew a character. I then walked around and pretended to be with the character for a few minutes. When I was bored, I realized that I could listen to music on car rides, and picture some characters or something linked to the beat. Outside, i walk around in circles in my backyard theres a PATH. a DENT in the field where I would walk around for hours. Problem is, I had to stop because my mom loved her yard. Id always anticipate summer becayse normally I have to walk around in my room, or downstairs around the table, but outside was just better because I was more used to it. Even when Im on vacation, I walk around the POOL in the vacation house.
Do I really think maladaptive daydreaming is some sort of curse? Well, yes and no. I often leave my friends in school to walk around an area, where they feel neglected but I just have to do it. However, I do really love doing it and I get some time and excise. A lot of people walk up to me and ask if Im okay, so I just say yeah, Im using my imagination, which normally leads them off. I also have a schedule. If its Friday or Tuesday, all of my class teachers are out and I cant do it. I also swim, and think about all the things that can be underneath me. I dont know if thats thalassophobia or just daydreaming, but however, this has been my experience.
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fluff
Um so like I do daydream a lot, but I dont think it interferes with my life.
I have a whole different world of scenarios that I would like to be in (it depends sometimes, its never one continuous plot if that makes sense. I do prefer this world but I would never choose it over my current one. Im quite a shy person, but I dont choose to day dream over talking to people, its an anxiety thing Im pretty sure. I just do it when I dont have anything else to do or if Im bored, but its never continuous, mostly with short breaks.
For example when I watch a show I sometimes pause it and pace around listening to music with scenarios in my head.
IM SOO confused. Even if I didnt daydream a lot I think that I would still be the same person I am, and it doesnt really stop me from doing other things in my life.
Idk if its really harmful to me though.
I took a test and I know that things online arent 100% accurate, but it did say that I have signs of maladaptive daydreaming?
If anyone has any thoughts or advice on this it would be appreciated
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Um so like I do daydream a lot, but I dont think it interferes with my life.
I have a whole different world of scenarios that I would like to be in (it depends sometimes, its never one continuous plot if that makes sense. I do prefer this world but I would never choose it over my current one. Im quite a shy person, but I dont choose to day dream over talking to people, its an anxiety thing Im pretty sure. I just do it when I dont have anything else to do or if Im bored, but its never continuous, mostly with short breaks.
For example when I watch a show I sometimes pause it and pace around listening to music with scenarios in my head.
IM SOO confused. Even if I didnt daydream a lot I think that I would still be the same person I am, and it doesnt really stop me from doing other things in my life.
Idk if its really harmful to me though.
I took a test and I know that things online arent 100% accurate, but it did say that I have signs of maladaptive daydreaming?
If anyone has any thoughts or advice on this it would be appreciated
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Lost
Guys I've been reading that many of you have been doing this spinning thing. I'm not trying to scare anyone but I've also been doing this since I was a child first with toys in my hand and then with music and then my parents forced me to stop at the age of 19 for obvious reasons. After 2 years when I completely stopped doing it I experienced severe anxiety and panic symptoms without any major reason. I didn't know what was happening with me. I started with my medication given by my psychiatrist. After 2 years again I was experiencing depressing thoughts and couldn't concentrate on my studies. My head gets too tight by stressing which is just not in my control. My mind sometimes starts imagining negative situations which is just not real and I start worrying about unnecessary things. I hope nothing of this sort happens with you guys. Not spinning has also killed my focus and grades. Seek professional help. Also I can spend endless hours on swings who else?
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Guys I've been reading that many of you have been doing this spinning thing. I'm not trying to scare anyone but I've also been doing this since I was a child first with toys in my hand and then with music and then my parents forced me to stop at the age of 19 for obvious reasons. After 2 years when I completely stopped doing it I experienced severe anxiety and panic symptoms without any major reason. I didn't know what was happening with me. I started with my medication given by my psychiatrist. After 2 years again I was experiencing depressing thoughts and couldn't concentrate on my studies. My head gets too tight by stressing which is just not in my control. My mind sometimes starts imagining negative situations which is just not real and I start worrying about unnecessary things. I hope nothing of this sort happens with you guys. Not spinning has also killed my focus and grades. Seek professional help. Also I can spend endless hours on swings who else?
