does anyone here not mind their maladaptive daydreaming?

[Natasha Mander]

honestly, i dont mind it. ive had it basically my entire life (i didnt even just daydream like a normal child, the pacing began even when i was six) and ive never had anything traumatic happen to me. it doesnt take that much away from me (maybe 1 hr 30 mins to 2 hrs a day) and it helps me keep creative. also, it's a great stress relief, and the pacing helps me get excersize! i honestly dont see anything wrong with it. i understand if it's more severe than what I have, but for me, I think it's fine. does anyone agree?

[Cemre]

Well I don't mine it too much and I think that it's great too , but still i'm not sure about its effects on my future life. I sometimes feel like because i have MDD , i'll have problems with my marriage and being a mother. I don't know. For now, it's fine. I don't feel lonely thanks to MDD.

[Floris]

I agree. I don't really mind it either, but it's not really "maladaptive" and I don't have serious trauma's. There are those occasions where I should pay more attention to traffic when I'm on my bicycle. And I like to stay in bed for long. But generally I am productive enough (particularly since I started working on my own personal creative project, following my passion).

I feel less need for interactions and generally love to be on my own, as long as I can have some friendly encounters of good quality (a couple a month).

Everybody is different, if I would describe the extremes, some may need to quit cold turkey since it's nothing more than a coping mechanism and others may need to find a way to use their imagination as a strength since it's always been there. I count myself among the second and see my day dreaming as a light diversion. But I don't day dream that many hours a day and only in short moments.

[SennaSomniator]

Now I don't mind it anymore, I embrace it. It used to be a pretty bad thing for me in the past as in I couldn't get stuff done because I did too much of it, but now I have learnt to daydream in moderation and getting my priorities straight and it's all good now. I embrace it.

XOXO Senna

[Tara Momo]

When you know how to control it you'll be fine. The important is, you're aware whenever it seems like excessive. There's never wrong about daydreaming when you do it moderately. And I totally agree with SennaSomniator!!

[Rose]

I channel my characters and stories into my art. I have sold plenty of paintings in the past and most people who know me will know my characters. I like that side of it. But when I have to way of channeling it I get obsessive and start DDing a lot. I get obsessive about lots of things though so it's just a part of my personality I think.

[Reyna]

It seems that the older i get the less i daydream and honestly i want and miss daydreaming how i used to :(

[Mo]

I don't mind it. But it is ironic that although I don't mind it I still don't tell anyone aside from here about it.

[Michael Meager]

I have struggles all my life not to daydream, but now I've given up trying to. In many ways being able to escape into that world has helped me cope in this world. I have stuck to diets, got fit, passed exams and gained massive confidence by "channelling" my DD personas.

Michael

[Kim Katz]

Alex,

I totally agree with you.  These are  exactly my feelings ... I couldn't and I don't  want to live without my MDs. In fact they are helping me right now to live my real life. I do not think they have ever prevented me from living in reality, my problem was/is elsewhere ...  they have saved me from becoming mad, or like you say from being a drug addict or something worse.  And since I realised what this "ilness" was  and  decided to do something, they have helped me in real life ... so I am definetely one of those "sick persons" not to want to get rid of them, only go on working hand in hand my new life on real life :-)

all the best,

kim

[Piercing Silver]

MDD doesn't impair my life in any way, and it only takes away like 3 hours of my time max every day. However, in my continuous series of daydreams, I'm a much better, more ideal version of my self. I'm taller, smarter, braver, and much more beautiful. A lot of the times, I fantasize about love and adventure. And while it feels euphoric when I'm daydreaming, I snap back to reality and realize that I'm not that brave, smart, tall, or beautiful, and that my life is as ordinary as can be. It's crushing when I realize that what I'm fantasizing about is just illusion, and something that does not/will never exist. It kind of spirals me into a depressive state.

[Viviana]

This is the same for me.

I really love my inner world and the stunning person that I am there. Maybe we are not maladaptive, but Adaptive daydreamer...

[Karen D.]

Hi Natasha,

I don't mind it at all.  It has helped me cope with some difficult situations, has given me a great outlet, direction for crafting fictional stories, and sense of control, and the ability to create beauty whenever I want it.  At one point I hated it.  I even went up to the altar at church during a revival to get free of it.  Fortunately, circumstances interfered and the evangelist that was preaching during the revival never got to me.  But it's just like everything else.  Moderation.  You can't let it dictate, control, take over your life at the expense of reality.  For many years I didn't connect with people at all because I had my "day dreaming" to satisfy me.  As a result, I don't have very many close friendships.  I'm working on improving that and connecting with people more.

I agree with your assessment.  It also keeps me creative.  I'm a writer so it's wonderful outlet.  It's also a great stress reliever like you say.  But again, you have to control it and not let in control you.  That is the key.  You always have to be the master, not the slave.

Karen D.