Christmas is the hardest time of year

[SJ]

I was really excited as I am actually having a Christmas break this year which is rare working in retail.

I usually find this the most depressing time of the year, I love my family but to be stuck with them for 3 days straight is driving me crazy. I have no time to get inside my head and have felt really lonely and strange being completely present all day. But at night when I've tried to daydream I can't. My current daydream was started this time last year by a show I watched and has been with me everyday since. I feel lonely when I think about these people living their lives and enjoying Christmas and that I have invested so much time in strangers. Who if I really met may not even like.

Every new year is the same I promise myself this will be the year I cut down on MD that I will live out in the world and I will have a real relationship with someone and the year always passes again with missed moments while I was in my head. 

[Martha M]

Christmas does tend to be people and interaction intensive and for those of who live inside our heads it can be draining.  Make an excuse and step away occasionally, give yourself a break.

[Dreamer]

I also find being home with family triggering in a lot of ways. I've been spending more time online (haha-here and elsewhere) to cope during this holiday break. 

...

Some ideas to help reduce daydreaming: Maybe instead of focusing on not daydreaming, you can focus on another small and tangible goal that will help towards the larger goal of not daydreaming as much and developing in person relationships. For example, maybe set a goal to  join a new group in town that meets once per month or wee or day.  Meetup.com can be great for finding social groups/activities for all kinds of interests. Or maybe the goal could be, "I will go to a coffee shop once per week and spend that time journaling and connecting with myself."  I think these kind of small tangible goals can help you start to feel like you are making progress and also help to slowly help you to meet people and spend less time in daydream.  I know that it can be very overwhelming to simply try to, "Stop" cold turkey something that brings comfort. Good luck and know that you aren't alone in this!