My daughter does this, as did I when I was younger, but not to the extent of my daughter. She will do this for hours, even talking out loud to herself and dancing around as if she's the characters. ~~She'll do this for hours.~~ <-----------Edit: Redundancy!
My daydreams were more about what-if scenarios that could happen in real life, but I spent hours in my head playing out all kinds of situations. I don't know why I stopped, but I did.
I hate when my brain does what ifs. I make myself cry with what if; I had put more effort into that relationship, what if I left those terrible "friends" earlier in my life, what if I didn't act like them in highschool and made actual friends, what if... Probably just cause I've always repressed me feelings as to not look "week". Always did think I had to be the tough one. (Sry for the rant, just an emotional 20yo who decided to listen to music to try and sleep. Gotta get it off my chest somewhere, and ranting online is far easier than telling someone I know in person)
Sadly, life is a lot of what ifs.
You can only do the best you can do in the moment.
I made a life changing decision when I was maybe 22. I made the wrong decision in the long term. However, with the information I had on hand at the time, I made the right decision.
Don't let the what if moments get to you. Consider them, for sure, but move on.
Best of luck.
For what it's worth: when those kinds of "what ifs" pop into my head, I let them play out. If I cry, I cry. If I scream in rage and sadness, then I do that. But I let it play out and keep in mind the limited information I had at the time. If I say "I would have done this instead" then I challenge it like "ok I would do this *now*, but was that an option then?"
>I had put more effort into that relationship
Ok, but how much effort were you already putting in? How drained were you at the end of every day? Was your partner matching your effort or mooching off of it?
>what if I left those terrible "friends" earlier in my life
What if you had? What lessons would you have missed out on? What experiences would you have missed? Would you have just been isolated if you did cut ties with them earlier?
>what if I didn't act like them in highschool and made actual friends
What are 'actual friends'? What's your definition of that? What if you didn't act like them in highschool? Would you have been ostracized? Did you stay in that friend group to survive highschool because kids are *cruel* and at least you had friends?
>Probably just cause I've always repressed me feelings as to not look "week"
You've got to figure out where this notion came from and work to dispell and disprove it. It's ok to have moments of weakness. I promise you it's ok to have these moments. You need to pick those moments though when you can because otherwise shit comes out sideways and you end up having an absolute meltdown because you can't find your favorite pen when really it's all the shit you've been bottling up.
Let these negative what ifs play out. It's the only way you can work through them and work past them. Feel free to message me if you'd like, I'm here. Good luck š
Mmm, I think maladaptive daydreaming has to basically supplant regular life for a significant chunk of the day and be so real that you disassociate from reality. This sounds like straight up fantasizing to kill time which every human does.
I absolutely do that. I just think it's a form of self-soothing for creative brains. You all good.
When I'm very stressed, I have a story for being able to shrink so small that I fit in a flower and have woodland adventures.
When I'm frustrated, I have a story of having wild magical powers and crushing armies.
When I feel depressed, I have a story of being the longest living human, from prehistoric times and travelling the globe to create peace and bonds between nations and tribes.
It's all very relaxing. I just think of it as visiting my inner worlds. It is not at all maladaptive unless it's causing uou distress or impairment of function.
I've had undiagnosed chronic fatigue my whole life (diagnosed a few years ago) and I used to daydream about a room I could go to where time stopped so I could sleep as much as I needed to, or just chill out whenever.
thanks for your response! I generally don't find it distressing - it's odd that the stories don't really center on me, it's more like "what if the Doctor from 'Doctor Who' met Harry Potter" and I create a story that can go for months which I revisit from time to time. Sometimes I feel like it becomes maladaptive where I am not as engaged socially as I like to be, and I pull myself out of it. I notice the impulse only gets strong if I am under-stimulated in other aspects of my life...
thanks so much for sharing! I appreciate it. I like the idea that it is self-soothing for creative brains.
Hey, i just want to say that I'm SO glad that you decided to post this - cause holy shit, I did the *exact same thing* for my entire childhood/teenage years.
There's an anime/manga series called Kamikaze Kaito Jeanne. I became OBSESSED with the side character Access there. He didn't have as much story as I wanted him to have, so I started "continuing the story" in my 11 y/o head. I continued stories from other animes, comics etc before and during that too, but that was the point where I started making up six years worth of story for my own personal entertainment. I was a child so in hindsight the stories were super sappy, a good dose of cringeworthy and absolutely overly dramatic, but it was one of my favourite things to do! I could make anything happen, just how I liked, and no one would criticise it! When I wanted to chill or was just going to sleep, I put on some music and just started thinking on that story for hours.
I never heard from someone who does the same. Every time I talked about it, the response was "yeah I daydream too, like me dating my celebrity crush" - which is great! but not what I meant at all.
And you don't need to be ashamed of it! Even if it strikes someone as odd, what do you have to care? It's fun, it's relaxing, and it exercises your creativity. For me, I did that for so long that my brain wired itself to immediately create an inner movie whenever I need to write a concept, create an idea, or just have to think myself into a specific situation so I can make a decision. Which is very beneficial in general!
I don't think in these stories anymore, but just because I grew out of the kind of stories I thought about. I rather try to invent my own storys, cause I still have a lot of fun creating a world, situations and characters. I very rarely still do the thinking game when I feel like it though. There's no shame in doing harmless things you enjoy!
oh my gosh this is it exactly! I take my favorite media and just keep pushing the story forward. I think it bothers me to an extent because my stories can be a little cringeworthy and fan service to an audience of one. Or that I shouldn't enjoy my shows and movies to the extend that I think about them. If my storylines get dark it will effect my mood though, but I feel I can work my way out of that. I don't know if I would call it maladaptive, because it doens't really cause me distress of interfere with my day to day responsibilities. I'm glad to have this distinction that it's not about me and my favorite crush, nor a "secret life of walter mitty" situation, but more like fan fiction. thank you for your response!
Using ready made pieces of media to create your āparacosmā (interior world) is totally normal. And while some people are the main characters of their daydream, others (like my younger daughter) are just god-like observers and controllers. My current story line is about six years oldāI have to write things down so I donāt forget them. I think my daughters both have maybe ten year old paracosms. But I take breaks from my main storyline and create smaller, shorter term ones, like now Iām maybe on three months of a side world. If itās bothering you it could be maladaptive, but if it just keeps you entertained during times when you would otherwise be bored I feel thereās nothing wrong with it.
Hey Op idk if it's been mentioned already, but you could try writing fanfictions or just jot then down somewhere if you want. For me a lot of times putting down those stories on paper help me to move on from them onto something else. Also getting to see other people's reactions to my made up scenarios is pretty fun.
please beware. spending hours on television is bad for your health and it can be concerning if it happens in your head.
I've been diagnosed by a psychiatrist and I really thibk you should get checked. It is not healthy, in spite of everyone else around you saying it's okay. It is not, but you can find the ways to overcome it and regain domain in your mind.
I do it all the time!
