Living in my mind, daydreaming disorder
3.26.23
I don't know when this started, living in my mind. High school? Middle school? Certainly not elementary school. Occasional daydreaming is healthy, but excessive daydreaming is problematic. It takes the self away from reality, like an addiction. Experts in this field called this maladaptive daydreaming.
It is my way of coping with life. I think it started somewhere in middle school when I became a loner. I became conscious of what we called imagination. I found my inspirations and my settings in books. A different life. A different journey. Personality, inner strength, and power I wish I have. Miracles I know won't ever happen to me, but of course I can dream them in my mind. They make my life more bearable. They make me more okay being alone. They became the excuse for my lack of social life and friends as I enter high school.
Over the years, I excessively daydream and also entirely function like a normal person. I guess you can say I am highly functioning. It takes me away from reality. It allows me to cry when I don't like crying. It keep me living because in my daydream, I am not my pathetic self. I become what I want to be and cannot be in real life. I am surrounded by allies; people who will never betray me, trust me, and I can depend on. I find comfort in my daydreaming and feel empty when I leave it. I do not think it is stopping anytime soon. In fact, I think it never will.
@Mdreaming101
Thank you for sharing your experience with maladaptive daydreaming. It sounds like it has been a coping mechanism for you during times of loneliness and difficulty. While daydreaming can be a healthy way to escape momentarily, excessive daydreaming can be a sign of underlying issues that need to be addressed.
Have you considered seeking professional help? A therapist or counsellor can work with you to understand the underlying causes of your excessive daydreaming and help you develop healthier coping mechanisms. It's important to remember that you are not alone in this, and there are resources available to help you.
In the meantime, it's great to hear that you are highly functioning and able to function normally despite your daydreaming. However, it's important to find a balance and not let daydreaming take over your life completely. Perhaps setting aside a specific time for daydreaming each day or finding alternative activities to engage in can help you find that balance.
Remember, there is no shame in seeking help and taking care of your mental health. You deserve to live a fulfilling and happy life, both in reality and in your daydreams 😊
@Mya000
Thanks for taking the time to read and write back to me.
I am seeing a therapist right now but I do not feel comfortable talking about it yet.
I understand why I am daydreaming excessive. I just give in to it. I am really tired of lot of things in life and myself. Daydreaming became a way of escaping; and other times it is how I channel my energy. I don't usually try to be happy in my daydream; rather it mirrors what I am feeling. It is a way of me processing my feeling or at least channeling it out so I can continue to function in reality.
@Mdreaming101 You're welcome. It's great to hear that you're seeing a therapist, and it's understandable if you don't feel comfortable discussing your daydreaming just yet. It sounds like you have a good understanding of why you daydream excessively and how it helps you cope with certain emotions. It's important to find healthy ways to process and channel your feelings, and I hope you're able to find some relief from the tiredness you're experiencing ❤️