Ask me Anything about MD

[Eli Somer]

Hi all,

I am doing an "ask me anything" on Reddit right now. The discussion will be up until Wednesday oct 4th. So if there's anything you want to ask me about Maladaptive Daydreaming head over.

Eli Somer

 

https://www.reddit.com/r/MaladaptiveDreaming/comments/73r9g2/ama_wi...

[Eli Somer]

This indeed is an important future research. To this date no brain imaging researcher has expressed interest in studying MD.

[Me Me]

I understand it's a long process to find an interested brain imaging researcher, but is there a way our MD community can help in making that happen for more information on MD. For example: A petition, letters, raising money? Is there any way we could help make it happen?

[Eli Somer]

Well, researchers are usually not guided or motivated by consumer pressure. They are motivated by personal scientific interest and available funds. Academic familiarity with MD is still very low. In fact,  recently even Wikipedia has deleted the article on MD because it was not properly referenced. When searching for any term on Google, the Wikpedia article on it is usually the first hit.

So increasing awareness is vital. I  am committed to doing my part by continuing research on MD.

The MD community could help in promoting awareness by searching for a good Wikipedia writer to work on reinstating the article. If such a person is found, I will be happy to help by providing resources and references.

[Aquarius]

Dr. Somer, are you looking at the aspect of shame in your MDD research? Not all immersive daydreamers have a history of abuse or trauma; I'm referring to the shame of being an immersive daydreamer. Just the idea that the time lost imagining could have been spent working towards them. This achievement fueled times we live in add to the shame.
In some instances, like mine, as I head towards the 40th milestone in my life, it saddens me knowing that the life I live out in small bursts in my head will never happen in reality.
Should and can MDD be looked at as an addiction?

[Eli Somer]

I believe the available research provides answers to your questions, See here: https://www.somer.co.il/חלימה-חריגה-בהקיץ-maladaptive-daydreaming

So yes, childhood trauma is not a necessary condition for MD, shame is an important factor in MD suffering, and an addiction model can adequately explain MD.

[Caolán]

First of all I want to thank you for bringing this to light, and creating a community of people who can speak openly about this. Secondly, do you know of any studies that can test brain activity for MD? I was given a tip of a person in Scottsdale AZ who monitors and exercises lucid dreaming. If I were to monitor an MD episode with this treatment, do you think the results produced would help discover the orgins of this disorder?

[Eli Somer]

Brain imaging studies will be an important contribution to the understanding go MD.

[Dreamer]

Thanks so much for pointing me in the direction of your website! I'm happy to have found this forum and grateful to realize that I am not the only one!