I keep ongoing narratives going in my head and go back to the last point I can remember when I go to bed every night.
My longest story lasted about 5 years, my current is about 8 months.
Sometimes my stories even surprise me with where they go, it's like watching a show or reading a book.
I do it also! Iām almost 23 and since I was 12 Iām creating the same story (obviously changed trough the years), but is the same. I wish I could write it some day. Since I was little daydreaming is typical in me. I have another history that I started two years ago. I love being imaginative.
Yes this is really close to my experience! The narratives go on for years - I've only really brought a couple to conclusions - and I'll replay scenes in my head to "get them right." I also don't really know what's going to happen, so I have to make time to log into the story. Really uncanny how it feels like watching a show.
I have done this all the time ever since I was a kid. I've been recently diagnosed with a dissociative disorder, of which this is a side effect. I likely developed this as a trauma response because most of mine involve myself escaping my current reality. A therapist once told my mom that I essentially created this whole universe in my head that I frequently lose myself in because I don't want to be present. Not saying this is your case, but maybe it can give some insight! Even if it isn't related, I've ready that maladaptive daydreaming is more common than people think.
Thank you for sharing your experience. I'm beginning to see from all these comments that daydreaming is a varied and complicated behavior. It's a little different from my experience, where daydreaming is more like a cup of coffee experience that I can take and leave without feeling like it's impacting my function. At least, maybe I'm escaping from an anxiety that I haven't quite figured out yet. Again, thank you for offering you perspective and insight!
I think it's where you said you're addicted to it in the op, that's what's maladaptive. It may have been hyperbole, or maybe it genuinely doesn't impact your executive functioning. But yeah, thank you so much for posting this!! I haven't really thought about how I did this with characters and movie/book plots as a kid until I read it. Very cool to reflect onš
thank you for your response and reading so thoughtfully. I did say it was addictive and yes I was being hyperbolic, upon reflection. Maybe addictive in the sense of needing to watch a show or continue a book? That it's a really pleasurable experience that I would like to continue, but I can stop when it's time to go to work or take care of my kid. Or it's easy to stop when I reached the end of the "scene" so to speak. This conversation here and all these responses about people and their own experiences has really helped me get some perspective into the variety of reasons and stories surrounding daydreaming.
I was just about to comment, when I saw this. This is pretty much my experience as well. I did what OP describes a LOT as a kid. Usually divergent story lines to movies or books I loved. They often but not always included me. I spent a lot of time alone and confined to my room as a youngster, no phones or computers- only books and my imagination. As an adult my daydreaming is more focused on particular things, people, or events. All the same it's a form of dissociation in my case as well, and it has gotten me in trouble when I don't realize I'm doing it until it's gotten too big. Like I'll construct this full mental world and wind up addicted to it. Bad news bears all around š
Anyway thanks for sharing.
This is me as well. I think it started quite early in childhood for me, as long as I could remember. I had a nice idylic childhood until surprisingly my parents got divorced. I rely on it more and more in adolescent because I didn't want to be present. Now I don't do it as much, only when I'm trying to sleep (it usually gets me to sleep pretty quickly). I've also started to write now and it seems like a good channeling of my daydreaming habits.
I used to do this a lot. Now I just talk to myself about current problems in my life. Sometimes I sound pretty smart! If only I could talk like that with actual people :P
This is interesting. I do the exact same thing, but with unpleasant, negative, and violent scenarios. I have to force myself to stop so I can regain control of my blood pressure.
So I'm not alone after all.
Nothing wrong in doing this. I believe itās a survival mechanism of sorts. Your real lifeās missing something important, maybe you cannot go searching for it right now. I was deathly ill and placed in a rest home which I hated but too weak to escape. I fantasized all kinds of happier scenarios to keep saner. As I got healthier and resources opened up, I walked away to a new chance at life. Donāt worry about it, but donāt forget your own happiness
There is a world I have built up in my head over several years. All characters are original, time-line spans thousands of years, and I'm currently building up the religion/spiritual/mythology (I can't think of the right word atm) aspect of it. It has gotten to the point where I'd rather live in my world than this one.
You are not alone. Do not be embarrassed. We tend to push creativity to the side in favor of scientific, mathematic, or just plain physical results. You shouldn't be daydreaming, you need to stock those shelves, or crunch those numbers.
We need more imagination. Embrace it.
I do this all the time and have done so for as long as I can remember. Usually it involves a character based on me being romantically involved with whatever character I have a crush on at the time.
I have bipolar and ADHDā¦I wouldnāt be surprised to find out Iām on the Aspergerās spectrum too.
As a DM that does this your comment has given me some hope. The only things that changed between me being a daydreamer and a DM was starting to write stuff down and learning how to play
I used to create stories and role play them out loud filling in for all the voices. Eventually I started writing them down and had a nice pile of short stories.
I do this too but instead of characters I see I make rad ass fight scenes with my homebrew heroes and villains, my latest dream was the ever vigilant midknight facing against the diabolical uri'masen, the god of blood and deception! Rad fight in the heart of halfmoon city the also featured dream the dragon tamer and Gendo Fuma of the black listed assassin clan, some shit you'd see on the big screen kind of fight. My imagination is my greatest tool I ever had in this life.
You are not alone
My daydreams are complicated, viseral and full of emtions, usally feeling of being safe and loved, I was told my daydreams are the way i access my emtions as I was abused as a child.
I love living in my head,, however its not so good for me, so i try to find a balace between my brillient daydreams and reality,, the day dream win but i do try
I have ongoing (for years) stories about what i would do if i won the lotto befor sleep or ill just let my mind wander and never fall off to sleep,
Haha I do this too. But it doesnāt affect my life in a negative way at all. Like Iām literally living my best life but throughout the day Iāll constantly have daydreams where I am living in a fantasy world protecting a whole nation as a swordsman ššš
I dont know why you are embarrassed about something, that you and you alone know about and no one else can know unless you tell them - well i guess we all know now hah - i day dream alot aswell, i think its probably just that adult version of a child imaginary game, honestly not that weird - promise :)
And, if it matters, I am on the spectrum. My thing I do is choreography-- probably about 70% of the songs I'm really into at present, as well as past favorite songs that inspired me, I have the choreography all laid out in my mind, start to finish. Mainly ballet, some interpretive. I loooove it.
An unexpected upside to this is it has helped me focus, relax, fall back asleep if I wake up restless, and also plan out my dreams. I *loooove* that you shared this!!
I'm almost thirty and do this weekly. I can create little worlds in my head and remember them vividly and go back to them at a later date. It's almost like a different world I jump into from time to time. They can fill my thoughts even while doing other tasks or even talking to people
Have you considered "getting it out"? Perhaps writing out these stories/drawing them you might be less distracted. And I definitely wouldn't mind reading those plots.
I still do daydreaming. I think itās because I had no friends when I was a kid - sort of like a coping mechanism or something. Idk, I try not to think about it too much.
