can't stop daydreaming!!!!

I have bipolar disorder and am an extremely rapid cycler. I have a major problem with daydreaming. I try to not do it but I cannot control it.
I have been like this my entire life. Sometimes I even act out my daydreams.
I even have made the mistake of saying what I am saying in the
daydream out loud in public. That's embarrising. I always try to
be careful not to say things out loud. Sometimes I daydream bad
things and then feel the feelings I would feel if they really happened.
All this makes me feel so silly. Does anyone else have this problem
or any suggestions

Not sure about day dreaming, but I do ruminate about all kinds of things. It happens more when I am stressed out. It was worse before medication and I believe it has more to do with my anxiety than bipolar disorder. For me, anti depressants stopped this almost completely. Now it just happens when I am extremely upset.

I will tell you what I do to help the situation, but not sure I would recommend it to anyone because it is not good for my hearing. I put on my IPod and blast the music loud enough that I can no longer hear myself think. Once I give my brain a break from it's endless chatter I can usually break the cycle.

Welcome to my world. Dr Skipper, avid daydreamer.

To be honest, it's really not a bipolar thing. Well, at least not a symptom. Bipolar people tend to be incredibly creative and artistic. Unless you have a problem with it, which I'm guessing is your fear of talking out loud, then it's not that big of a deal. Just go with the flow, or try to fight it and focus on the real world.

I also daydream excessively. It's a problem because reality can never compete with my daydreams. I also have been caught mumbling out loud to myself in public, so you're not alone there either.

I don't think that it is related to bipolar disorder. You may want to google "maladaptive daydreaming".

I also don't think it's a bipolar thing, but I've always been a day dreamer. I learned early to put it on paper, because at one point I had an entire cast of characters in my daydream world. And they usually had a lot more fun than I did!

Same here, I still do have characters in my head. They keep me company.

Hell I do it so much my day dreams and dreams start over lapping each other and then sometimes I wake up in the dream and have to snap out of it...

Hmm...I wonder if fantasy is a coping strategy that those of us with mental illness use to get through? I know that my excessive daydreams provide me with an escape during my depressions, and makes them more tolerable.

Yes, I daydream stories constantly and act them out. I also run and jump around erractically when I am daydreaming. I have hurt myself several times, given myself concussions, etc from bumping into things. Not sure if it's mania or ADHD or some movement disorder.

Well I searched Google & found this, 'cause the past coupla days my daydreaming has become BOOM ... It's draining my mental energy... I daydream myself doing things in particular in the future, delivering a certain message to the world for change, to reach God, after I sacrifice myself in a certain way, & a certain place...

I agree though with the people here who say you HAVE to not fight that daydreaming, but rather turn it creatively into something that your heart desires, poems, drawings, novels, writings, scientific explorations... You have to TURN IT INTO SOMETHING...

I try to write my ideas about consciousness, God, the world, evolution, my own life journey, write them down, 'cause I know that my wild un-controlled imagination in my mind is not an enemy, no, it's a message, that has a purpose in me... trying to drive me to do something, that I wasn't brought up or educated in the society to do!!!

I know that as Bipolar Disordered people they tell us that it's just "grandiose thinking", "prophecy illusions", "whatever"... But I believe that everything in the Universe has a purpose, an evolutionary conscientious purpose... Our own mental disconformities with present-day destructive socio-political-economic-religious-cultural arrangements, is the Universe consciousness purpose, that's trying to deliver a message, reveal its purpose, & change people, through our screaming pained conscientious mentally disconforming minds...

I think it's an add/adhd thing. Because when I've been on Adderall or Strattera the daydreams are gone. But when I'm not on them I have daydreams of being a member of the royal family. I agree anti-depressants help though. Zoloft has kept my recent daydreaming in check. I've also heard that people with bipolar don't get enough rem sleep where dreaming takes place. And I've heard if you don't get enough rem sleep you are more apt to daydream. But all in all it is also a symptom of add/adhd.

I have always been a daydreamer too. Even teachers in grade school used to write that on my report cards! I agree with someone above who mentioned daydreaming in itself is not a BP sign. That said, when mania is in the mix, my daydreams turn into delusions, whether grandiose ones or paranoid ones.

Channeling your day dreams into something positive can be good, such as through writing or art. Some of the greatest, most interesting and successful people have big imaginations. It's nothing to be ashamed of, although I understand how you must feel when you do say things out loud and having people not understand.

We all have our little quirks though, so try not to be hard on yourself. Also, you might also benefit from mindfulness and meditation. I find that meditation helps you get in touch with your imagination, rather than stifling it, especially using Guided Imagery. You can find these exercises on youtube. Other mindfulness exercises can help you stay in the 'here-and-now' during times where we must focus on daily tasks, without imagination preventing us from getting carried away and distracted. Imagination is a strength though, so own it!