I spent a day with MALADAPTIVE DAYDREAMERS

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Ola

Hello Anthony

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Hi

It can be a problem, it’s just something you have to learn to manage. I know a lot of people use journaling or writing to help with it, including myself.

It isn’t a problem inherently.

The thing that makes it a problem is if it becomes a habit

Fr

@@threemashup2662 If it's not a problem, it's literally just daydreaming. The word maladaptive means that, by definition, it's harmful. Learn your shit.

Right? It feels as if life is just dulled, without those daydreams..

ikr! like i feel like i will go through my day but the only thing i’m looking forward to is daydreaming and the story of the daydream

I'm the same the way I cope by incorporating my real life with my dreams.

why don't you guys just become writers and write books with all those daydream stories lol..

@@OArchivesX that’s a good idea but i can’t write lol

SAME OMG

No like for real

Same

Honestly, same. :,)

Dang it!! 😂

😅 Yes, I never even knew I had a disorder. I just thought I was weird.

I once used think I’m mad and there’s something wrong with my mind

I read your comment and daydreamed we actually had a conversation together 😂

That's really true 😌

Same 😅

Yeah

For the longest time I thought this was normal until I saw a comment one time that gave me a something to search.

yeah!

Wait I do this but not for weeks on end. I thought everyone could watch movies in their heads. (Commented this before watching the video)

sameee

I recently revealed the genders of my two girlfriends. It got a lot of hate and now has 30 times more dislikes than likes. I am really sad that people can be so mean. Sorry for using your comment to talk about my problems, dear ipo

@@AxxLAfriku huh

@@AxxLAfriku the fuck

@@AxxLAfriku if you don't mind I'm trying not to be rude but I don't understand the wording of your sentence.

@@AxxLAfriku "Reveal the gender of my girlfriends" them being your girlfriends already gives away their gender mate

I called it roleplaying by myself!! Or even just playing by myself because as a kid I would use objects and toys and movement to act out what I had going on in my mind

literally, like as I started to get older I felt like I was crazy and no one else did it, but I love to see people who have experienced the same thing and that it’s not always negative

@@zvoid_error000 same

omg same. especially when they talked about how their small world started to keep expanding i felt understood.

One of my friends said she did that in primary school, I haven't had any contact with her since then. Honestly kinda worried for her now I hope she is doing okay

hi, can have ur insta or something? , bc I need friend who feel the same

It’s the exact same for me

Same here but usually I use character that others have created and/or my idealized characters

Same soemtimes

Same

I told this to someone before, it saved my life too and even though it took up most of my childhood I needed it at that moment.

@@amandarodriguez5070 Thanks for sharing❤
Hope you feel better now!

It's not maladaptive daydreaming if it's beneficial to you.

​@@sophian.1201 I wouldn't say it's "beneficial" to me but it is a coping mechanism 😅

@@sophian.1201 it being used as a coping mechanism doesn’t change that it’s still very much a mental condition.

Same. I literally gasped a clicked right away when I saw it

Same!

i gasped too 😭 im so happy

And here you have me, not even realising we are supposed to be embarrassed about it.. So this was interesting.

i was super taken aback myself! this man covers everything!

So true, I've gone days without eating or talking to anyone just to walk around my room and daydream, it's so bad

We can overcome it guys❤❤

i found that interesting too, someone died quite awhile ago for me, but i havent fully been impacted by it because i just find myself replaying their past. there are certain times where I have to grieve alongside his partner and friends, so i can definitely see where shes coming from to an extent.

im kind of in the middle where i have to justify any big changes in the timeline or whatever you want to call it, so i’ll spend like a whole night reworking everything so it makes sense story-wise that that character never died 😅 it’s so much work lmao

ya I thought that too, but it seems to me her world is more realistic, as in like not magical. so when you think of a storyline you don’t want to just ignore, you feel like you can’t compromise the integrity of the world, because personally I have rules in the universe so I’m assuming she does too.

