What helps?

[Cordellia Amethyste Rose]

Now that we've had some time to think about this & discuss it, let's start creating a plan to help.  Let's try and make a list that we can refer to & refer others to.  Here's my question:

What helps? 

Not just what helps you stop daydreaming.  This is a condition we need to learn to live with. 

What helps in any way possible?  Interpret that in every way possible, and be as specific as possible. 

Some ways you can think of it:

What helps make your life better?

What helps you feel like you’re living a more fulfilling life?

What helps you feel like you’re in control?

What helps you daydream less & what helps you daydream more?

What makes your daydreams more productive?

What makes your daydreams feel less productive?

When do you leave your daydreams feeling better & more charged?

What makes them leave you feeling more sluggish?

What helps you feel stronger?

What helps you feel safer?

What helps you feel more confident?

Let’s act like we’re compiling a list of things to tell new people who’re just figuring out they’re going through this & are not sure what to do.  What advice would you give them to help them feel more empowered?

[Annie]

Anybody figure out how to stay calm when you try to stop yourself from DD? I can stop myself from daydreaming but the anxious feeling sweped in and I become irritable, easily frustrated, and worried/anxious real bad! Then I just give up on what i am doing..... =(

[Daniel K]

What do you guys think of this video? This is faith based but the information is good. What does everyone else think?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfH4BAjzjYw

[Jack Frost]

For people who are having trouble focusing while studying....I was horrible at studying early in my life. I used to have to read the same page over and over again for lack of focus. I did find a way to make A's in the hardest of subjects by college though. I would start with an overview of an entire chapter. I would read the section headings for each page through to the end. After having a good overview I would then start reading the details. But the biggest improvement in learning came when I began daydreaming that I was the teacher teaching the class the material I was reading. If you're a perfectionist in your dreams then you actually WANT the facts straight, and this will help you focus to learn the material you're preparing to dream about. Desiring top quality in your dreams is your motivation to learn. You can get creative in your dreams as to how you teach and what goes on in the classroom. My dreams mixed lectures with fights, yelling, putting the class know-it-all in his place, I used to even teach the teacher. It worked very, very well. I got to where I could learn any subject very quickly, and did very well on tests. Hope this helps.

[Daniel K]

Really interesting posts guys! I will have to take these into consideration. I especially like what wanderer's counselor said about success. Many daydreams are about (mostly) being successful and admired in some way. If we actually work to act out our dreams, or even use our dreams as a motivation tool to succeed like Jack Frost did, then maybe we can really start seeing progress in overcoming.

[Cassandra Lynn Wible]

What helps me stop daydreaming: Alpha Isochronic Tones- Google it

What helps make my life better: Cooperation with the family- Feeling Close to someone- Money-Serotonin Endorphins.

What helps me feel like im living a more fulfilling life- Getting the support I need that works- so The Tone therapy helps, Going to the therapist and having a GOOD session. Anti Depressants, Anti Psychotics- People- Being Mentally and Emotionally Stable and Satisfied.

What helps you daydream less and what helps you daydream more- Nighttime makes me day dream more, as well as being alone for too long. And not getting what i want out of life. Waking up in the morning from a dream usually does the same. alpha isochronic tones help me daydream less, being around people, and being concentrated on a single thing like writing. 

What makes my daydreams more productive.- Writing them down, using them as a story

Less- Not writing them down, not using them for anything

When do you leave your daydreams feeling better and more charged- never, but they get better when im happier or on anti-depressants

What makes them leave you feeling more sluggish- when they're bad.

What helps you feel stronger- Alpha Isochronic tones. I JUST discovered like 5 minutes ago.

Safer? Same answer

Confident- Same answer.

[DebMmm]

Meditation is the ONLY thing that's worked for me.

I'm not a buddhist, but you don't have to be to benefit from buddhist practices...

Here's a great example from a wonderful teacher:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wtHGcICVcg

[dream lover]

Meditation helps.....but its extreamly hard for us to concentrate...so i tried these which requires less concentration...
1.avoid triggers...or at least avoid big triggers like movies,songs,fantasy books,
etc etc...
2.try to group study...if u dont have friends(like most of us) then study in a library
3.get in a fullfilling relation....if possible :(
these are to reduce DD
n u should try these every time you daydream
1.when you daydream....try to see it in a fast-forword mode,it is espcially useful for old DDs....it will reduce the time we usually waste
2.bite ur lips(dnt cut yourrself of course) to distract yourself from daydreaming when you notice
3.breath slowly n count your breathing when you feel an urge to daydream.
4.read a few posts in this site when you want to DD

warning:
1.never beat yourself if you cant stop DD.....very few can reduce it...but none can toatally shut it down.....
2. these tricks might not work in case of severe MDs.....
3.i experinced horrible nightmares when i got a little success reducing it..... others might experince it too.
4.i hate to say this...but dont trust people about your secrets.....people are people n very few are trustworthy n will not judge you......i learnt it from personal experience...:(
5.dont try drugs.....they r not made for MDs

[Tinkerbell]

Being bored or stressed out actually triggers my day dreams.  In public reading a book will help me stay focused and control it.  If I write my day dreams down in a story that will cause them to stop maybe for a few days but then my mind finds something else to fill the void. I feel safest in the comfort of my home as then  if I have an episode there is no one there to see it. 

 

 

[Ipod]

Most minor psychological disorders and maladaptiveness in general seems to stem from our busy minds making problems out of things which aren't there.
Many people have suggested mindfulness meditation ; for example focussing on ones breathing and trying to think of nothing else. It's difficult ( sometimes) and can be a bit boring. But it can be extremely beneficial. When we are mindful we helping to develop the mind to remain in the present moment, which means next time we encounter difficult situations we are able to deal with them in a rational way...... When I eat, I try to savour every mouthful, and realise how lucky I am for having food in the first place.

Our imagination is what makes us ( as humans) special, but sometimes it can be a great burden - many people are on this site including me, because of our inability to control our thoughts and behaviour. Another way we can combat our bad habits is using our imagination against them.
Use your imagination to picture this....... The universe is a living organism. Our bodies are made of stars and our mind of another substance. Every rational creature is playing their part, every event that occurs happens for a reason. We may not know this reason, and that's fine. Look at the stars, recognise how you are connected with them, but you only play a small part. Your only responsibility is to make sure your mind is anchored to the present, so you can flow with the universe: every action we make must have a purpose- to benifit the universe of which we are a part. And to welcome with love whatever fate sends.

I know this sounds like hippy dippy rubbish, but I beleive having thoughts such as these enables us to deal with our day to day fears and vices in a constructive way.

[molly hodge]

i know drawing helps me with my MD because i need to focus on what im doing

[lisa wright]

look to jesus christ and he will show u how to get out of it accept him in ur life and ask for forgiveness of sins so that god can have a personal relationship with u  and god will speak to u like he did to me and a few others i know and tell u how to overcome it.i m free from the mdd and since that happened my mind is more clear i am more progressive,happier and my

social life improved

[roxanne]

Dream Lover, good tips for people wanting to reduce the time DD'ing - or not.  It is so important not to beat yourself up.  This is not something that we can really "give up."  I wouldn't want to, but have learned to not let it interfere overly with my life.  There are some good things that come from it.  It has gotten me through some really tough times, for instance.