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Post by wholewidewords on Jun 15, 2020 4:18:51 GMT
I’m Schuyler, 50 years old, living in Michigan. Very recently learned about MD, and don’t yet know much about it. However, since my daydreaming causes me significant stress and shame, I’ve decided to explore this condition further. I’m currently in psychological treatment for other mental health issues, as well as chronic pain problems, and am hoping to fit MD into this larger framework.
Although I once had several hobbies and a more active social life, I’ve shut most of that down into a compact, small life. During lockdown, the MD symptoms came raging back. There can be benefits to this, as it helped to have something to focus on other than the world’s chaos. So I don’t want to just “turn off a switch” on MD and “make it go away.” Not totally. Having shut down so many other avenues in life, I wonder about a different approach.
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Post by katie on Jun 15, 2020 10:37:15 GMT
I’m Schuyler, 50 years old, living in Michigan. Very recently learned about MD, and don’t yet know much about it. However, since my daydreaming causes me significant stress and shame, I’ve decided to explore this condition further. I’m currently in psychological treatment for other mental health issues, as well as chronic pain problems, and am hoping to fit MD into this larger framework. Although I once had several hobbies and a more active social life, I’ve shut most of that down into a compact, small life. During lockdown, the MD symptoms came raging back. There can be benefits to this, as it helped to have something to focus on other than the world’s chaos. So I don’t want to just “turn off a switch” on MD and “make it go away.” Not totally. Having shut down so many other avenues in life, I wonder about a different approach. Hi and welcome to daydream in blue. Don't know much in what you are saying in your last sentence in your first paragraph but it sounds interesting our daydreaming can cause mental health issues and circulates around when coming back to reality. Pain is different for all of us because of this and wanting to get support and relate to other is a valid need. Its comforting to know you have a space to do so and people are happy to have a conversation to relax any worries and to not be alone etc... I can relate to not wanting it to stop its my way to self regulate when all else false I have gotten into this habit and now that I am getting professional it is something that gets in the way of my work and progress in therapy and my therapist know this and leads him to put his foot down because of this, use to professionals pointing out whats holding me back in ways of my habits and what they mean to me and how to break away from them even thinking of the help I am getting and what we are working towards give me anxiety and worry but something to be talked about along the way. Its good when you can create advantages and ideas around situations. I am sure you may be needing support along the way here in ways around this. |
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Post by alvi on Jun 15, 2020 16:11:35 GMT
Welcome to the forum!
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Post by Sam on Jun 15, 2020 22:57:24 GMT
Welcome to the forum, Schuyler!
MD is often an unhealthy coping mechanism for all of those other issues you mentioned, which is one of the reasons why so many MDers have comorbid mental or physical illnesses.
While the stress and shame you feel about your MD is entirely valid and understandable, it's important to try to be as nonjudgemental toward yourself as possible. Because MD is used as an escapist coping mechanism, feelings of stress and shame about your MD often lead to even more daydreaming as you try to escape from those feelings.
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Post by wholewidewords on Jun 17, 2020 5:04:57 GMT
Welcome to the forum, Schuyler! MD is often an unhealthy coping mechanism for all of those other issues you mentioned, which is one of the reasons why so many MDers have comorbid mental or physical illnesses. While the stress and shame you feel about your MD is entirely valid and understandable, it's important to try to be as nonjudgemental toward yourself as possible. Because MD is used as an escapist coping mechanism, feelings of stress and shame about your MD often lead to even more daydreaming as you try to escape from those feelings. Thanks for the welcome. Your tip about being nonjudgmental toward my MD is helpful. It makes lots of sense that the shame-MD-more-shame cycle could create even worse inner conflicts. Will work on this. |
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Post by wholewidewords on Jun 18, 2020 0:23:57 GMT
I’m Schuyler, 50 years old, living in Michigan. Very recently learned about MD, and don’t yet know much about it. However, since my daydreaming causes me significant stress and shame, I’ve decided to explore this condition further. I’m currently in psychological treatment for other mental health issues, as well as chronic pain problems, and am hoping to fit MD into this larger framework. Although I once had several hobbies and a more active social life, I’ve shut most of that down into a compact, small life. During lockdown, the MD symptoms came raging back. There can be benefits to this, as it helped to have something to focus on other than the world’s chaos. So I don’t want to just “turn off a switch” on MD and “make it go away.” Not totally. Having shut down so many other avenues in life, I wonder about a different approach. Hi and welcome to daydream in blue. Don't know much in what you are saying in your last sentence in your first paragraph but it sounds