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dia
I think I started having recurring daydreaming scenarios when I was about 10. Actually, maybe way younger than that. As a child I would not engage in social interactions much and I thought I had something more than the other children because through my books and the stories in my head I would live more lives than them. As time passed I gradually stopped having fantastic scenarios to just imagine a better version of my life. But even now that I'm in college, I keep on daydreaming and it has probably affected who I am a lot. I still struggle with socializing. Maybe if I had used the time I spent daydreaming to learn how to make friends instead, it would be easier now. That's why I'm making research on it so that I can focus on work and be more extroverted. I hope it's not too late.
To all the kids struggling out there, take care of yourself. The good habits you develop now will have a positive impact on your future.
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I think I started having recurring daydreaming scenarios when I was about 10. Actually, maybe way younger than that. As a child I would not engage in social interactions much and I thought I had something more than the other children because through my books and the stories in my head I would live more lives than them. As time passed I gradually stopped having fantastic scenarios to just imagine a better version of my life. But even now that I'm in college, I keep on daydreaming and it has probably affected who I am a lot. I still struggle with socializing. Maybe if I had used the time I spent daydreaming to learn how to make friends instead, it would be easier now. That's why I'm making research on it so that I can focus on work and be more extroverted. I hope it's not too late.
To all the kids struggling out there, take care of yourself. The good habits you develop now will have a positive impact on your future.
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Raj
Well thankfully I identified the maladaptive nature at an early age. While I do not actively restrain myself from daydreaming all the time, I am able to focus on the most important stuff, if there are any, that I have to do.
I spiritually relate to the comments saying how they spend hours with music, daydreaming scenarios that never will be.
It's a bit bad in my case: I've seen my parents getting backstabbed by others so often that I just daydream every potential scenario of backstabbing. Every happy scenario just ends in me killing myself, just because I find this world so goddamn bleak. It sucks really: ) They say it's just a phase. Not quite sure. nvm.
Best of luck to anyone trying to escape this vicious yet tempting cycle of spending hours of your work time on daydreams! I reeaallly hope that you all succeed.
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Well thankfully I identified the maladaptive nature at an early age. While I do not actively restrain myself from daydreaming all the time, I am able to focus on the most important stuff, if there are any, that I have to do.
I spiritually relate to the comments saying how they spend hours with music, daydreaming scenarios that never will be.
It's a bit bad in my case: I've seen my parents getting backstabbed by others so often that I just daydream every potential scenario of backstabbing. Every happy scenario just ends in me killing myself, just because I find this world so goddamn bleak. It sucks really: ) They say it's just a phase. Not quite sure. nvm.
Best of luck to anyone trying to escape this vicious yet tempting cycle of spending hours of your work time on daydreams! I reeaallly hope that you all succeed.
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Bristol
I havent been diagnosed with maladaptive daydreaming but I do think I daydream more than often, Ive been trying to stop for months and when I search up what causes maladaptive daydreaming it always says childhood trauma and stuff like that but I just started daydreaming more than often a year ago, I started daydreaming about movies i liked and me being friend with the characters. I think it started because when I moved away from my friends I started to become more bored and stayed inside basically the entire summer unless I was going somewhere, I dont pace around in circles but sometimes I do get up and walk for a second then sit back down. Some days I can entirely go without daydreaming only if I find another reason on why its bad but then sometimes it feels like Im about to zone and I can stop it
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I havent been diagnosed with maladaptive daydreaming but I do think I daydream more than often, Ive been trying to stop for months and when I search up what causes maladaptive daydreaming it always says childhood trauma and stuff like that but I just started daydreaming more than often a year ago, I started daydreaming about movies i liked and me being friend with the characters. I think it started because when I moved away from my friends I started to become more bored and stayed inside basically the entire summer unless I was going somewhere, I dont pace around in circles but sometimes I do get up and walk for a second then sit back down. Some days I can entirely go without daydreaming only if I find another reason on why its bad but then sometimes it feels like Im about to zone and I can stop it
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CreamPuff