@@fsc4823 well, I hope the retcons of characters being alive are better than some in actual TV shows/movies, bc some of those are... rough (looking at you palpatine).

@@trickytreyperfected1482 omg i would never disrespect any of what i have goin on in there by doing anything close to what tros did to the skywalker saga 😭 “somehow palpatine returned” like WHAT?!???? nope nope nope. if i do run things back i do it with intent and it’s always really well-worked out and respectful to the characters/people whatever u wanna call em :)

BUT can we trust anything they say..

What’s your name?
*intense sweating”

Well, if that wouldn't be the perfect opportunity for him to extend the olive branch to Trisha Paytas after the whole DID scandal lmao

BUT would they even agree to come on?

@@leticiafelix9838 well not just the DID thing. the trans scandal one and a few others. trisha needs help honestly.

I do actually think he is the best interviewer on youtube

@@onijaradu he is definitely on my top 2!

@@allisonwunderbread5283 Who is the other one? I love Anthony's videos.

Love when good interviews are able to pick up little things like that and help whenever needed. It's something small but very appreciated

@@storytime1469 I think Sean evans would be my other in top two of KRplus interviewers. Anthony deserves the second for sure

I'm an undiagnosed maladaptive day dreamer. I day dream for hours a day everyday, and when I get interrupted I just quickly do what I gotta do and then my brain kinda goes "previously on your daydream" or something like that. I'm going to my first year of highschool and I'm scared the day dreaming is only gonna get in the way which I'm scared since these years of school rlly count. I wanna get help but at the same time I rlly don't

@@average_accident322 Hey! As far as I know, MD is still being researched and is not fully recognized as a disorder yet, so you can’t actually be diagnosed by a professional yet🤷🏼 if you feel that your daydreams/behaviors fit the description of MD then you have full right to refer to them as that if you want to. I’m sorry that you worry about them going into high school😔 if you have any way to visit a counselor of some sort and feel secure/comfortable doing so than they might be able to help brainstorm ideas on how to gain more control of your daydreams (tho you might have to explain what MD is). I worked with a therapist, and we came up with some stuff that’s helped me. Regardless, good luck with your first year and I hope things end up okay for you👍

@@hivemindgoblin8540 thank you! I have a personal therapist I can contact to I can talk to them about it. If you have any suggestions on things that might help I'd be happy to hear!

@@average_accident322 I think that what helps best is largely going to depend on the person and how their daydreams affect them🤔 something I do that helps me is if I’m aware I’m starting to daydream, before I get to absorbed I imagine myself inserted into the story and tell the characters that I can’t daydream right now. I’m not in the story or world in any way, so imagining myself interacting with the characters is largely jarring and uncomfortable, which helps refocus me. Something else that helps me is that my dog will paw/nudge/lick me insistently for attention if I ignore him (aka zone out) for too long. My dog is a service dog (not for MD haha, I’m a diagnosed autistic and have chronic illnesses that he’s been trained tasks to help me manage) so he’s with me 24/7, but you could ask a friend or someone trusted to tap you on the hand or something if they see you distracted for a long time if you think a physical reminder would help. Just ideas, I hope this helps to inspire though😊

@@hivemindgoblin8540 thank you! I appreciate the suggestions! I'll try them out and see how they go! Thank you again

Glad you were able to find a video that you could relate to! :)

Samee!! Didn't know there was a word for it

This is exactly how I am. If it isn't really debilitating, you might want to look into Immersive Daydreaming (if you haven't found it already. I realize this comment is 4 months old.) It's Maladaptive Daydreaming without getting in the way of functioning in your day to day life.

@@mythicmusique6226 interesting, I will look into it!

omg I feel so validated by your comment

I agree, it's like an addiction I hate having MD but litteraly can't stop and IDK what I'd do if it all went away. Probably fall into a deep depression? who knows. I wish I never had it.

Agree. It's destroying me. I want to stop but can't. If I stop I feel empty and sad. Like really sad! I don't feel like myself. I have to daydreaming helped me during my teenage years. But now it's destroying my life.

