Nothing But the Untruth

[Mira]

I complain to my therapist sometimes about my daydreaming. How much I do it, how it takes away from reading, writing, more constructive activities, etc. The more stressed out I get, the more I bury myself in my thoughts, even though doing even ONE thing that is productive or relaxing will give me a boost of confidence, or at least clear my head in a proper fashion.  (Managing to do anything in my free time besides daydreaming or vegetating in front of my computer always makes me proud) It feels like a terrible cycle.

But for whatever reason, he's always convinced this is what is "normal" for me; he seems to have a great deal of fascination with my creative intensity and how I use it as a coping mechanism. 

Mind you, I often DD about him specifically, and he knows that, which makes me wonder if on some level he just doesn't want me to stop. I guess anybody in that situation would think that way. I don't DD about him as much as I used to, though.

No matter what I do, I'm always imagining things. Good or bad, realistic or not, my brain is always chewing on something. My mind always seems to need to be filled with something. I guess he finds that thrilling, but I find it exhausting. :(

[Mira]

Hmm...

Do you do it when you should be doing other things that are more productive?

Sometimes. But "should" is an interesting word. I usually get my work done at work, and I daydream more when I don't have much to do, or don't have a clear direction. It makes me feel really, really guilty, but it has yet to cause problems. *knock on wood*

Do you do it when you are feeling depressed? 

I do it when I'm depressed, stressed, happy...whenever. Mostly when I'm stressed, though. And often when I just happen to have free time on my hands- walking, on the bus, in the bathroom, trying to sleep, etc. Usually to avoid worrying.

Are you ashamed of how it makes you feel? Is it something you feel ashamed or guilty about to the point you can't tell others?

Yes, but then again I'm ashamed of a lot of things. I'm an intensely self-conscious person.

Does it isolate you from others and makes you spend more time alone indulging in the addiction?

I voluntarily isolate myself because I have a threshold for socialization. I have plenty of friends, but I overload easily and when I'm by myself, the DD starts up again. The DD is not the motivator- stress is- but since it's my go-to form of unwinding, it's somewhat inevitable when I'm by myself. 

I'm perfectly aware that I probably don't DD the same way most people on here do- my daydreaming fills in the little spaces in my life that aren't filled with obligations, and that makes me sad because it means instead of DOING things that I love, I'm merely daydreaming about them. Or, it's an activity I use to unwind that brings me very little satisfaction or confidence, it just delays me from my anxiety, and that's it. 

I don't completely agree with my therapist- I think  doing things is a lot better for my anxiety then simple mental distraction- but I hesitate to call it an "addiction", because it doesn't really pose a functional threat to my lifestyle. 

[Liza Maria Medina]

For a long time whenver I looked up "Excesssive daydreaming" or "Addicted to daydreaming" I'd always find people online saying it's okay and there's nothing wrong with having an overly creative fantasy life. I've never discussed this with a therapist but I did have a psychologist who helped me with my depression. I have to say your therapist is wrong to think this is okay. You need to look at it like any other addicition and the signs are clear:

Do you do it when you should be doing other things that are more productive?

Do you do it when you are feeling depressed? 

Are you ashamed of how it makes you feel? 

Is it something you feel ashamed or guilty about to the point you can't tell others?

Does it isolate you from others and makes you spend more time alone indulging in the addiction?

Your therapist must realize these are signs of destructive behavior and no matter how much he may think it's just a part of life, he is wrong. Normal people only DD sometimes and don't show the symptoms MD sufferers exhibit. Hopefully he can help you to get better and not DD so much in the future.