My experience

[Elena James]

I'm not sure when I started daydreaming like this, but it has been a very long time. As a child, I started adopting/creating fictional characters as my parents, siblings, and friends. That habit has continued to grow and evolve from childish daydreams when I couldn't sleep into daily daydreams that are a continuation of a story that has been happening for years. My daydreams are my safe space inside my own head, and they're what I turn to when life is too stressful. It's calming, and allows me to vent emotions I can't deal with in real life. So far, I haven't run into a lot of issues with my daydreaming affecting real life. I get the occasional stare for spacing off for too long and have been caught once or twice pacing in my room, but I can mostly stay focused on reality when it is necessary. I do have some concerns that I am a bit too emotionally detached from some of the people in my life due to the attachment I have to the folks in my daydreams, but that doesn't seem to have arisen as an issue in my relationships thus far. 

Honestly, I was a little shocked to discover that there were so many people who have the same habits as I do, including the pacing and using driving time to daydream, but it is good to know that I am not so alone. 

[Elena James]

I think I always manage to remember, on some level, that it is not real. And I do my best to make sure I maintain a healthy social life for a 22 year old. I try not to daydream at work at all, and I typically have to be alone to really let myself go into it. I learned the hard way as a teenager that this behavior can really get me into trouble if I don't keep an grip on it.

[Annie]

Like totally. It's like we feel so much better inside our minds than outside.

Sucks though when we realize none of it is real. But sometimes it can be very entertaining especially when we are bored, or stressed out. Of course sometimes it gets the better of when it starts to interfere with our social life, work, school, or even driving =P

[taffle]

Welcome!  I also feel my daydreams are so much more fulfilling than my real life.