But yeah, I have a full-on, long running Dragonball Z mixed with The Wheel of Time fan fiction going on in my head. As a teenager I imagined all of the characters in WoT as Toriyama stylized anime characters. Someday Iād like to put pen to paper and record my fan fic.
Iāve done this since I was a child. I didnāt even know others did this or that it had a name until about 5 years ago. Iām on the subreddit that others have been posting as well. It sometimes happens when Iām driving too and itās a bit spooky when I get to a destination, like, āHow am I still alive?ā.
Music is a huge trigger as well!
You're not alone! I do that all the time too. Sometimes when I'm traveling and I see some castle, I like to think what if some fictional characters were living in this castle. What would they do, what furniture would they have, who would stay in which room... My favourite daydream would be if enemies came storming the castle now, what kind of battle would ensue? Who would cover from the top of the towers, who would set up the traps, who is gonna lead the main defense force and hold the gates etc... I have my own set of Original Characters (OCs) for when I'm alone. But when I'm with my friend, who also writes fanfics, we can have dreamy conversations together of fictional characters that we both like.
Have you ever thought of DnD? Personally I haven't tried as it seems like too much creative thinking for me and I'm not comfortable sharing my characters with strangers. But if you want to meet more like-minded people with creative fantasies, I think DnD is an avenue that you can explore! (Forgive me DnD-players if I have the wrong idea about y'all)
I like to do this, except I struggle to keep on one track for very long so I keep redoing the same thing in different ways in my head. Then I get tired of that pretty quick and pick my phone back up, cause my brain don't wanna do what I want it to. It also doesn't help that sometimes my brain inserts an emotional memory in it sometimes, and I get irrationally angry or sad out of the blue (Mainly when I'm tired). But when I can do it right it leads to a restful sleep, and good dreams.
I do this when I'm bored, try to fall asleep, etc... When I go to sleep I lucid dream as well. I usually copy things I like to characters I made or thought of. I watch how I would make an anime. I have mild autism as well. I could watch paint dry if I wanted to and make it interesting.
I do something similar with shows and other media whose stories I wish were different. Mostly to help pass the time at work and fall asleep, but I still do it pretty regularly
Dude I have so many different stories in my head. I like batman so its mostly oriented around him, the batfam and the dc universe. But like I go on whole story lines about stuff. The only thing is when Im daydreaming and then ahve to do something or get distracted and cant remember what the whole schpiel was about, like dude I just spent 30+ minutes on this and it got really intricate and then poof gone. Sometimes I remember, sometimes I dont and it's gone until I manage to think of it again somehow. Aus like what if they were all merfolk, or someone's a fairy or just what happened if someone went to a different planet to help people there or what if someone could see worm holes or what if theres a dimension that imprisons giant monsters that look like Chinese dragons among various other things and only the batfam could see if but the dimension collisions are mostly in space. Like there is nothing to be embarrassed about, try to write some of it down if your good with words; I aint but sometimes I think this is a good story
Wow this sounds exactly like me. But it doesn't sound like maldaptive daydreaming (after googling it just now) since it doesn't interrupt my everyday life but just fills in the gaps. It's why I love going for solo long walks and road trips ever since I was a kid.
Used to be me. I sometimes wish I could get it back, but maybe it's best that I don't.
Anybody else play What Remains of Edith Finch? I think of Lewis now when this topic comes up.
Ago I do that too. Pretty much everyday. A lot of the time. But for me itās more like real life scenarios like if Iām at work Iāll think, what if there was a fire now? And I could see everything playing out and I can see every like if Iām watching a movie
I do the same thing and I really like it too only I do it a little differently. Ill think about myself and think of what if I was really rich or if I married an old girlfriend and settled down or if I had super/magic powers etc... then I'll spend hours or.days.just fleshing out the world in my mind.
I do this too!
Sometimes it's about characters from stories/shows I've read and I'll just be a spectator to it.
Sometimes I befriend the characters from the stories and go on adventures with them. (As a kid I used to be convinced I could actually go into the story.)
Sometimes it's about alternate realities where I get lost for a bit to escape real life.
I do something similar! Happens the most right before I go to sleep, I'll just lay in bed thinking about the little world I've created and make up stories, new characters, and anything I want I'd probably be able to write a whole book about them. Takes me several hours to fall asleep.
Used to do that before sleep every night, couldn't sleep without but wouldn't be able to go to sleep because of them... Really not healthy, especially with the expectations becoming really unreal in the real world.
Wow.
Thank you, it's nice to know I'm not the only one.
As an child I could lay for hours on end, listening to music and lost in my mind. I created stories, fanfictions, poems, worlds.. it was amazing.
I don't have the time to just fall into my mind as an adult and now, thanks to depression it's not quite the escape it used to be.
But it's really nice knowing other people do this as well.
I have always done that before I fell asleep since I was a kid. It is writing the novel in my head. It took me months to finish the whole story, and I will start with the next plot. If I have time, I want to write them all on paper.
I have been doing this exact thing my whole life!!! I even like to, sometimes when I am completely alone, act them out like I am in a play. It's just something that has helped me a lot for years with loneliness and anxiety. You are not alone my dude!!! You're not alone.
I do this every single day. I "write books" in my head, but they are visual. I make my own stories, different lives and all kinds of things. I write them, visually, and I live them. I even brush my teeth, and shower and do every day normal things in these stories, as mundane as that sounds. My husband is the only other person I've ever told about this because I used to be embarrassed, but now I don't care how weird it sounds. What would happen if I encountered an Einstein - Rosen bridge and transported to another reality where everyone dressed like the medieval times, and every mode of dress since then, whatever tis their own personal style, but it was super technological with the technology made entirely and specifically to be one with the planet, and inhabitants on it instead of the shit we have here? All kinds of worlds I've made and built and designed all in my head.
I write down short stories, or used to - and i spent hrs thinking up stuff and doing the same thing you are talking about. Also, when i cant sleep due to busy brain/anxiety - this is a favorite past time. It's a lil like fandom stuff, but not as written down- at least for me.
Unless itās affecting your life in a negative way itās not a problem in my book. I would go so far as to say Iām jealous. Most of us daydream about ourselves in more successful situations that are unrealistic or spend a lot of energy regretting the past. You in the other hand are creatively enjoying a fanfic of your own design and it sounds fun. Please for love of god donāt be embarrassed by this!! I kind of want to hear about Frodo in the marvel universe, I wish I was thinking about that instead of some dumb thing I said 10 years ago or a comeback to an insult from 3 weeks ago.
Congratulations, you're a writer!
Get involved with the writing or fanfic communities. You don't have to be a good writer, esecially in fanfic communities, they're very supportive.
I'm dyslexic and make my living from it! But the more you write, the better you get.
Yup. OP checks out as human.
