Post by nella on Jan 14, 2020 22:14:39 GMT
Hello everyone,
I can't tell you what a relief it is to find out that there are other people like me and there's a name for this.
I've been suffering from maladaptive daydreaming disorder for as long as I can remember, maybe since I was 7 (now 24). I've always had a vivid imagination so I just thought it was normal or at least my version of normal. I probably spend 2-4 hours daydreaming on a normal day, maybe more, and definitely more if I'm not working. 90-95% of these dreams are romantic ones and I've been happily splitting them into "realistic" and "non realistic" for years. "Realistic" ones are with people I've met, or could meet, and "non realistic" ones are with fantasy characters from books or films or my head. The other 5-10% are about career success.
I originally thought it was love addiction and was looking for books on that but nothing seemed to quite fit. It's such a huge problem that I feel like I'm wasting my time at university and any opportunities I have to the point where I will never get a secure job and make a life for myself because I just can't concentrate or apply myself. A lot of the time I wish I could just switch off my brain. Interestingly, MDD becomes far less of a problem in my life if I'm in a relationship. If I'm meeting my addiction with real life love then I don't seem to need it in my head. I'm not in a relationship now and I can't even be bothered to swipe my evenings away on tinder because I can daydream up a boyfriend with far less effort.
I can't tell you what a relief it is to find out that there are other people like me and there's a name for this.
I've been suffering from maladaptive daydreaming disorder for as long as I can remember, maybe since I was 7 (now 24). I've always had a vivid imagination so I just thought it was normal or at least my version of normal. I probably spend 2-4 hours daydreaming on a normal day, maybe more, and definitely more if I'm not working. 90-95% of these dreams are romantic ones and I've been happily splitting them into "realistic" and "non realistic" for years. "Realistic" ones are with people I've met, or could meet, and "non realistic" ones are with fantasy characters from books or films or my head. The other 5-10% are about career success.
I originally thought it was love addiction and was looking for books on that but nothing seemed to quite fit. It's such a huge problem that I feel like I'm wasting my time at university and any opportunities I have to the point where I will never get a secure job and make a life for myself because I just can't concentrate or apply myself. A lot of the time I wish I could just switch off my brain. Interestingly, MDD becomes far less of a problem in my life if I'm in a relationship. If I'm meeting my addiction with real life love then I don't seem to need it in my head. I'm not in a relationship now and I can't even be bothered to swipe my evenings away on tinder because I can daydream up a boyfriend with far less effort.