I remembered when I first started daydreaming and that it was in first grade and at first I didnt think of it was gonna get in the way but as the years went by its then became addicting and when I come to reality I have those times where Im questioning my life and keep looking at my hands and move them seeing that this is real and how what Im seeing is real and Im alive, and now daydreaming has turned into maladaptive daydreaming and I get so lost in daydreaming sometimes that it usually affects my school work and how back then when i was daydreaming in first grade people would tell me why I stare at walls and not blink and do these weird hand movements and for me to this day I still cant control my daydreaming and how out of nowhere I could daydream
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I remembered when I first started daydreaming and that it was in first grade and at first I didnt think of it was gonna get in the way but as the years went by its then became addicting and when I come to reality I have those times where Im questioning my life and keep looking at my hands and move them seeing that this is real and how what Im seeing is real and Im alive, and now daydreaming has turned into maladaptive daydreaming and I get so lost in daydreaming sometimes that it usually affects my school work and how back then when i was daydreaming in first grade people would tell me why I stare at walls and not blink and do these weird hand movements and for me to this day I still cant control my daydreaming and how out of nowhere I could daydream
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newbeanies
I thought mine was bad, but i don't have any of these signs, i am always aware of where i am even if I'm alone while daydreaming, and i can focus on real life if i want to. And i am not really distressed of the amount of my time in my head, and i can control it completely, like if i really want to do it but i have some important work to do like doing homework/studying for a test, i do that thing first and don't let my imagination interrupt. However, i do have some imaginary friends, they are real people I've interacted with but it's been some months and i still daydream fake scenarios including me and them, two of them are my friends irl, but we don't really talk that much, I've homeschooled my entire life that's why.
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I thought mine was bad, but i don't have any of these signs, i am always aware of where i am even if I'm alone while daydreaming, and i can focus on real life if i want to. And i am not really distressed of the amount of my time in my head, and i can control it completely, like if i really want to do it but i have some important work to do like doing homework/studying for a test, i do that thing first and don't let my imagination interrupt. However, i do have some imaginary friends, they are real people I've interacted with but it's been some months and i still daydream fake scenarios including me and them, two of them are my friends irl, but we don't really talk that much, I've homeschooled my entire life that's why.
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DR
When I was younger, maybe middle school to high school age I would put pieces of music together in playlists and pretend I was the person who created/ordered them that way and imagine how other would perceive listening to the album/knowing I was the one who created it. I would literally walk circles in my kitchen without even realizing how vivid the daydreaming was until either of my parents asked me what I was doing. I still do it, but with less stimming and it usually happens for a much shorter amount of time and the day dreams themselves are much less based in a possible reality.
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When I was younger, maybe middle school to high school age I would put pieces of music together in playlists and pretend I was the person who created/ordered them that way and imagine how other would perceive listening to the album/knowing I was the one who created it. I would literally walk circles in my kitchen without even realizing how vivid the daydreaming was until either of my parents asked me what I was doing. I still do it, but with less stimming and it usually happens for a much shorter amount of time and the day dreams themselves are much less based in a possible reality.
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crankyc
Idk what it is abt me. But Ive been doing this since I was in 3rd grade, now its just out of control its how I fall asleep Isk if it is mdbut when Im alone I talk to myself as Im 2 people and I have an older friend who takes care of meyes very cringey I know. And even act out crying when Im not, I get upset just as if it were happening but its not, (I was molested at the age of 10) and thats when it got worse and the stuff I would pretend got darker. I act as if Im in the situation all the timeI really dont know what this is.
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Idk what it is abt me. But Ive been doing this since I was in 3rd grade, now its just out of control its how I fall asleep Isk if it is mdbut when Im alone I talk to myself as Im 2 people and I have an older friend who takes care of meyes very cringey I know. And even act out crying when Im not, I get upset just as if it were happening but its not, (I was molested at the age of 10) and thats when it got worse and the stuff I would pretend got darker. I act as if Im in the situation all the timeI really dont know what this is.
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AnaDD
I prefer living and actually doing stuff because actions come with errors and challenges and that's how you really learn and get somewhere otherwise you're not moving, and worst, you're not learning nor knowing how to handle things in the real world and makes you an easy prey to people who are not as nice. It's okay to daydream, we all do but just try to not over do it. I have done it a lot but I had to get up and get things done. Plan, get therapy if you can, and live. If you don't live and do, you don't learn.