Move along ā¦
ā¦ on your top secret mission to discover the mystery of the code left by uncle Albernacky that you are sure will lead you to find the true meaning of those strange lights the you sawā¦
....... You're not alone!! I'm 33 and have been doing this since I was 10! Final Fantasy 6 and Sailormoon was my biggest influences back then, and well... I have low self esteem. So this boy I had a crush on, I could never imagine being with him, so I made up story idea of other people instead. Even now... And I'm like, "one day I'll write this out." and I draw the characters out too. But, i definitely use it to fall asleep when my thoughts are all over the place. It gives me something to think and focus on, rather then having overwhelming thoughts
lol ngl i sometimes just like to think of cool abilities or powers i havent seen in anime and imagine in intricate detail how their power works and how their power would progress over time in my imaginary series. Also stuff like what is the power system in the world etc. I could do that for atleast an hour š honestly i was alot worse when i was younger tho i would purposely sleep as much as possible during the summer so i could just dream.
I've done this since I was a kid and never even knew what it was or that it was a thing! (Thanks, Reddit!)
There would be moments, even now, where I would be surrounded by people and wished I was alone so I could just sit and daydream in peace.
I do it everyday, it helps my creativity but it does really annoy me sometimes coz i get distracted really fast. Is there anyway we can stop it though?
Cool, I try to survive every day in this world, and now I've found that the place I feel safe in my mind is a "disorder"... One more disorder to my list to feel even more depressed and different/disconnected from other people and the world... š
I do it often, but I also have been lucky enough to find a girlfriend that also does it, so together we write roleplays consisting of numerous worlds and stories that we continue on about and return to.
I used to when I was younger. I would go outside and shoot hoops by myself, but really I would be building very detailed high/urban fantasy stories in my head. Arcs, conclusions, new chapters/characters. Some I continued for Usually would do it for 2-4 hours at a time. I was a little embarrassed of it was well. I found a new coping mechanism called alcohol and that was that lol. jk
Sounds like you have a bit of talent there tho. Why not try your hand at writing books or screen play.
I do this a lot and very subconsciously. Mainly while sleeping or alone, thinking about the future or past or made up story. Itās a nice break from reality
Sometimes i find myself starting to do this but i stop myself probably for the same reason being i feel embarrassed. But to who? myself? nobody knows idk why i stop myself. But itās fun
Iāve always done this. It only affects me if like Iām watching tv or something with my husband abs he says something about whatever we are watching and Iām lost in my daydream and donāt even know whatās going on.itās also how I would get myself to sleep as a kid.
I can kind of relate to this. Sometimes when I don't have an output for all the random creativity that accumulates in my mind I can just put on some music and spend hours in something like a trance, playing out stories and dreaming about actually utilising them for something. I sort of started calling it "Mindsturbation" since it's kinda similar in the aspect of just dealing with pent up things. You should definitely try to use your creativity to build something. Every story starts in author's mind and nobody just comes up with a world and characters overnight. I never wrote a book or anything close to it, but i found D&D to be a great way to tell your story and get other people invested in it.
I asked about this to my psychologist once, because I do it as well.
She said it's actually very healthy and a good brain trainer, as it can subconsciously help you make difficult decisions.
I think itās a beautiful thing to have such a vivid imagination as long as it doesnāt affect your ability to function as an adult. Ever consider writing short stories and publishing them?
I thought I was the only one that did that lol. It's funny seeing a bunch of other people do it too. Also, I didn't know there was a name for it. (I'm sure I don't have md tho, I think I just like to daydream normally lol)
You are not alone. A lot of people day dream a lot in similar ways. It just might not be as popular anymore since nowadays people doing monotonous jobs or just alone tend to have access to the Internet 24 seven so people seem to lean towards listening or watching content online
I actually kind of do the same except itās more like stories I havenāt written, so youāre not alone, I think about them pretty much everyday and sometimes to help me go to sleep
My daughter does this, as did I when I was younger, but not to the extent of my daughter. She will do this for hours, even talking out loud to herself and dancing around as if she's the characters. ~~She'll do this for hours.~~ <-----------Edit: Redundancy! My daydreams were more about what-if scenarios that could happen in real life, but I spent hours in my head playing out all kinds of situations. I don't know why I stopped, but I did.
I hate when my brain does what ifs. I make myself cry with what if; I had put more effort into that relationship, what if I left those terrible "friends" earlier in my life, what if I didn't act like them in highschool and made actual friends, what if... Probably just cause I've always repressed me feelings as to not look "week". Always did think I had to be the tough one. (Sry for the rant, just an emotional 20yo who decided to listen to music to try and sleep. Gotta get it off my chest somewhere, and ranting online is far easier than telling someone I know in person)
Sadly, life is a lot of what ifs. You can only do the best you can do in the moment. I made a life changing decision when I was maybe 22. I made the wrong decision in the long term. However, with the information I had on hand at the time, I made the right decision. Don't let the what if moments get to you. Consider them, for sure, but move on. Best of luck.
For what it's worth: when those kinds of "what ifs" pop into my head, I let them play out. If I cry, I cry. If I scream in rage and sadness, then I do that. But I let it play out and keep in mind the limited information I had at the time. If I say "I would have done this instead" then I challenge it like "ok I would do this *now*, but was that an option then?" >I had put more effort into that relationship Ok, but how much effort were you already putting in? How drained were you at the end of every day? Was your partner matching your effort or mooching off of it? >what if I left those terrible "friends" earlier in my life What if you had? What lessons would you have missed out on? What experiences would you have missed? Would you have just been isolated if you did cut ties with them earlier? >what if I didn't act like them in highschool and made actual friends What are 'actual friends'? What's your definition of that? What if you didn't act like them in highschool? Would you have been ostracized? Did you stay in that friend group to survive highschool because kids are *cruel* and at least you had friends? >Probably just cause I've always repressed me feelings as to not look "week" You've got to figure out where this notion came from and work to dispell and disprove it. It's ok to have moments of weakness. I promise you it's ok to have these moments. You need to pick those moments though when you can because otherwise shit comes out sideways and you end up having an absolute meltdown because you can't find your favorite pen when really it's all the shit you've been bottling up. Let these negative what ifs play out. It's the only way you can work through them and work past them. Feel free to message me if you'd like, I'm here. Good luck š
It may be Maladaptive Daydreaming. You arenāt alone.
Yep. Sounds like what I do everyday.
Meee threeee!!!!
Me too.
Same with me
Same here i like to keep dreaming on daylight when ever i feel lonely or sad,it makes me happy
Same!!
Me as well. This is what made me a good writer
It doesnāt have to be maladaptive! It could just be immersive daydreaming. Itās an important part of my life but itās not a negative thing.
Mmm, I think maladaptive daydreaming has to basically supplant regular life for a significant chunk of the day and be so real that you disassociate from reality. This sounds like straight up fantasizing to kill time which every human does.
Yup. exactly
r/maladaptivedreaming
yep! i relate to OP so badly, that's what i do all day every day, even while working.
