[angelene]

I'm not sure if this is the right forum; I apologize if it isn't.
Has anyone else heard of Maladaptive Daydreaming? I stumbled upon something on the web that led me to the brief article on Wikipedia.
I was surprised when I discovered there was a name for this... I guess it's a coping mechanism, maybe? I'm not sure how to describe it.

Anyway, it sounds like I have/do it. I have an entire imagined, alternate life going on inside my head. I know it's not real. But I've had this storyline going for as long as I can remember. I suppose I'm retreating into a fantasy life in order to deal with my problems...

Does anybody else do this?

[hamster-bamster]

Well, it is a stub, and not an article. I would not worry too much about what it says, plus, if you do go by what it says, you will see tat it is basically OK, since you know that is your imagination and not reality. You can analyze the storyline to your benefit, instead of trying to shun it.

[Woman_Overboard]

I do this too... It is one of my coping mechanisms... my favorite even. So I started writing this fantasy life down... I suppose if I got serious enough I could write a book. Maybe try to take it and plug it into something creative?

[angelene]

Originally Posted by Woman_Overboard

I do this too... It is one of my coping mechanisms... my favorite even. So I started writing this fantasy life down... I suppose if I got serious enough I could write a book. Maybe try to take it and plug it into something creative?

That's cool, I'm not the only one! It's definitely part of my creative side. I'm sure I've got at least 2 books in me (autobiography/non-fiction & fiction). The thing is, I don't want to share my fantasy world with anybody. This is the first time I've said anything about it to anyone at all. This alternate life is something that's all mine...

So I'm going to keep this particular fantasy to myself. I'm sure it could inform anything creative I do, though. No one would have to ever know the source.

[angelene]

Originally Posted by hamster-bamster

Well, it is a stub, and not an article. I would not worry too much about what it says, plus, if you do go by what it says, you will see tat it is basically OK, since you know that is your imagination and not reality. You can analyze the storyline to your benefit, instead of trying to shun it.

Funny you mention it, I originally called it a stub but when I checked the article again, it didn't have the "this article is a stub" statement. And reading it, well, what more is there to say?

[hamster-bamster]

Originally Posted by angelene

Funny you mention it, I originally called it a stub but when I checked the article again, it didn't have the "this article is a stub" statement. And reading it, well, what more is there to say?

I noticed that, too - and Wikipedia can put "this article is a stub" on pages with far more text than we see on this one!

[WantToGrow]

Wow, I wish I could have an alternate fantasy life going on - that sounds pretty cool! It also shows that you are a creative person, which I also wish I was :-) Creativity is a beautiful thing!

[BeBrave483]

I also just came across this term a few days ago. At first I thought well this is me, but then I wondered why it's a problem? I think from what I read that it's only maladaptive if it's interfering with your life. And I really don't think it is for me. I'm getting better at being social instead of daydreaming, when I have to. If I couldn't day dream I wouldn't get through the day. About the writing, I have written some fan fiction about my favourite band, which was a good way to kind of live out my fantasies through writing, I always felt so good after writing one, though I haven't in a while now. Sometimes the world in my head is just more interesting than the real world!

[hamster-bamster]

Actually, my pdoc tasked me with being in "alpha state" as much as I can, and when I started researching what it means, daydreaming was mentioned as one of the ways to reach alpha state, and that is supposed to be a GOOD THING. So go figure.

[angelene]

Originally Posted by BeBrave483

I also just came across this term a few days ago. At first I thought well this is me, but then I wondered why it's a problem? I think from what I read that it's only maladaptive if it's interfering with your life. And I really don't think it is for me. I'm getting better at being social instead of daydreaming, when I have to. If I couldn't day dream I wouldn't get through the day. About the writing, I have written some fan fiction about my favourite band, which was a good way to kind of live out my fantasies through writing, I always felt so good after writing one, though I haven't in a while now. Sometimes the world in my head is just more interesting than the real world!

I don't see it as a problem, more like something worth exploring. Why do I do it? It certainly is far more interesting in my head than what's really going on around me, but it's always been that way.
I think I need to channel some of that energy into more "real world" stuff.

You should take some time to write again, BeBrave483. Creativity is a beautiful thing!

[angelene]

Originally Posted by hamster-bamster

Actually, my pdoc tasked me with being in "alpha state" as much as I can, and when I started researching what it means, daydreaming was mentioned as one of the ways to reach alpha state, and that is supposed to be a GOOD THING. So go figure.

So I'm off to a good start!

[BeBrave483]

Originally Posted by angelene

I don't see it as a problem, more like something worth exploring. Why do I do it? It certainly is far more interesting in my head than what's really going on around me, but it's always been that way.
I think I need to channel some of that energy into more "real world" stuff.

You should take some time to write again, BeBrave483. Creativity is a beautiful thing!

Same here, and thanks for the encouragement, I really should try get back into it. It's fun!