I cannot sleep!!! At all!! It's 1:29 am

If it helps any of you, IIRC it's considered a form of dissociation by people like Pete Walker (wrote a book on Complex PTSD and talked about chronic daydreaming being part of the Freeze-type response to stress/trauma)! So maybe resources to dealing with chronic dissociation will be helpful.

I know it may sound weird, but as someone that has struggled with addiction (alcohol, weed, amphetamines, daydreaming) and other maladaptive coping mechanisms, these mechanisms actually help you survive. I've been in schema therapy for 1,5 years, and I've learned that the key to stop these mechanisms is to tackle the emotions that trigger them. So you need to find healthy ways to cope, instead of focusing on stopping these mechanisms by trying to not do them. I hope you find help and can improve your life.

you're literally everywhere

I agree, it’s cool learning about everything and being able to know that everyone is different and all the different disorders, ways of identifying, and overall kinds of ways that things impact peoples life

took the words right off of my mouth. for a long time i thought it was just a weird case of adhd that i have.

looooooooooooooooooooooooooool,bro if your going to this channel FOR phycological advisement, i will quote for you" It's a proposed diagnosis of a disordered form of dissociative absorption associated with excessive fantasy that is not recognized by any major medical or psychological criteria" this channel is full of what you basically call sub-factors to actual phenomena , as psychiatrist, i can verify this channel is a channel focused around the perpetuation of PPD in it's hypochondriacal form. this , isn't a condition or disorder it's an addiction,as its a sub trait of OCD. These people have OCD, and in their OCD they convince themselves they know better than professionals, and in echo chambers start telling each other they get each other because they're the only people on the planet that will ever appreciate and acknowledge these delusional disassociated thoughts. this is what you might actually call psychological propaganda.

Thank you so much for these videos-Videos like this are just amazing-spreading awareness, in a way that isn't judgemental 😄 and which also makes people feel equal-to open up...(Sorry my grammar is bad)

Hey, I do that sliding and walking thing too!
As for me, I’m very attached to my DDCs (daydream characters). They’re like family now, they’ve all grown and it’s like they’re something that’s taken a life of their own

I think making movement while daydreaming is quite common. That's not weird.

Yea!! I constantly try to walk for hours on end just so I can daydream. But when I don’t go on walks, I slide and jitter and move

Holy shit me too and depending on the song would be the theme of my day dream. I haven't gotten help yet cuz I'm not sure if I even wanna stop

I’ve always been very in motion during my daydreams and have stubbed my toe or hit my hand more times than I can count 😭

I absolutely agree. For me this is exactly what I do when I’m depressed. I spend all day in this world in my head and put one of my daydream characters on in the real world. I was conscious in both worlds and remember both but everything is kind of fuzzy. For me I only do this when my mental health is bad, and right now I’m in the process of writing out the inner world. It’s fun and gets it out of my head. I’m also autistic so that might be part of it.

I agreeeee so much. I definitely think it’s a type of dissociation.

Omg me too!

Not to that big degree but if i daydream in my home alone, and characters are having dialog i would also copy their gestures and even say their lines outloud, though i realise what i am doing its kinda not intentionally in a way

I get what you mean. What scares me sometimes is when I'm driving. Like you know how sometimes people just drive from point A to point B on autopilot. It get like that too, but sometimes it's more intense with the day dreams and I would completely miss an exit and not realize it till later, and I'm like, wait, where am I? >.< Thankfully, this doesn't happen too often because I try to catch myself when I start slipping in too deep. And I know that this is Not ok to be doing while driving cuz I can put other people at risk.

Me too. Most of the people surrounding me are used to seeing me do those things. One time, I crossed a really busy road without looking if the cars stopped. I only realized what I was doing when I was already in the middle and a car abruptly stopped with a loud sound. I was in my "imagination world" so I couldnt see whats in front of me.