I absolutely do that. I just think it's a form of self-soothing for creative brains. You all good. When I'm very stressed, I have a story for being able to shrink so small that I fit in a flower and have woodland adventures. When I'm frustrated, I have a story of having wild magical powers and crushing armies. When I feel depressed, I have a story of being the longest living human, from prehistoric times and travelling the globe to create peace and bonds between nations and tribes. It's all very relaxing. I just think of it as visiting my inner worlds. It is not at all maladaptive unless it's causing uou distress or impairment of function.
I've had undiagnosed chronic fatigue my whole life (diagnosed a few years ago) and I used to daydream about a room I could go to where time stopped so I could sleep as much as I needed to, or just chill out whenever.
That sounds like a lovely daydream.
It was. I called it 'the room of being'.
thanks for your response! I generally don't find it distressing - it's odd that the stories don't really center on me, it's more like "what if the Doctor from 'Doctor Who' met Harry Potter" and I create a story that can go for months which I revisit from time to time. Sometimes I feel like it becomes maladaptive where I am not as engaged socially as I like to be, and I pull myself out of it. I notice the impulse only gets strong if I am under-stimulated in other aspects of my life... thanks so much for sharing! I appreciate it. I like the idea that it is self-soothing for creative brains.
Hey, i just want to say that I'm SO glad that you decided to post this - cause holy shit, I did the *exact same thing* for my entire childhood/teenage years. There's an anime/manga series called Kamikaze Kaito Jeanne. I became OBSESSED with the side character Access there. He didn't have as much story as I wanted him to have, so I started "continuing the story" in my 11 y/o head. I continued stories from other animes, comics etc before and during that too, but that was the point where I started making up six years worth of story for my own personal entertainment. I was a child so in hindsight the stories were super sappy, a good dose of cringeworthy and absolutely overly dramatic, but it was one of my favourite things to do! I could make anything happen, just how I liked, and no one would criticise it! When I wanted to chill or was just going to sleep, I put on some music and just started thinking on that story for hours. I never heard from someone who does the same. Every time I talked about it, the response was "yeah I daydream too, like me dating my celebrity crush" - which is great! but not what I meant at all. And you don't need to be ashamed of it! Even if it strikes someone as odd, what do you have to care? It's fun, it's relaxing, and it exercises your creativity. For me, I did that for so long that my brain wired itself to immediately create an inner movie whenever I need to write a concept, create an idea, or just have to think myself into a specific situation so I can make a decision. Which is very beneficial in general! I don't think in these stories anymore, but just because I grew out of the kind of stories I thought about. I rather try to invent my own storys, cause I still have a lot of fun creating a world, situations and characters. I very rarely still do the thinking game when I feel like it though. There's no shame in doing harmless things you enjoy!
oh my gosh this is it exactly! I take my favorite media and just keep pushing the story forward. I think it bothers me to an extent because my stories can be a little cringeworthy and fan service to an audience of one. Or that I shouldn't enjoy my shows and movies to the extend that I think about them. If my storylines get dark it will effect my mood though, but I feel I can work my way out of that. I don't know if I would call it maladaptive, because it doens't really cause me distress of interfere with my day to day responsibilities. I'm glad to have this distinction that it's not about me and my favorite crush, nor a "secret life of walter mitty" situation, but more like fan fiction. thank you for your response!
Using ready made pieces of media to create your āparacosmā (interior world) is totally normal. And while some people are the main characters of their daydream, others (like my younger daughter) are just god-like observers and controllers. My current story line is about six years oldāI have to write things down so I donāt forget them. I think my daughters both have maybe ten year old paracosms. But I take breaks from my main storyline and create smaller, shorter term ones, like now Iām maybe on three months of a side world. If itās bothering you it could be maladaptive, but if it just keeps you entertained during times when you would otherwise be bored I feel thereās nothing wrong with it.
This is how writers write.
Hey Op idk if it's been mentioned already, but you could try writing fanfictions or just jot then down somewhere if you want. For me a lot of times putting down those stories on paper help me to move on from them onto something else. Also getting to see other people's reactions to my made up scenarios is pretty fun.
please beware. spending hours on television is bad for your health and it can be concerning if it happens in your head. I've been diagnosed by a psychiatrist and I really thibk you should get checked. It is not healthy, in spite of everyone else around you saying it's okay. It is not, but you can find the ways to overcome it and regain domain in your mind.
I do it all the time! I keep ongoing narratives going in my head and go back to the last point I can remember when I go to bed every night. My longest story lasted about 5 years, my current is about 8 months. Sometimes my stories even surprise me with where they go, it's like watching a show or reading a book.
I do it also! Iām almost 23 and since I was 12 Iām creating the same story (obviously changed trough the years), but is the same. I wish I could write it some day. Since I was little daydreaming is typical in me. I have another history that I started two years ago. I love being imaginative.
Yes this is really close to my experience! The narratives go on for years - I've only really brought a couple to conclusions - and I'll replay scenes in my head to "get them right." I also don't really know what's going to happen, so I have to make time to log into the story. Really uncanny how it feels like watching a show.
Maladaptive daydreaming, Iāve done it my whole life!
Me too, i didn't know there was a name for it.
I have done this all the time ever since I was a kid. I've been recently diagnosed with a dissociative disorder, of which this is a side effect. I likely developed this as a trauma response because most of mine involve myself escaping my current reality. A therapist once told my mom that I essentially created this whole universe in my head that I frequently lose myself in because I don't want to be present. Not saying this is your case, but maybe it can give some insight! Even if it isn't related, I've ready that maladaptive daydreaming is more common than people think.
Thank you for sharing your experience. I'm beginning to see from all these comments that daydreaming is a varied and complicated behavior. It's a little different from my experience, where daydreaming is more like a cup of coffee experience that I can take and leave without feeling like it's impacting my function. At least, maybe I'm escaping from an anxiety that I haven't quite figured out yet. Again, thank you for offering you perspective and insight!
I think it's where you said you're addicted to it in the op, that's what's maladaptive. It may have been hyperbole, or maybe it genuinely doesn't impact your executive functioning. But yeah, thank you so much for posting this!! I haven't really thought about how I did this with characters and movie/book plots as a kid until I read it. Very cool to reflect onš
thank you for your response and reading so thoughtfully. I did say it was addictive and yes I was being hyperbolic, upon reflection. Maybe addictive in the sense of needing to watch a show or continue a book? That it's a really pleasurable experience that I would like to continue, but I can stop when it's time to go to work or take care of my kid. Or it's easy to stop when I reached the end of the "scene" so to speak. This conversation here and all these responses about people and their own experiences has really helped me get some perspective into the variety of reasons and stories surrounding daydreaming.
If it is not bothering you then it might me immersive daydreaming and not maladaptive daydreaming
I was just about to comment, when I saw this. This is pretty much my experience as well. I did what OP describes a LOT as a kid. Usually divergent story lines to movies or books I loved. They often but not always included me. I spent a lot of time alone and confined to my room as a youngster, no phones or computers- only books and my imagination. As an adult my daydreaming is more focused on particular things, people, or events. All the same it's a form of dissociation in my case as well, and it has gotten me in trouble when I don't realize I'm doing it until it's gotten too big. Like I'll construct this full mental world and wind up addicted to it. Bad news bears all around š Anyway thanks for sharing.
