Is it incorrect to recognize Maladaptive Daydreaming as a psychological disorder?

[Yukia]

To those of you who believe in what the title says or similar, I want to hear your arguments in the comments.

The activity on this forum is slow and I understand this is a long shot. Plus the majority of my target audience doesn't even have an account here, but I want to try anyway.

None of it means that those who support the idea (edit: that recognizing MD as a disorder is correct) cannot comment. My personal opinion is that MD is closer to being a syndrome rather than a disorder, for example, but it still must be recognized to stop others from confusing it with schizophrenia or just a creative personality.

Thoughts?

[Jessica Ballantyne]

It's not, it's the inflations and the economy. I have a cousin who lives in a one-bedroom apartment he inherited from his grandmother. My sister is working on her Masters Degree, and I'm searching for jobs all the time, and doing whatever side gig I can get. So we both share a house with our parents. I do blame myself for not making very good decisions after high school. 

[Mils]

I always imagined telling people about it, and if I did, I would describe it as a disorder. It feels too light without it, and it's too complicated otherwise. If the conversation continues, I'll elaborate on it further. But for now, this is the easiest way to describe its severity and complexity. Otherwise it feels like I'm self-diagnosing myself with daydreaming-a-lot. It's a weird scenario honestly haha, but I'm glad someone else is talking about this topic!

[Jessica Ballantyne]

I don't daydream so often as I used to, and I'm well aware of what's going on in my life. Concern is that I'm not in the greatest of shape. When I was still MDD'ing away as a young adult, there were more open doors and I had the chance to build my life, and grow along. I think my cloud headed ways jilted all of this. So I started falling down, but had trouble back on my toes as easily. When the pandemic came along, it came like a huge wave, and flattened my chance to thrive better. It just made everything about my life even tougher. I even started getting lazy, and wasn't the sharp whiz I was at 22. Now I'm scrounging around polishing up my resume and portfolio, and going to all these interviews. My dad pops in 10 times a month to check my employment progress. Been this way for 2 years! I sometimes wish that I can travel back in time and change everything I didn't do right. Such as not start daydreaming. 

[Yukia]

That's what used to confuse the hell out of me when I was considering being open about it. It wasn't my daydreams but what pushed me to indulge in them in the first place. Despite missing out on real-life affairs, I still interpreted my MD as harmless because I appreciated its healing role while going through a rough patch. I didn't MD when I was genuinely happy for a month or two. When I wasn't, I couldn't share my difficulties with anyone because it is a taboo/sin and warrants punishment where I grew up. I seriously can't blame MD for any of it since in my case it doesn't feel like a disorder at all.

[Jessica Ballantyne]

MD was a coping mechanism, like a comforting blanket, when life felt cold, isolating, and uncertain. None of what went on in my head was true to life. It was all pure fantasy. Somehow it invaded where my life was going, because I found it hard to concentrate of important things, such as getting good marks, and entering a good college, and starting a decent relationship. MD made me happy at times in my youth, when really, it was making my life go on route to something very detrimental, because I wasn't growing, developing, and paying attention over the years. Now I have no place, no life, no career, etc. If I had just listened to people, I would've been fine, tough part is what I did before.