Do daydreams control our emotions or do our emotions control our daydreams?

[greyartist]

Is my depression making my DDs sad? or are my DDs making me depressed? The last couple of days I've been depressed, my DDs are all very negative and sad. I was crying this morning while trying to get ready for work because of the DD I woke up to. Starts as soon as I wake up. Lots of stress at work, and I am feeling overwelmed. I wish I could force my DD to be a happy one to stop the crying and maybe effect my mood, but I can't.

[Aine]

This is a good one, Greyartist, I'm not sure myself.  It's like what came first the chicken or the egg. I sometimes have very sad dd's if that's how I'm feeling and I let them play out,  cry and go through the whole thing and usually feel better. I might let my dd's  ( alter egos) go through a similar experience that I'm going through  or worse ( sounds crazy, I know) but it often helps. Other times, I may be too depressed to dd and just cry until I exhaust myself and eventually go into a dd anyway, even just to comfort myself or dd ( psych) myself out of it for a while.  I think there's a duality to it, sometimes the emotions control them and sometimes the dd's control the emotions.  How's that for a clear ambiguous answer, LOL.

I do hope you are feeling better and that we get to chat one day. All the best to you fellow DDer, may they be pleasant DD's

[greyartist]

Thanks Emily. You would think we could just daydream our selves into a happy place. But I seem to have very little control of the story lines in my DDs. I don't know if others have this issue, but my DDs have a life of their own. I'm just along for the ride. It's kind of opposite from what I have read some do, they escape into their DD world where life is better then their real world. But my real world isn't bad and the DD world is often very emotionally hard, fear, sadness, betrayal, etc. Strong emotions that I don't feel in my real life. I have that numb feeling in real life like others on the board have written about. The only time I cry is when something in a DD makes me. So my DDs are more of a prison then an excape. 

[Emily]

*hugs greyartist* i know i shut down when I'm overwhlemed. I get into my "i don't give a f***" suit and hide out with my daydreams. But sometimes, when I need daydreaming the most, it doesnt turn out right, as though I'm trying too hard. Being who we are is, be it daydreamers or otherwise, stressful, and with depression to top it off... well... *sighs*. I've got my "family", my pep team, right here in my head. Whenever you're feeling blue, dd your own pep team up. Talk to them. It might not always help, but I know on here, there are plenty of people who care for you very much :)

[greyartist]

thanks Jules

[Jules]

Interesting question. My DD's seem to always be whatever helps me at that time. DD's can make me depressed, because it causes an expectation of life...that's unreal. And when it doesn't happen in reality...

I just feel like I want to give up.

But I do DD about depression at times when I am depressed. But I guess for me it's because depression can become like my best friend. A way to escape from a life I don't like or enjoy. Gives me an excuse to stay in bed. And DD my life away.

However, Greyartist, my dear friend...be kind to yourself. Overwhelming stress of any kind can cause anyone to long for escape. I'm sorry you're struggling like this. Hope it will pass soon? Keep in touch about how it's going. xo