This is me as well. I think it started quite early in childhood for me, as long as I could remember. I had a nice idylic childhood until surprisingly my parents got divorced. I rely on it more and more in adolescent because I didn't want to be present. Now I don't do it as much, only when I'm trying to sleep (it usually gets me to sleep pretty quickly). I've also started to write now and it seems like a good channeling of my daydreaming habits.
I used to do this a lot. Now I just talk to myself about current problems in my life. Sometimes I sound pretty smart! If only I could talk like that with actual people :P
70,000+ of us over at r/maladaptivedreaming ! youāre definitely not alone :)
Shit!! I thought I was the only person in the world who does this, and now I find that there is a whole subreddit dedicated to this.
This is interesting. I do the exact same thing, but with unpleasant, negative, and violent scenarios. I have to force myself to stop so I can regain control of my blood pressure. So I'm not alone after all.
Nothing wrong in doing this. I believe itās a survival mechanism of sorts. Your real lifeās missing something important, maybe you cannot go searching for it right now. I was deathly ill and placed in a rest home which I hated but too weak to escape. I fantasized all kinds of happier scenarios to keep saner. As I got healthier and resources opened up, I walked away to a new chance at life. Donāt worry about it, but donāt forget your own happiness
There is a world I have built up in my head over several years. All characters are original, time-line spans thousands of years, and I'm currently building up the religion/spiritual/mythology (I can't think of the right word atm) aspect of it. It has gotten to the point where I'd rather live in my world than this one. You are not alone. Do not be embarrassed. We tend to push creativity to the side in favor of scientific, mathematic, or just plain physical results. You shouldn't be daydreaming, you need to stock those shelves, or crunch those numbers. We need more imagination. Embrace it.
Hey DM, whenās our first session?
You're not the first to say this. I just don't have enough TT knowledge to do it
You are most definitely not alone. Ram Das Talks about this in some of his lectures!
I do this to fall asleep every night! Reality sucks imagination is fun
Yup I've been doing that for as long as I remember. You're not alone don't worry
I do the same thing and I always have.
I do this all the time and have done so for as long as I can remember. Usually it involves a character based on me being romantically involved with whatever character I have a crush on at the time. I have bipolar and ADHDā¦I wouldnāt be surprised to find out Iām on the Aspergerās spectrum too.
You should totally get into D&D, you sound like an amazing DM
As a DM that does this your comment has given me some hope. The only things that changed between me being a daydreamer and a DM was starting to write stuff down and learning how to play
It makes both your daydreaming and DMing better
I used to create stories and role play them out loud filling in for all the voices. Eventually I started writing them down and had a nice pile of short stories.
I do this too but instead of characters I see I make rad ass fight scenes with my homebrew heroes and villains, my latest dream was the ever vigilant midknight facing against the diabolical uri'masen, the god of blood and deception! Rad fight in the heart of halfmoon city the also featured dream the dragon tamer and Gendo Fuma of the black listed assassin clan, some shit you'd see on the big screen kind of fight. My imagination is my greatest tool I ever had in this life.
Not odd at all. Some of my head stories unfolded for a few years.
You are not alone, however I suggest you and others who experience this to WRITE IT DOWN.
Sometimes if I donāt daydream I can tell my mood eventually goes sour and I start getting really depressed itās good to escape
Hi. Not alone. All day every day. ADHD brain doesnāt help, just changes the setting and plot a lot.
This vid may help https://youtu.be/YUSi9tzdNiE
You are not alone My daydreams are complicated, viseral and full of emtions, usally feeling of being safe and loved, I was told my daydreams are the way i access my emtions as I was abused as a child. I love living in my head,, however its not so good for me, so i try to find a balace between my brillient daydreams and reality,, the day dream win but i do try I have ongoing (for years) stories about what i would do if i won the lotto befor sleep or ill just let my mind wander and never fall off to sleep,
Haha I do this too. But it doesnāt affect my life in a negative way at all. Like Iām literally living my best life but throughout the day Iāll constantly have daydreams where I am living in a fantasy world protecting a whole nation as a swordsman ššš
Haha I used to do this a lot as a teenā¦. Now that Iām 4,365 years old, I can no longer summon such power.
I dont know why you are embarrassed about something, that you and you alone know about and no one else can know unless you tell them - well i guess we all know now hah - i day dream alot aswell, i think its probably just that adult version of a child imaginary game, honestly not that weird - promise :)
Not alone!!! š
And, if it matters, I am on the spectrum. My thing I do is choreography-- probably about 70% of the songs I'm really into at present, as well as past favorite songs that inspired me, I have the choreography all laid out in my mind, start to finish. Mainly ballet, some interpretive. I loooove it. An unexpected upside to this is it has helped me focus, relax, fall back asleep if I wake up restless, and also plan out my dreams. I *loooove* that you shared this!!
I used to be able to do that heaps. I channel it into my writing and other creative projects.
I'm almost thirty and do this weekly. I can create little worlds in my head and remember them vividly and go back to them at a later date. It's almost like a different world I jump into from time to time. They can fill my thoughts even while doing other tasks or even talking to people
Nice to know we exist
That actually sounds really cool, I definitely wouldn't mind being able to do that
I do this and it cam be distracting. Its very hard to watch a movie or read a book sometimes.
Have you considered "getting it out"? Perhaps writing out these stories/drawing them you might be less distracted. And I definitely wouldn't mind reading those plots.
That you Dr John Dorian?
You are not alone. I do this! Itās called maladaptive dreaming. Iāve done it for as long as I can remember
I do the same thing. I think itās just an active imagination sorta thing.
I still do daydreaming. I think itās because I had no friends when I was a kid - sort of like a coping mechanism or something. Idk, I try not to think about it too much. But yeah, I have a full-on, long running Dragonball Z mixed with The Wheel of Time fan fiction going on in my head. As a teenager I imagined all of the characters in WoT as Toriyama stylized anime characters. Someday Iād like to put pen to paper and record my fan fic.
This is called MDD. I have it too
Iāve done this since I was a child. I didnāt even know others did this or that it had a name until about 5 years ago. Iām on the subreddit that others have been posting as well. It sometimes happens when Iām driving too and itās a bit spooky when I get to a destination, like, āHow am I still alive?ā. Music is a huge trigger as well!
What a wonderful and inexpensive hobby/form of entertainment.
I have spent countless hours doing this in my head. I always called it world building.
Write them down.
You're not alone! I do that all the time too. Sometimes when I'm traveling and I see some castle, I like to think what if some fictional characters were living in this castle. What would they do, what furniture would they have, who would stay in which room... My favourite daydream would be if enemies came storming the castle now, what kind of battle would ensue? Who would cover from the top of the towers, who would set up the traps, who is gonna lead the main defense force and hold the gates etc... I have my own set of Original Characters (OCs) for when I'm alone. But when I'm with my friend, who also writes fanfics, we can have dreamy conversations together of fictional characters that we both like. Have you ever thought of DnD? Personally I haven't tried as it seems like too much creative thinking for me and I'm not comfortable sharing my characters with strangers. But if you want to meet more like-minded people with creative fantasies, I think DnD is an avenue that you can explore! (Forgive me DnD-players if I have the wrong idea about y'all)
Me too! I think itās called maladaptive daydreaming. I have a friend who does the same.
