This may help you, ideas from my shrink.

[Wish Upon A Wish]

Okay, so I've seen a psychotherapist twice now for this, two weeks apart (it's annoying that she only works Thursdays, but ah well.) The first time wasn't really much about daydreaming, mostly to get to know her/her to know me and to see if I'd be eligible for the 6wks free earthquake therapy thing (it got worse the start of year 11. The earthquake was start of y11, so yes, I'm eligible for it, if you're wondering, which you probably don't care.)

The first time, too, she gave me 'homework' which I still have. Basically, try to get up as soon as you're awake, and don't lay in bed DDing or whatever. Mark down when you do/don't (she said no crosses, though, she doesn't like crosses) and don't be discourage. She said doing it two/three times (forgot to mark it down) in two weeks was quite good, so yeah. Apparently it really helps with anxiety/depression, but I don't have either of those.

 

The second session, she was telling me to pretend that DayDreaming was not something I did, but something that came to annoy me, and like climb onto my shoulder to either annoy, distract or entertain me. She sorta' demonstrated a flicking motion on her shoulder, as if flicking something off, but then I explained to her that stopping daydreaming was not so easy as to just flick it off, but to push it off, it was too big to flick. I decided it was about bird size, and she said, "like a parrot size?" and I thought so, and so now I imagine DayDreaming or DD as a pitch black parrot (Kinda like a raven-coloured parrot, 'cause, you know, the feathers, beak and eyes are different blacks. The black because it's still quite unknown, and I somehow have the feeling that black will stick.) And it did help in two exams on Friday, to imagine pushing this DD off my shoulder and start concentrating again. She also recommended to give DD another name, if I could think of one, but it's still just DD for me. I hope it doesn't somehow become a character in one of my worlds........

She also said I should try and think of a lecture to DD (she also does this for people suffering from things like depression) basically, like, "Listen hear, DD. You really need to eff off" (but the lecture would go on longer and can be extremely rude or clean, whichever works for me. or you, if you try any of this. I haven't got a lecture yet, I just push daydreaming away, gently, and say, "look, I need to do work, and I can't concentrate with you here, so please go away" Christ, I'm too nice to people, aren't I? I mean, I'm a little bit more of a hardass in my daydreams, but I can't even be mean to this? Maybe it's 'cause I imagine it as a bird, and I like animals....

 

I should also try to notice, and write down, what I'm doing (eg homework, in car etc) when I am daydreaming, and what I'm doing when I'm not (one-on-one conversations, rock-climbing etc). I won't notice every time, but I should try. I have three weeks to do it, that's plenty.

 Sorry, I mean, I should also try to notice, and write down, what I'm doing when DayDreaming (DD) appears on my shoulder. See, I fixeded it.

[greyartist]

sounds like some good suggestions, I have been trying to ask myself "whys" when I DD. Like "why are you doing this when you could be doing such and such." "why are you talking to this DD, go talk to a real person." Not helping much but it does bring me out for a few minutes.

[Emily]

It's funny, I already do the "bird"thing, the idea that dd is physical and you're trying to get it away from you. I also do the lecture thing, but thats often just from me talking to myself. It's almost kind of fun. I feel like I'd rather talk outloud to myself than dd... hmm, strange. Anyway, good luck with your therapy :)