I'm trying to figure out if I have Maladaptive Daydreaming or something else. For the past 28 years or so I've  had episodes of what I would call "zoning out".  At anytime I will feel disassociated from myself...kind of like I am looking in from the outside. I can still hear what people are saying and I can respond to them. They can't even tell that something is wrong. I think that is because I have been dealing with this for so long, I've learned how to keep this to myself.  If anyone has had this or know what it could be, please help. The episodes are becoming more frequent and I need to know what I can do to either cope or stop it.

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Hi, Jill.

 

Though anyone can join, most people are here because they know or think they have Maladaptive Daydreaming.  A few people are just here because they need a supportive environment, but most people are here because they have what feels like an addiction to daydreaming.

Maladaptive Daydreaming is not an officially recognized condition.  We're still learning a lot about it.  It's being studied by a real doctor, though, and lots of people online have spoken up about their symptoms. We've learned a lot about it.  Because it's not recognized yet, most doctors probably haven't heard about it, so they couldn't diagnose you.  Only you really know what's going on in your brain anyway.  I've posted some symptoms on the right hand side of the main page along with some tips for how to deal with it.

Mainly it's an addiction to daydreaming.  People start for a variety of reasons.  Most people seem to fall into one or both of two groups.  Some start because they need to escape some trauma or a traumatic environment.  Others may just get inspired by something they see on tv, in a book, or in a movie.  What we all seem to have in common is a strong creative streak.  For whatever reasons we start to daydream and get hooked.  We may build one fantasy world or have lots of different daydreams.  Either way, it gets really interesting and we feel better.  This can be okay if it's managed.  I mean there are worse things you could be doing than thinking.  When it becomes a problem is when we start to prefer daydreaming to the real world.  It may seem innocent at first, but if we're not careful, it can become a real addiction.  This doesn't mean we should feel bad about ourselves.  Like I said, there are a lot worse things we could be doing, but we need to pay attention to it because if we're not careful, it can get out of control.

Here are the preliminary findings of the wonderful doctor, Dr. Cynthia Schupak, who's studying it.  Why not have a look & see if what she said fits.  Don't be too concerned if you have some different symptoms than what's listed.  We're still learning a lot about it, so it's up to us to speak up and say what's going on.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/20700187/Daydreamers-Anonymous-Prelim-Fin...

 

Most people do some sort of movement like pacing, moving their hands, or playing on the computer.  I don't pace because I'd fall on my face, but don't feel weird if you do that.  It's perfectly normal.

 

Okay, I hope this helps.  Please feel free to message me if you have any more questions.  I've been studying this for years because I've had it all my life.  I've learned a lot.  We're all here to support each other.

 

Thanks for the information. I've been searching on the Internet and I found something that fits my symptoms perfectly. It's called depersonalization disorder. Now I know that I'm not alone with this. I

Okay, well if you think you have a recognized disorder, I recommend checking with a doc.  They couldn't tell you if you have this or not, but they could probably tell you that for sure.  Make sure you get one who really listens to your ideas.  A LOT of disorders seem the same when we read them but are quite different once explained by someone who knows this.  People who have MD tend to think they have everything from Autism Spectrum to Schizoid Personality Disorder to ADD until they realize what it is.  You're still welcome here even if you don't have MD.  This is meant to be a support system for anyone who needs it.  :)  

Jill Horton said:

Thanks for the information. I've been searching on the Internet and I found something that fits my symptoms perfectly. It's called depersonalization disorder. Now I know that I'm not alone with this. I
I have a question, when you zone out is your mind busy somewhere else?  What are you thinking?  Is your mind blank?   Different answers to these questions indicate different posibilities. 

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