Post by illuminatii on Aug 6, 2020 0:02:21 GMT
Hi there, I’m new to this forum so apologies if I say the wrong thing. I very recently found out what maladaptive daydreaming is - and something just clicked in my head.
I am in my early 20’s but ever since I was a kid I have been a very intense daydreamer. I think I use it as a way to dissociate. But in the last few years (especially since lockdown) I have found I daydream a LOT. I go on a lot of walks to get out of the house as we are still in lockdown, and on these walks I always play blasting music and daydream. I daydream scenarios, for example I will play ‘club’ music and imagine me at the club with my friends and conversations with people. I’ll even imagine scenarios that then get me very angry, for example confronting someone for being inappropriate. I also will play over past scenarios. I always put it down to me being an over thinker but reading the synopsis for being a maladaptive daydreamer, it seems to fit. I am always daydreaming scenarios instead of living them and I am getting to this point where I will make faces in public or laugh out loud whilst on my walks
about scenarios past or future. Does anyone have any advice on how to stop this? Or does anyone know if this is really bad?
I am in my early 20’s but ever since I was a kid I have been a very intense daydreamer. I think I use it as a way to dissociate. But in the last few years (especially since lockdown) I have found I daydream a LOT. I go on a lot of walks to get out of the house as we are still in lockdown, and on these walks I always play blasting music and daydream. I daydream scenarios, for example I will play ‘club’ music and imagine me at the club with my friends and conversations with people. I’ll even imagine scenarios that then get me very angry, for example confronting someone for being inappropriate. I also will play over past scenarios. I always put it down to me being an over thinker but reading the synopsis for being a maladaptive daydreamer, it seems to fit. I am always daydreaming scenarios instead of living them and I am getting to this point where I will make faces in public or laugh out loud whilst on my walks
about scenarios past or future. Does anyone have any advice on how to stop this? Or does anyone know if this is really bad? 
I feel the exact same way. I don't find that my daydreams interfere with my life too much, and I would miss not having them. But I do believe that I daydream more than the average person and my daydreams are not your typical daydream. I have been involved with my daydreams since I was 7, and I am 17 now. My main characters (fictional) have stayed around for all these years. I've added a couple main ones here and there, and there are several other minor ones that are fictional as well. I think the reason I've only daydreamed with this one plot, is because I am also present in the daydream as myself, yet I daydream as other fictional characters. It's kind of confusing. Anyways, I've grown up with these characters and they are very special to me. I know A TON about them.
Walking, but also running and biking, are some of my favorite times to daydream, second to lying down in bed. I can't explain it but when I'm moving and listening to music (depending on the mood of my daydream), my daydreams are amazing and I'm so involved in my other world. It feels real. I also like to play over certain past scenarios, even multiple times. I add in things/details to improve them. Many of my daydreams are in the present, but lately I've been exploring with the past and future. I used to think my daydreams would stop once these two characters (who I mainly daydream through) go to college, but I think I'll then daydream in the past or even daydream as new characters when the time comes.... 
it can be stopped. Personally, I don't usually act out scenes by talking (laughing, or even crying!) unless I'm in private. However, I've noticed that when walking, I'll make facial expressions. I honestly can't help these from happening. But I wouldn't worry too much. I don't believe it's a bad thing. If people see you, they could just think you're talking to someone on the phone or something...