Maladaptive Daydreaming

Everyone Daydreams, Normal, right?

Maladaptive Daydream is a new syndrome that has not been fully explored or researched yet. Most likely, you haven't heard of it, and you probably are not aware of anyone who has it. It is a very taboo subject and has only been discovered in recent years. Due to the fact that it has been just recently recognized as a disorder, not many people have come out with it nor are there statistics on it, so this disorder is practically unheard of.

So...now that you know that, what is it?

Well, to put it simply, Maladaptive Daydreaming is a disorder where a person has vivid daydreams. These daydreams are not normal as they play out in their mind like a movie, and can continue on indefinitely with a plot that could be worthy of a novel or even a book series. The person can manipulate their the dreams and control how their dreams evolve. They can even decide when they will daydream, however they cannot control what they dream while sleeping. (Hence, why it's called daydreaming.) 

Now while people with this disorder can distinguish fantasy from reality, it can turn into an addiction over time, so much so that they become consumed by it until it interferes with their everyday life. Some people have gone so far as to dream their entire day away! Fictional worlds are much more appealing than reality, so it’s understandable why people would go to such lengths just to daydream. The problem comes when they begin essentially wasting their life, and missing out on events, opportunities and other obligations. If they start to interact more in their dream world than real life, they become isolated and possibly lose all their friends and family by focusing only on their daydreams. 

Even more unsettling is that while daydreaming, maladaptive daydreamers tend to be unable to control their movements, which is why they try their best to do it in private. When they daydream their legs tend to shake, they’ll tap their fingers, make facial expressions without meaning to, mutter or whisper to themselves, walk or run around a room or area, jump on what they're sitting on,  wig out, or some other embarrassing movements that they really do not want anyone else to see.

Now how do I know this much about it?

Well...I'm a maladaptive daydreamer. I have been since I can remember, from about the age of four. Now, I actually didn't know that I had this syndrome until I was fifteen or sixteen after I happened to come across it on the internet. No, I was not technically diagnosed, however, I KNOW I have it because it perfectly describes my behavior all these years. I never understood what it was that I was doing. To me, I was simply daydreaming, but I knew it was weird because my mother would catch me sometimes and scold me for doing it, telling me how strange I looked. She didn't understand that I was daydreaming and she still doesn't understand. 

Why do I do it?

Well...that I am still figuring out. I've seen many websites that claim that it's due to emotional or psychological trauma, but I certainly never experienced anything close to that.  Then for some, they don't have any emotional or psychological trauma but do it anyway, which is unexplained. 

If it's not psychological trauma, I personally think that it is a product of two things: 

1. It's an escape from reality into an ideal world created by the dreamer. 

2. It might possibly be genetic. 

The first one is more plausible, as that's how any maladaptive daydreamers describe their need to dream. As for the second, simply more my own theory, as of now there is no evidence to confirm. There is anecdotal evidence, though, because I am certain that my father has the same thing, as my family would catch him running around the house every now and then, so I doubt it's a coincidence that the same thing happens to me. 

Anyway, when it comes to treatments, there isn't much just yet, mostly because it hasn't been recognized by the medical community. However, here are a few suggestions to try for those who think that their daydreaming is out of control. 

Try to avoid triggers. Triggers are things that may "launch" a daydreamer into their daydream, such as a movie, book, or video game, as maladaptive daydreamers often dream up stories related to what they’ve just seen. Also, avoid the place you usually daydream, research topics related to your daydream, or make plans for you daydreams. 

Another strategy is to stop procrastinating and engage with the real world. The main thing is to remember that you have a life, and have real-world responsibilities to your primary obligations. Make sure take care of them first, and then later you can daydream. If you really want to try to quit, then perhaps make your schedule so busy that you do not have time to daydream. 

Remember to take care of yourself too. People with maladaptive daydreaming seem to lack in hygiene or grooming. They also might even ignore the signs of a physical disease that they may have. Make sure to check to ensure that you are healthy, that you eat three meals a day, keep yourself clean, and exercise. 

Also remind yourself that your daydream isn't real...as sad as that might be. Of course we are aware that it's not real, but when we dream it almost seems real and it makes us want to stay in never-ever Land.

You can also get professional help. You might want to explain to a therapist about your condition, so they can research it and try to do what they can do help you. Talking it out can help restrict your daydreaming and you can also speak about personal matters that may be causing you to retreat into your dream world. 

Then finally, there are drugs, but officially there are NO actual drugs designated to treat maladaptive daydreaming. However, in one study, it was found that OCD medication could help in reducing the symptoms. Please talk to a professional before you take any sort of medication. 

Those are the main suggestions to stop or restrict daydreaming anyway. Do what works for you! And no, for this addiction, and this one only, I do not believe that you need to stop, as people can live a functional life with it...though they might be seen to be a little odd. It's your choice whether or not you want to quit. Just make sure that your daydreams do not consume your real life. Try your best to maintain a balance between your real life and your fictional life if you plan to continue on daydreaming. 

As for all you people who do not have this condition, if you ever happen to find someone doing weird movements, such as pacing or running or jumping, and then they look spaced out, please don't berate or be creeped out by them. They are simply daydreaming and they cannot control their movements. If you are nice and calm, I'm sure that they might confide in you about it, and then maybe you can work out their issues together.

Maladaptive daydreaming is not a really a harmful addiction or disorder, however it can be detrimental to a person's quality of life. That's why it's important to keep control of it if you do have it, and if you don't, to be understanding and try to keep your friend or loved one in reality.