Is There Science Behind Maladaptive Daydreaming?

[K.M.R.]

I've always wondered why I daydream so much. I've been daydreaming ever since I was about seven I think. There hasn't been any horrible trauma or any huge event in my life at that time that has caused be to become addicted to daydreaming. I wonder if maybe there is something in my genetics that makes me do this. It isn't a mechanism to deal with boredom or past trauma, my life is busy and I have things to do. I love the way I live except my chronic depression and maladaptive daydreaming are getting in the way. Does anyone know where this comes from? I can't think of a traumatic event or anything really that would make me become such a sad person. Is there something in my genetics or brain?

[Katherine Milano]

As far as genetics goes, I am about 100% sure that no one in my family has anything like this. I think that there is probably something going on with the brain, at least that causes one person to be more susceptible to daydreaming than another person. In my opinion, based on no science but purely on my own experience and reading other people's stories and studies, I think that it starts with a higher propensity to daydream when one is young which then develops into an addiction as one gets older in the same way that any other addiction develops. I think that the brain probably changes in response to constant daydreaming just as the body will change in response to constant alcohol, drugs, etc., becoming more and more used to and dependent on daydreaming. Once again, just my own theory. I hope that there will eventually be hard science.

[Cordellia Amethyste Rose]

Maladaptive Daydreaming may sometimes be caused by trauma, and that was once the thought, but that was disproved by Dr. Cynthia Scupak and Jayne Bigelsen in their study.  People seem to do it for a variety of reasons, and people start at different ages.  I feel I was born with it and that it's just part of me.  I have no idea if anyone in my biological family ever had it.  I'm sure that, as it keeps being studied, more answers will come to light.