How to cope with maladaptive daydreaming?
Daydreaming disorder, also referred to as maladaptive daydreaming, is characterized by excessive daydreaming that disconnects individuals from reality and interferes with their everyday life.
This condition was first identified by Professor Eli Somer in 2002 and differs from the typical daydreaming that most people experience regularly. Those affected may spend a significant portion of their day lost in thought, which can interfere with activities like socializing and maintaining relationships.
Extended Daydreaming: Individuals may spend hours or even days daydreaming and experience vivid, detailed fantasies. Ignoring Reality: Daydreaming can dominate a person's life, leading to difficulties in meeting responsibilities in education, work, and personal relationships.
Social Withdrawal: A strong attachment to imaginary worlds can lead individuals to prefer their fantasies over real-life interactions, resulting in isolation from social engagement.
Inability to Control Daydreaming: Although individuals may recognize that their daydreaming is excessive and affecting their life, they struggle to stop themselves from engaging in it. Daydreaming Triggers: Specific sounds, music, environments, or people may prompt the daydreaming episodes.
The exact causes of maladaptive daydreaming are not clearly established, but several factors may contribute:
Personality Traits: Traits such as high imagination, creativity, introversion, and tendencies toward loneliness might increase the likelihood of maladaptive daydreaming. Psychological Factors: Some individuals might engage in daydreaming as a way to escape negative experiences or past traumas.
Additionally, certain mental disorders like ADHD and identity disorder could trigger this behavior.
Diagnosing daydreaming disorder does not rely on specific criteria in the DSM-5, but a Maladaptive Daydreaming Scale was created in 2015. Diagnosis includes techniques like psychiatric evaluations, interviews about family and social contexts, and keeping a diary.
Participants respond to questions such as, "How many hours do you spend daydreaming each day?" and "How much does daydreaming disrupt your daily activities?" Responses are reviewed by an expert, with higher scores indicating symptoms of maladaptive daydreaming.