Maladaptive Daydreaming
This article's going to be a little different than usual. This week, I'll be exploring the mental condition behind some writers' creativity: maladaptive daydreaming.
What is maladaptive daydreaming?
Maladaptive daydreaming is an unrecognized mental condition involving excessive daydreaming. Those who have it often suffer violent or disturbing daydreams. They are extremely vivid, to the point that the dreamer can completely block out reality. Many also report that they have to move while they daydream, most commonly pacing back and forth in an area where they cannot be observed. The disorder can be triggered incredibly easily by any media, including television, movies, songs, or books. Maladaptive daydreamers are unable to stop thinking about their favorite plot lines, developing them and/or using the characters within them for their original daydreams.
As I mentioned, maladaptive daydreaming is a little-known issue and is not recognized as a disorder by most of the psychology world. This is partially due to the fact that it is usually a symptom of a larger mental disorder.
What mental disorders are connected to maladaptive daydreaming?
Often, maladaptive daydreaming is a sign of depression, generalized anxiety disorder, or schizophrenia. It is a coping mechanism for these better-known disorders. However, this "coping" mechanism sometimes backfires as daydreamers desperately wish for fictional worlds and people they can never have.
How does this affect writing?
Many maladaptive daydreamers report that writing down their daydreams helps them reduces the need to daydream. Also, their plots are often incredibly imaginative and creative, and therefore make amazing stories.
If that's true, is this disorder actually a blessing in disguise?
I would hope that this is a rather self-explanatory question, but no, it is not. Like I said, the daydreams tend to be violent or dark in subject matter - such as abuse or murder - and disconnect the dreamer from all reality, resulting in impaired social functions and a dislike of events that force them to stop daydreaming.
How is it gained?
While not much is known on maladaptive daydreaming, the current lead scientists on the issue believe that maladaptive daydreaming is either caused by trauma or is passed down genetically. If it is the latter, the signs will begin showing themselves as a child, and the overlying mental disorder will likely eventually follow.
How is it cured?
The disorder that caused it must first be recognized and caused.
Can it really be called a disorder if it's only a symptom for other disorders?
Yes, since it is a harmful coping mechanism. For example, sometimes people have anxiety as a side effect of depression. It doesn't mean that the anxiety isn't an actual issue, it just means that there's more going on behind it.
How do I know if I have it?
Since it is not a recognized disorder, there's no surefire way to test if you have it. To start, try asking yourself the following questions:
- Have I suffered through childhood trauma?
- Do I have a preexisting mental disorder?
- Do any of my family members display signs of this disorder?
- Does daydreaming interfere with my day-to-day life?
- Do I find it difficult to "return" to reality after seeing a good movie/watching a good show/reading a good book?
If you answered yes to the majority of these questions, it's certainly something to look into.
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For additional resources on maladaptive daydreaming, check out Eli Somer's website. He's the scientist who first recognized and named the disorder. Also, please understand that I am not a scientists and have only done slight research on this issue. I am sure that in the years to come, the information in this article may change or even be deemed false. Don't take my word for certain fact. Instead, do your own research. Explore believable sources. To summarize, investigate, and seek out help if you think you need it!