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I prefer living and actually doing stuff because actions come with errors and challenges and that's how you really learn and get somewhere otherwise you're not moving, and worst, you're not learning nor knowing how to handle things in the real world and makes you an easy prey to people who are not as nice. It's okay to daydream, we all do but just try to not over do it. I have done it a lot but I had to get up and get things done. Plan, get therapy if you can, and live. If you don't live and do, you don't learn.
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Peppa
im sure i have MD and ive now struggled with it, but idkw i like doing it and cant stop. EVERY SINGLE DAY id sit in the car with my headphones on listening to music imagining things, and then suddenly. Im already at school. I say to myself, How are we here a moment ago i was in my neighbourhood now im here? i struggle with my mom constantly shouting at me to take my headphones off, but its too noisy for me s i cant focus on anything im imagining. hope u understand n thx fr this i needed it.
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im sure i have MD and ive now struggled with it, but idkw i like doing it and cant stop. EVERY SINGLE DAY id sit in the car with my headphones on listening to music imagining things, and then suddenly. Im already at school. I say to myself, How are we here a moment ago i was in my neighbourhood now im here? i struggle with my mom constantly shouting at me to take my headphones off, but its too noisy for me s i cant focus on anything im imagining. hope u understand n thx fr this i needed it.
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kitthe
From my experience and a lot of the comments. I'm reading that most people who have MD have low self esteem. In our heads we create a fun, cooler, more confident version of ourselves where people love and adore us. Sometimes it's the only time we feel good about ourselves. just to realize in real situations that we are nothing like who we want to be. Causing us even more to want to daydream to feel better. A revolving cycle really.
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From my experience and a lot of the comments. I'm reading that most people who have MD have low self esteem. In our heads we create a fun, cooler, more confident version of ourselves where people love and adore us. Sometimes it's the only time we feel good about ourselves. just to realize in real situations that we are nothing like who we want to be. Causing us even more to want to daydream to feel better. A revolving cycle really.
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Arshia
Sometimes i cant even control my daydreams, like if I imagine myself running or something (just an eg, suddenly my brain creates something new to add to that imagination on its own that I dont think of consciously. Like imagining falling while running. So then no matter how hard i try to just imagine running, my brain keeps adding the falling down part and i cant get rid of it. anyone else have this control problem?
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Sometimes i cant even control my daydreams, like if I imagine myself running or something (just an eg, suddenly my brain creates something new to add to that imagination on its own that I dont think of consciously. Like imagining falling while running. So then no matter how hard i try to just imagine running, my brain keeps adding the falling down part and i cant get rid of it. anyone else have this control problem?
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bro
Now that I've seen this I've realize that I was malaptive daydreaming since I was still in highschool I would sit for hours and think about my own reality, I know this is not normal but this is how I cope with my life before I was a social butterfly now I'm an anxious person who can't talk properly yeah it affects my social life but I can't seem to let it go I'm so glad I'm not the only one who experienced this
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Now that I've seen this I've realize that I was malaptive daydreaming since I was still in highschool I would sit for hours and think about my own reality, I know this is not normal but this is how I cope with my life before I was a social butterfly now I'm an anxious person who can't talk properly yeah it affects my social life but I can't seem to let it go I'm so glad I'm not the only one who experienced this
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Hankatten
Im just constantly in a dreamlike state, where I walk around like clint Eastwood from fistful of dollars in the world of the Akira manga mixed with 16th century Japan represented by kurosawa. I also ride a motorbike and scan the world like Arnold in terminator. Basically i live in a dream thats been going on since i was 6, an ideal actionfilled life of a real man, an actionhero, warrior, loner.
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Im just constantly in a dreamlike state, where I walk around like clint Eastwood from fistful of dollars in the world of the Akira manga mixed with 16th century Japan represented by kurosawa. I also ride a motorbike and scan the world like Arnold in terminator. Basically i live in a dream thats been going on since i was 6, an ideal actionfilled life of a real man, an actionhero, warrior, loner.
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Not
Tbh I have this but I have good control of it. It doesnt interfere with my life at all. Because I only do it when Im bored and theres nothing else to do and when Im alone because I talk during it. At school I cant go in, when I try it gets stuck in a repeating loop unable to progress the story same thing if Im stressed or sad.
