Maladaptive Daydreaming Disorder

I discorvered just a couple of weeks ago about MDD. For me it started when I was around 10, just now I realize that maybe was a coping mechanism for my family situation. I daydream almost all days, sometimes I loose entire hours without me noticing. Sometimes I will say "just a couple of minutes" and when I "re-emerge" it's definitely more that a couple of minutes. It is getting really difficult to concentrate on my studies when I have another reality more simulating than the real life.Sometimes, after a good movie/anime/book, I put myself in this alternative universe and create almost and entire new story/reality with characters, backgrounds and new stories. I have a list of all this realities that I created, almost 30, but with most of them, after some months or years, I start to loose interest and forget them.
I tend to fidget a lot while I daydream, sometimes I even scatch myself without realizing I'm doing it.

I noticed that being with other people helps a lot.

Sorry for any mistakes/misspellings.

My fantasizing problem started 12 years before when I was in 10th std . I could not concentrate on my studies. I became very lazy and still I am. I would take lot of time to take bath and choose my clothes. It is still difficult for me to decide between two choices. During graduation I started smiling or laughing and talking to myself whenever I am alone .

I cant make any friends. I fantasize that I am successful or that I am working from last 5 years or that I am married and entertain myself. In reality I am 28 years old and not working . I try to stay away from reality by daydreaming. It has become an addiction.

I am sorry that you are going through this.

I've been doing this since I was about thirteen, it started off being something I only did when I was in bed and I had my eyes closed, then it became everyday and I had to consciouslly stop myself from doing it. I went to church at the time and I remember telling myself I couldn't do it there because I felt guilty about it.

It started happening at school as well, I had trouble following lessons and I had to stop myself from daydreaming during at exams. Some of the kids at school noticed I would start laughing for no apparent reason , they'd ask me why I was laughing and I'd try and come with an excuse that wouldn't seem weird, my friend told me that some of the kids in my class would make fun of me. I tried desperately to hide it.

Nowadays I find myself slamming doors when I'm daydreaming or speaking out loud and more increasingly crying, it's kind of new to me and I'm worried someone will see and I won't have an explanation for it. It started off as something I did only when I was alone at home and now it's something I do every day of my life.

My daydreaming is mostly triggered from watching tv, or reading books. I go between periods of when I will try very hard to stop myself from daydreaming and times when I just accept it. I want to control it because I use it to make myself feel better about not having achieved the things I want in life.

Being able to vent about it makes me feel so much better about the situation and I am hopeful that I will be able to get it under control one day.

I'm so glad there is a thread for this!!! I've done this since I can remember. I also have Comlex PTSD and dissociative issues so I think it's all related....

Hi there,

I am a researcher for the University of Exeter during research into imagination! I have recently found out about maladaptive dreaming and find it absolutely fascinating. It would be great if any of you would be up for sharing your experiences with me and answer some questions.

If any of you are interested, my email is kj294@exeter.ac.uk.

Hope to hear from some of you soon!

Kealan

Over the years I've learned to MD and still function as though everything is normal. It takes a lot of practice but it's been very helpful. Sometimes I just can't get out of the MD so being able to get on with my daily life is helpful.

If anyone has tips on how to get out of MDs you don't enjoy, please let me know. Sometimes I get stuck in bad ones and have to basically just let it pass. But as we all know, that takes a long time and it's unsettling for me.

It's so addictive. I get so guilty and embarrassed because i'm always imagining other lives and scenarios that aren't apart of my reality. I can control it in public like at uni or around family and friends but as soon as i'm alone i daydream. It is a big part of my life even though i don't think it affects me as much anymore, i can't go a day without doing it. I'm 20 now and i can't remember when it started. I get what people mean when they don't want it to stop.

I just found out about this condition and I can't wai to talk about with my therapist. I struggle with dissociation in general and I think it's connected to my anxiety and past. I daydream a lot to cope with sadness, fear and frustration. The problem is that sometimes I daydream and am taken to horroble possible outcomes that truly take over my mind and get me into the worst places. I think that's why it's so hard for me to focus. I also think that's why I feel derealized and even depersonalized sometimes. I'm so happy that this community exists. Let's cotinue to share and to help each other.

hi. Anybody here experiencing mdd n feeling tired about it. And wishes to form a WhatsApp group [edited by Anomalia to remove contact information]

come let's find the way out together.