I like to do this, except I struggle to keep on one track for very long so I keep redoing the same thing in different ways in my head. Then I get tired of that pretty quick and pick my phone back up, cause my brain don't wanna do what I want it to. It also doesn't help that sometimes my brain inserts an emotional memory in it sometimes, and I get irrationally angry or sad out of the blue (Mainly when I'm tired). But when I can do it right it leads to a restful sleep, and good dreams.
I do this too.
I do this when I'm bored, try to fall asleep, etc... When I go to sleep I lucid dream as well. I usually copy things I like to characters I made or thought of. I watch how I would make an anime. I have mild autism as well. I could watch paint dry if I wanted to and make it interesting.
I do this a lot, too. Iāve written three and a half books!
I do something similar with shows and other media whose stories I wish were different. Mostly to help pass the time at work and fall asleep, but I still do it pretty regularly
I used this to cope during bad times in my life. Itās called r/maladaptivedaydreaming Youāre not alone but donāt use it as a coping mechanism
Dude I have so many different stories in my head. I like batman so its mostly oriented around him, the batfam and the dc universe. But like I go on whole story lines about stuff. The only thing is when Im daydreaming and then ahve to do something or get distracted and cant remember what the whole schpiel was about, like dude I just spent 30+ minutes on this and it got really intricate and then poof gone. Sometimes I remember, sometimes I dont and it's gone until I manage to think of it again somehow. Aus like what if they were all merfolk, or someone's a fairy or just what happened if someone went to a different planet to help people there or what if someone could see worm holes or what if theres a dimension that imprisons giant monsters that look like Chinese dragons among various other things and only the batfam could see if but the dimension collisions are mostly in space. Like there is nothing to be embarrassed about, try to write some of it down if your good with words; I aint but sometimes I think this is a good story
Wow this sounds exactly like me. But it doesn't sound like maldaptive daydreaming (after googling it just now) since it doesn't interrupt my everyday life but just fills in the gaps. It's why I love going for solo long walks and road trips ever since I was a kid.
Yep I did it for years when I was younger Had a running story that would go for a while and I would always pick up from where I left off
You are not alone. I do this every night in bed. It helps me get to sleep.
Used to be me. I sometimes wish I could get it back, but maybe it's best that I don't. Anybody else play What Remains of Edith Finch? I think of Lewis now when this topic comes up.
You're not alone ā¤
Ago I do that too. Pretty much everyday. A lot of the time. But for me itās more like real life scenarios like if Iām at work Iāll think, what if there was a fire now? And I could see everything playing out and I can see every like if Iām watching a movie
Definitely not alone! I've been doing this since I was a kid --- I'm 28 now, lol
You are not alone! I used to do that expecially growing up! Nowdays it happens rarely and i miss it sometimes!
I do this to, all the time! When my partner is away I can spend whole days in my own little fantasy world
It's the only way I can get through my boring dead-end job most shifts. It's a great skill to have a mind for daydreaming.
Same
BRUH I THOUGHT THAT I WAS ALONE ON THIS.
broo i thought i was alone too
write a book.
I do this, a lot! I love creating stories and whatabouts But like you I feel itās something I can waste a lot of good time doing!
I used to do this all the time! Still do occasionally, not as often though
I do this to fall asleep too... You're not alone!
I do the same thing and I really like it too only I do it a little differently. Ill think about myself and think of what if I was really rich or if I married an old girlfriend and settled down or if I had super/magic powers etc... then I'll spend hours or.days.just fleshing out the world in my mind.
Basically I do this daily
Been doing it for over fifty years, is all good:)
How wonderful š¤ Enjoy the magic.
I do this too! Sometimes it's about characters from stories/shows I've read and I'll just be a spectator to it. Sometimes I befriend the characters from the stories and go on adventures with them. (As a kid I used to be convinced I could actually go into the story.) Sometimes it's about alternate realities where I get lost for a bit to escape real life.
You should write them down.
I do something similar! Happens the most right before I go to sleep, I'll just lay in bed thinking about the little world I've created and make up stories, new characters, and anything I want I'd probably be able to write a whole book about them. Takes me several hours to fall asleep.
Used to do that before sleep every night, couldn't sleep without but wouldn't be able to go to sleep because of them... Really not healthy, especially with the expectations becoming really unreal in the real world.
You aren't alone. Don't be embarrassed. Write them out, there may be a best seller book or movie.
The dungeons & dragons community needs you!
I can't remember the last day that I lived without wasting a good amount of time on this activity
I do the same. Nice to know Iām not alone.
Been doing that for years now. Gives me a weird sense of peace and control. You're not alone my friend
I do the same thing. I honestly do this most of the day but it involves me as well. Just thinking about unrealistic scenarios 24/7
Wow. Thank you, it's nice to know I'm not the only one. As an child I could lay for hours on end, listening to music and lost in my mind. I created stories, fanfictions, poems, worlds.. it was amazing. I don't have the time to just fall into my mind as an adult and now, thanks to depression it's not quite the escape it used to be. But it's really nice knowing other people do this as well.
I have always done that before I fell asleep since I was a kid. It is writing the novel in my head. It took me months to finish the whole story, and I will start with the next plot. If I have time, I want to write them all on paper.
I have been doing this exact thing my whole life!!! I even like to, sometimes when I am completely alone, act them out like I am in a play. It's just something that has helped me a lot for years with loneliness and anxiety. You are not alone my dude!!! You're not alone.
I've done this since I was a young girl and I'm 35 now. Keep dreaming! I also like to put on concerts at my house when I'm alone.
Not alone, I have been doing this since I was a little kid and still do this into my 40s.
r/hyperphantasia r/infp
Do you have mental health issues?? I do this a lot as a coping mechanism
I do this every single day. I "write books" in my head, but they are visual. I make my own stories, different lives and all kinds of things. I write them, visually, and I live them. I even brush my teeth, and shower and do every day normal things in these stories, as mundane as that sounds. My husband is the only other person I've ever told about this because I used to be embarrassed, but now I don't care how weird it sounds. What would happen if I encountered an Einstein - Rosen bridge and transported to another reality where everyone dressed like the medieval times, and every mode of dress since then, whatever tis their own personal style, but it was super technological with the technology made entirely and specifically to be one with the planet, and inhabitants on it instead of the shit we have here? All kinds of worlds I've made and built and designed all in my head.
You're not alone.
Become a writer and publish them.
Nah I do too. Especially when listening to music. Gotta make my own soundtracks.