I just use it as a last resort to escape boredom
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Tbh I have this but I have good control of it. It doesnt interfere with my life at all. Because I only do it when Im bored and theres nothing else to do and when Im alone because I talk during it. At school I cant go in, when I try it gets stuck in a repeating loop unable to progress the story same thing if Im stressed or sad.
I just use it as a last resort to escape boredom
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ARCEMEDIS
Today I came to know that the all the things I imagine always are a disorder. I am too shocked! I have this disorder from the age of 6-7. I have made my own characters, they have there name, create different stories. It's surely fun. But it never hampered my real life, never. I do my regular things and at night it's just a entertainment for me. It's OK I wouldn't stop it.
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Today I came to know that the all the things I imagine always are a disorder. I am too shocked! I have this disorder from the age of 6-7. I have made my own characters, they have there name, create different stories. It's surely fun. But it never hampered my real life, never. I do my regular things and at night it's just a entertainment for me. It's OK I wouldn't stop it.
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raven
I have spent many hours pacing around the dining table with music, or running around my room reenacting the intense action scenes in my head, and whenever I hear music on the radio in the car I switch to a mode where Im daydreaming and its hard to talk to people, or after I read a book or webtoon do a quest In a game my mind just starts daydreaming
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I have spent many hours pacing around the dining table with music, or running around my room reenacting the intense action scenes in my head, and whenever I hear music on the radio in the car I switch to a mode where Im daydreaming and its hard to talk to people, or after I read a book or webtoon do a quest In a game my mind just starts daydreaming
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Akanio
I just don't want to live on this planet anymore. I keep trying, and I'm still in the same place, just running towards no where, just running and hoping anywhere else would be better than here, but I just keep going in circles. Man, maybe it's best that I'm too broke to get VR, I'd just disappear into VRChat.
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I just don't want to live on this planet anymore. I keep trying, and I'm still in the same place, just running towards no where, just running and hoping anywhere else would be better than here, but I just keep going in circles. Man, maybe it's best that I'm too broke to get VR, I'd just disappear into VRChat.
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WTFran
Omg i always wondered why i daydreamed so much for me its an escape, i also have very vivid dreams 90% of the time i know what my dream was and i also continue it when im awake. I do it a lot when im outside i seem to do it constantly. I've had people speak to me and not realise because im daydreaming
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Omg i always wondered why i daydreamed so much for me its an escape, i also have very vivid dreams 90% of the time i know what my dream was and i also continue it when im awake. I do it a lot when im outside i seem to do it constantly. I've had people speak to me and not realise because im daydreaming
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Human
This is really late, but whenever I try to just stop daydreaming about random stories in my head, I feel myself physically signaling me to keep thinking about it. Ill feel pressure around my forehead, the back of my head and neck, my back, and the pressure would only stop if I continue daydreaming.
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This is really late, but whenever I try to just stop daydreaming about random stories in my head, I feel myself physically signaling me to keep thinking about it. Ill feel pressure around my forehead, the back of my head and neck, my back, and the pressure would only stop if I continue daydreaming.
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Madi
I notice that during lectures or videos I would just drift of into a daydream and the wake up to realize I'm in class but I think it's turning into actually falling asleep and this happens so often. I just want to pay attention and absorb information so I don't have to study extra hard for tests
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I notice that during lectures or videos I would just drift of into a daydream and the wake up to realize I'm in class but I think it's turning into actually falling asleep and this happens so often. I just want to pay attention and absorb information so I don't have to study extra hard for tests
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Coco
i have been questioning if my daydreaming is normal, but i almost cried when you talked about the woman with the string because i was getting confused on the amount of time i have walked around my table fast paced daydreaming and then realizing iv been walking around it for more then an hour
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i have been questioning if my daydreaming is normal, but i almost cried when you talked about the woman with the string because i was getting confused on the amount of time i have walked around my table fast paced daydreaming and then realizing iv been walking around it for more then an hour
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Xeno
I only just discovered yesterday that theres a name for this, it always felt like i was the only one (obviously not, im constant daydreaming almost about the same thing since i was a kid but wish i could have better control over it. Anyone get any headaches from like over doing it?
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I only just discovered yesterday that theres a name for this, it always felt like i was the only one (obviously not, im constant daydreaming almost about the same thing since i was a kid but wish i could have better control over it. Anyone get any headaches from like over doing it?
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