Maladaptive DayDreaming and Limerence

[Leigh]

Is there a link between the two?

Limerence is described as

 “an involuntary interpersonal state that involves an acute longing for emotional reciprocation, obsessive-compulsive thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, and emotional dependence on another person.”

Symptoms include:

• Idealization of the other person’s characteristics (positive and negative)

• Uncontrollable and intrusive thoughts about the other person

• Extreme shyness, stuttering, nervousness and confusion around the other person

• Fear of rejection and despair or thoughts of suicide if rejection occurs

• A sense of euphoria in response to real or perceived signs of reciprocation

• Fantasizing about or searching obsessively for signs of reciprocation (“reading into things”)

• Being reminded of the person in everything around you

• Replaying in your mind every encounter with the other person in great detail

• Maintaining romantic intensity through adversity

• Endlessly analyzing every word and gesture to determine their possible meaning

• Arranging your schedule to maximize possible encounters with the other person

• Experiencing physical symptoms such as trembling, flushing, weakness or heart palpitations around the other person

Can you relate? Have you experienced this?

I have suffered with both maladaptive daydreaming and limerence for a long time. I can remember my first bout of maladaptive daydreaming around 8th/9th grade, and limerence in 10th grade. They seem to be connected somehow.

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-sack-md/limerence_b_1627089.html

http://bthaw.blogspot.com/2011/08/guide-to-limerence.html

[Jen]

Very perceptive of you, and I really liked the links too. Maybe being susceptible to one exacerbates the other.

[Luna]

I think I have limerence and mdd as well! I keep daydreaming about a guy and can't stop thinking about him. I've been like this since I was about 14 (I am 43).
I am getting better though, I regret not trying more actively to overcome it years ago, because it has affected my love life.

[debbie downer]

I can definitely relate. I knew what limerence was because I've had a few of the symptoms and I looked them up awhile ago to see if I had a problem.  I don't know if I would label myself as having limerence, but I've experienced something very similar to it for a very long time. My main/favorite character is my daydream boyfriend, and I know I daydream about him because I'm extremely boy crazy and think about guys at all hours of the day. I feel like there's a link between the two for a lot of people.