The Psychology Behind Maladaptive Daydreaming
A therapist explores what it is and how to co-exist with it.
I’m a therapist with a vivid imagination, and I’ve been helping several clients who struggle to take control of their daydreams.
I’ve been spending a lot of time with these individuals, helping them accept and normalize the idea of having such intense daydreams — while also helping them take gradual control over those aspects that are not so typical, like their intrusive and disruptive nature.
What The Research Says
It can be normal to get lost in our own thoughts for periods at a time. As the current research suggests, at we spend roughly 50% of our waking hours just doing it — and we don’t even know it!
Yet, there are many people who get distracted by the wider world and are often conscious of it. Sometimes, we get so worried about our daydreams, that we fear that we are losing critical time, energy, and money.
If this is the case for you, then you might have what is called maladaptive daydreaming.
Defining Maladaptive Daydreaming
Maladaptive daydreaming is not a diagnostic condition. However, it is a surprisingly normal phenomenon where a person has…
