Help .. i really need it .

[stillstudent]

 In brief , I want to know if Maladaptive daydreaming is some kind of disorder that you can treat yourself without going to therapist ? Or it is a Disease and I need to go to doctor to get myself cured ?

 I am not happy at all with myself as a daydreamer .. I really want my whole mind here in the land of the reality all time . And I don't care how much I have to pay to get rid of daydreaming forever .

[Alexis Faith]

I feel the same way. I am really thinking about talking to my doctor, but I'm so ashamed.

[S.D.]

Well this is complicated. Many therapists and psychologist do not even know what Maladaptive Daydreaming is so it is hard for them to understand and help you get better. My therapist suggested I get more hobbies and make my life more fulfilling.  I feel a lot of the reason I daydream is because of trauma I have had in the past and because there are things missing from my life right now, like friendships. I told my therapist that even when I am busy I still daydream so I don't think getting more hobbies would be the solution and I am not sure if there even is one. I have been on so many anti-depressants, anxiety meds, and ADD meds and while some of them have made me focus more and daydream less they have never completely solved or stopped my daydreams. I think some medication can help but it takes several tries to get the right medication that works for you. My therapist would try to help me deal with my traumas in the past, set goals and try new activities but here I am years later and still daydreaming everyday. I have accepted my daydreams and actually appreciate them in some ways because they help me survive in a world where I struggle to fit in and belong, I don't know where I would be without them. I have a lot missing from my life and while I am not saying daydreaming is the best solutions for the things missing it is the only thing I can do right now.

So you can try speaking to a therapist about your daydreams and stopping them but that won't be the only thing you will discuss, you will discuss your past trauma (or things that may have led to you daydreaming so much) which can help you heal and move on. Also they might do CBT  (Cognitive behavioral therapy) to change your thoughts and behaviors, you can also try medications.  Dealing with whatever may have caused you to daydream and live in a fantasy world so much will probably be the best solution, for me it was neglect and trauma and talking about that really helped me understand myself better. A doctor cannot cure you, it does not work this way, it takes a very long time to do therapy and try out different medications, again I have been doing this for years and am still not completely "cured", it takes an enormous amount of effort.

If you want to do it on your own you can try to stay away from things that trigger you (like music for example), you could try writing, you could try enhancing your life by making more friends, joining groups, giving yourself little time to daydream, keeping your mind focused on something that really interests you, and snapping yourself back in to reality when you feel yourself fade into your daydreams.

[MatthewR]

Well, daydreaming is normal and healthy. What makes it a maladaptive habit if it hinders you in some other area of your life. I don't know how effective medications are, tbh. Like S.D. I've been on different medications, and none of them were effective at diminishing my excessive fantasizing nor did they actually help me with my other problems. I am a very anxious person by default, and simple things are enough to upset me. Only recently have i really examined my feelings in context. Sometimes i have emotional outbursts completely out of proportion to the situation, and other times i find myself preoccupied with people and relationships in general. This is odd for me because I've always considered myself a very rational, highly logical person. In reality, though, I think I'm actually a feeling-dominant person, and this realization has really shifted my focus in life. I think i will always have a very active imagination, but at least i can control it better and set realistic goals and work toward them. I think if you can accept your fantasy life as a necessary part of your personality, it might help to diminish its power over you so that you can concentrate and get more things done. I hope you're well. Good luck to you!

[Ivy White]

I'm trying out some form of treatment for MDD, I post about it in my blog.I was lucky to get in contact with someone who is (between others) treating some people with MDD. They didn't dismiss things when I told them, and we discussed treatment options. I am holding off medication for a while, we'll see how I do without first. MDD is a coping mecanism for me and will keep coming back unless I learn to deal with the root cause (in my case, heightened sensory sensitivity and high baseline anxiety, probably because of some attachment issues).

I think the biggest issue is finding people who take MDD seriously though.