What's a better way for escaping the reality than daydreaming? It's our most available source of entertainment and also an inevitable part of a creative mind. We all daydream at times and it's only natural as long as 'you' are the master of your daydreams. But if it grows as a habit with some special features and starts controlling you, it's time you became careful.
Maladaptive Daydreaming- a psychiatric condition indentified by Professor Eliezer Somer in 2002. A maladaptive daydreamer's daydreams are 'highly structured'. Unlike regular daydreams, they have constructed plot, fictional or imaginary characters playing them out- much like a scenario. Maladaptive daydreamers spend a large amount of time constructing these plots and daydreaming.
Daydreaming for them is enjoyable and if interrupted while daydreaming, they often feel the urge to continue from where they left off. It starts interfering with their daily tasks and attention. Sometimes they cannot keep from daydreaming even if they want to as they feel uncomfortable for not completing the act. It becomes similar to an addiction at this stage. These daydreams are capable of messing with their emotions too making them laugh or cry during the act.
Certain activities can trigger M.D. like listening to music, reading fictions, watching movies and drama. Strong urge to daydream immediately after waking up is another symptom of M.D.
I actually stumbled upon this term after getting mad at myself for randomly daydreaming, so I thought about seeking for some advice on how to get rid of it. Turns out what I thought to be my creative genius is actually a potential disorder! How surprising.
Maladaptive Daydreaming requires further research. There is not enough information on how common M.D. is among people but roaming in comment sections of M.D. related videos gives an idea that the number is not so small and there might be many more having this unknowingly. M.D. has not yet been officially classified as a mental disorder but it has high chances of being associated with OCD and ADHD. So, you'd better not neglect it if you have one or more symptoms.
There is no official treatment for M.D. yet. Some of the ways to tackle it are meditation, limiting time for maladaptive daydreaming and most importantly, being aware of what triggers it in your case. Remembering the term 'Maladaptive Daydreaming' alone is helping me refrain from it. However, it's not necessary that you try to get rid of daydreaming once and for all. As long as it's not maladaptive, you have the control of it and it doesn't collide with your daily tasks, you can enjoy your daydreams without a worry.
Happy daydreaming! 🧚