interesting our daydreaming can cause mental health issues and circulates around when coming back to reality. Pain is different for all of us because of this and wanting to get support and relate to other is a valid need. Its comforting to know you have a space to do so and people are happy to have a conversation to relax any worries and to not be alone etc... I can relate to not wanting it to stop its my way to self regulate when all else false I have gotten into this habit and now that I am getting professional it is something that gets in the way of my work and progress in therapy and my therapist know this and leads him to put his foot down because of this, use to professionals pointing out whats holding me back in ways of my habits and what they mean to me and how to break away from them even  of the help I am getting and what we are working towards give me anxiety and worry but something to be talked about along the way. Its good when you can create advantages and ideas around situations. I am sure you may be needing support along the way here in ways around this. Thank you for the welcome to the group. I relate to what you’re saying in terms of trying to be a professional person but MD can get in the way; and in turn, having professionals (such as therapists) saying MD might be getting in your way in various aspects of your life. One thing my volunteer job does for me is it brings me back to reality, even if it’s only for a short time. I’m grateful for that. It’s grounding. My therapist just learned of maladaptive daydreaming, I think maybe even through me. I brought it up as something I don’t want to do anymore (am afraid it’s just another addiction for me), but have since thought that maybe it’s something that can be done in moderation. There may be advantages to MD as a coping strategy. It certainly helped me get through lockdown. However, I’d really like to use MD less than I am right now, in a post-lockdown, phased re-entry world. It’s a struggle to understand how to approach MD: addictive behavior; or coping strategy that’s useful (if not used as a crutch). |
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Post by katie on Jun 18, 2020 19:03:34 GMT
Hi and welcome to daydream in blue. Don't know much in what you are saying in your last sentence in your first paragraph but it sounds interesting our daydreaming can cause mental health issues and circulates around when coming back to reality. Pain is different for all of us because of this and wanting to get support and relate to other is a valid need. Its comforting to know you have a space to do so and people are happy to have a conversation to relax any worries and to not be alone etc... I can relate to not wanting it to stop its my way to self regulate when all else false I have gotten into this habit and now that I am getting professional it is something that gets in the way of my work and progress in therapy and my therapist know this and leads him to put his foot down because of this, use to professionals pointing out whats holding me back in ways of my habits and what they mean to me and how to break away from them even thinking of the help I am getting and what we are working towards give me anxiety and worry but something to be talked about along the way. Its good when you can create advantages and ideas around situations. I am sure you may be needing support along the way here in ways around this. Thank you for the welcome to the group. I relate to what you’re saying in terms of trying to be a professional person but MD can get in the way; and in turn, having professionals (such as therapists) saying MD might be getting in your way in various aspects of your life. One thing my volunteer job does for me is it brings me back to reality, even if it’s only for a short time. I’m grateful for that. It’s grounding. My therapist just learned of maladaptive daydreaming, I think maybe even through me. I brought it up as something I don’t want to do anymore (am afraid it’s just another addiction for me), but have since thought that maybe it’s something that can be done in moderation. There may be advantages to MD as a coping strategy. It certainly helped me get through lockdown. However, I’d really like to use MD less than I am right now, in a post-lockdown, phased re-entry world. It’s a struggle to understand how to approach MD: addictive behavior; or coping strategy that’s useful (if not used as a crutch). Its good that you can find something that gives you a great feeling about grounding yourself. As it not fully known where its going to go with research and how much more is needed to be done if benefits around and stick to these in moderation and have a balance to it. I try to get away from it if my triggers are to use it for stress, boredom, loneliness did this can leave me feeling depressed after or anything else that need attention and care in reality but always slip up with this when I feel like have no where to go plenty of support in the last while so doing it this while I can. people see it differently in the way they use it around life challenges and pain that comes with it for me its coping strategy that is around behavioral addiction gosh crutch good eye never taught of it this way help and research has so much on things like this on our website see if you can agree in ways that may help and understand what way you want to go. Topic's that you may have on your mind add away you might have something that we may relate to and want to know how to help and understand if something is not talked about much here when comfortable to do so. |
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of the help I am getting and what we are working towards give me anxiety and worry but something to be talked about along the way.