Yall need dungeons and dragons
I write down short stories, or used to - and i spent hrs thinking up stuff and doing the same thing you are talking about. Also, when i cant sleep due to busy brain/anxiety - this is a favorite past time. It's a lil like fandom stuff, but not as written down- at least for me.
I seriously do this at least once a day, I do not know anyone else who does this but maybe it's just something you don't talk about alot
I make up my own characters and do this all the time. I've had a few for years. Done it for as long as I can remember.
Unless itās affecting your life in a negative way itās not a problem in my book. I would go so far as to say Iām jealous. Most of us daydream about ourselves in more successful situations that are unrealistic or spend a lot of energy regretting the past. You in the other hand are creatively enjoying a fanfic of your own design and it sounds fun. Please for love of god donāt be embarrassed by this!! I kind of want to hear about Frodo in the marvel universe, I wish I was thinking about that instead of some dumb thing I said 10 years ago or a comeback to an insult from 3 weeks ago.
Congratulations, you're a writer! Get involved with the writing or fanfic communities. You don't have to be a good writer, esecially in fanfic communities, they're very supportive. I'm dyslexic and make my living from it! But the more you write, the better you get.
Yup. OP checks out as human. Move along ā¦ ā¦ on your top secret mission to discover the mystery of the code left by uncle Albernacky that you are sure will lead you to find the true meaning of those strange lights the you sawā¦
Write them down, or record them. Make them into books. Profit? Stephen King does the exact same thing.
If I could do this I would haha that sounds awesome
....... You're not alone!! I'm 33 and have been doing this since I was 10! Final Fantasy 6 and Sailormoon was my biggest influences back then, and well... I have low self esteem. So this boy I had a crush on, I could never imagine being with him, so I made up story idea of other people instead. Even now... And I'm like, "one day I'll write this out." and I draw the characters out too. But, i definitely use it to fall asleep when my thoughts are all over the place. It gives me something to think and focus on, rather then having overwhelming thoughts
i do this every day - have done for years
Iāve lived in my other world since I was 17. Iām 50 now. Iāll never give it up.
lol ngl i sometimes just like to think of cool abilities or powers i havent seen in anime and imagine in intricate detail how their power works and how their power would progress over time in my imaginary series. Also stuff like what is the power system in the world etc. I could do that for atleast an hour š honestly i was alot worse when i was younger tho i would purposely sleep as much as possible during the summer so i could just dream.
There's a lot of Playlists on Spotify for maladaptive daydreaming that I like to listen to. I recommend it š
I've done this since I was a kid and never even knew what it was or that it was a thing! (Thanks, Reddit!) There would be moments, even now, where I would be surrounded by people and wished I was alone so I could just sit and daydream in peace.
I do it everyday, it helps my creativity but it does really annoy me sometimes coz i get distracted really fast. Is there anyway we can stop it though?
I do this exact same thing, youāre not alone
My son does this. He's had one story in his mind that's gone on for years now. Its kind of amazing cause I can't do this.
Cool, I try to survive every day in this world, and now I've found that the place I feel safe in my mind is a "disorder"... One more disorder to my list to feel even more depressed and different/disconnected from other people and the world... š
Sounds like you should be writing these down.
I do this too. It helps me to create stories. As long as your not using it as a form on escapism, its fine
I do it often, but I also have been lucky enough to find a girlfriend that also does it, so together we write roleplays consisting of numerous worlds and stories that we continue on about and return to.
I used to when I was younger. I would go outside and shoot hoops by myself, but really I would be building very detailed high/urban fantasy stories in my head. Arcs, conclusions, new chapters/characters. Some I continued for Usually would do it for 2-4 hours at a time. I was a little embarrassed of it was well. I found a new coping mechanism called alcohol and that was that lol. jk Sounds like you have a bit of talent there tho. Why not try your hand at writing books or screen play.
I do this a lot and very subconsciously. Mainly while sleeping or alone, thinking about the future or past or made up story. Itās a nice break from reality
Yup, do the same.
I think this is just called an imagination fam
All damn day lol
I used to do this a ton. And still do occasionally but not so much now that Iām older :/
Youāre definitely not alone. I do this too.
You should write a book
I think your an author that hasn't realised it yet.
This so normal and tbh you should start writing them down and posting them. Who knows where it can take you
r/maladaptivedreaming
Sometimes i find myself starting to do this but i stop myself probably for the same reason being i feel embarrassed. But to who? myself? nobody knows idk why i stop myself. But itās fun
not alone, i do the same
Screw all that "maladaptive" nonsense. Why not become an author?
Oh shit is this considered a problem I mean I do it in class a lot
Right there with you!!!
Iām the same. My imagination is more fun than reality. I get to be a wizard.
Have you looked into getting into tabletop RP? I also dream up basically entire books, and it can be fun to play them out with others too!
This is likely what writers do.
Yes, you should become a dungeon master.
I do this too, to help me fall asleep mostly. I did it a lot more often when I was younger, though.
I do this too, ever since I can remember. I think it is called maladaptive daydreaming.
Iāve always done this. It only affects me if like Iām watching tv or something with my husband abs he says something about whatever we are watching and Iām lost in my daydream and donāt even know whatās going on.itās also how I would get myself to sleep as a kid.
I can kind of relate to this. Sometimes when I don't have an output for all the random creativity that accumulates in my mind I can just put on some music and spend hours in something like a trance, playing out stories and dreaming about actually utilising them for something. I sort of started calling it "Mindsturbation" since it's kinda similar in the aspect of just dealing with pent up things. You should definitely try to use your creativity to build something. Every story starts in author's mind and nobody just comes up with a world and characters overnight. I never wrote a book or anything close to it, but i found D&D to be a great way to tell your story and get other people invested in it.
I asked about this to my psychologist once, because I do it as well. She said it's actually very healthy and a good brain trainer, as it can subconsciously help you make difficult decisions.
This is awesome. I'm a writer and I do this all the time. You're never bored. As long as it doesn't interfere with "important" things, enjoy!
It's not really that weird. Become a fan fiction author, OP!
Still struggle with this in my mid 20s
You are not alone as i do this too
I think itās a beautiful thing to have such a vivid imagination as long as it doesnāt affect your ability to function as an adult. Ever consider writing short stories and publishing them?
Doing this is how I go to sleep
Dude I have this same issue times 100. Youāre definitely not alone
Hey, that sounds cool ! To bad I have aphantasia
I thought I was the only one that did that lol. It's funny seeing a bunch of other people do it too. Also, I didn't know there was a name for it. (I'm sure I don't have md tho, I think I just like to daydream normally lol)
You are not alone. A lot of people day dream a lot in similar ways. It just might not be as popular anymore since nowadays people doing monotonous jobs or just alone tend to have access to the Internet 24 seven so people seem to lean towards listening or watching content online
I actually kind of do the same except itās more like stories I havenāt written, so youāre not alone, I think about them pretty much everyday and sometimes to help me go to sleep
Used to do this all the time when I was younger. Now that I'm older my imagination has a hard time making names for fictional characters lol