Dude the amount of times ive been caught talking to myself- i think some people i know think im crazy

Yep! Definitely me.
Im still not sure if what I’m experiencing is Maladaptive Daydreaming, It goes away, but then comes back very strong? Oddly enough, it does feel like an addiction, and my head feels like exploding if I don’t think about it.. so hm.
Yeah, it might’ve also been a coping mechanism now that i think of it..

ive got a similar thing. itll be super strong for a while when i watch a new show or play a new game, but then itll go away until the next thing comes along. my current one has been going for almost a year now, and i think i have a new one forming. also, im not sure if this is normal, but most of the time, the characters in my daydreams arent people. sometimes theyre dragons or cats. idk.

That's what I do! I wouldn't consider it MD though. I feel like it mostly borders coping/disassociation. I do it a lot at work because I can't stand being there, and when I have nothing to fill the time with. Lots of writing/drawing and world building. I kinda wanna know what it'd be like to experience it MD style, but I do have vivid dreams.

i recommend looking into “excessive daydreaming” specifically! there are communities of people who daydream like this but not in a maladaptive way

@@TyraWadman MD is often a coping mechanism as well that just spirals a lot - when you get down to it I don't think it's much different from what you experience. It's just a LOT of it. It's seriously not something you want to experience, though - it's fun in the moment but you lose hours at a time to nothing.

Exactly!!!! There so much more to it 😭

Thank you so much for this comment. When people said to me "everyone does it" Or "I daydream so I'm definitely a Maladaptive daydreamer" Made me feel like an attention-seeker and invalidated, I felt like maybe It was just me being lazy,overimaginative and dramatic.
I felt unseen and that really hurt my feelings.
I'm sure that everyone has their own struggle and they are completely valid (no exception, everyone's feelings are valid) but I really appreciate when people approach carefully to this topic, maladaptive daydream is not the same as being a simple daydreamer, and I'm really glad when people realize it is a struggle for many of us;something that can really destroy your everyday life.
Luckily people is getting more and more educated in this topic and I hope that helps them to understand what it's harmful (or helpful) to say when they speak with somebody who struggles with Maladaptive daydreaming.
(Sorry for my bad English, it is my second language)
If you are reading this, you are valid.
Remember to take care and be nice to yourself.
You got this 💖💖

@@steelmoon6095 awe you seem like such a sweet person. You're not any of those negative things. Like you said everyone has their struggles. Unfortunately some people can't see how others are struggling and brush it off as laziness or being dramatic. That doesn't mean you're not seriously being effected. I hope you're able to find a loving support system that helps you throughout this and I wish you the best on your journey. 💖

@@nutella1757 Thank you so Much, you are really nice❤❤
I really appreciate this.
Good luck to everyone who is struggling with any mental health difficulties.

Yes, day dreaming for only a few minutes like once a while is normal but day dreaming for hours on end multiple times a day is a problem I haven't gotten help yet cuz I'm not sure if I even wanna stop tbh

Why is this so relatable omg 😭

Bro it feels as if I am passing away (dead) from that fantasy world of mine! The people disappearing! It's so sad! I could never say goodbye to him ever

@@yamaagamingyt Fr! For me, it's like when I think that these people that love me so much in my daydreams are never gonna actually exist, I get so sad :(

@@aliaaaafr Aww i feel you, it's the worst feeling that someone i love and adore sm won't ever exist, they are just better than real people.

@@yamaagamingyt exactly. For the longest time I never knew what this was, but when I finally found it out, I was happy to find people I could actually relate to more and more

Asocial, not anti-social

I feel you a hundred percent. This is great we all can finally talk about it. We’re not alone anymore.

Bruh, I feel this for sure. I grew up in a community where even certain kinds of thoughts were considered sins and I felt I wasn’t allowed to be myself and I felt I had to constantly police myself and my thoughts. Daydreaming was where I could escape and be myself, but there was also anxiety there. Now I use it to essentially heal myself and my childhood.

@@acetronaut really dude he’s talking about difficult experiences he has had, and you’re out here correcting him smh.

Sending you a big hug, you got this.

!!! Same

I feel the same

@@Imhighandhungry now you're just calling everyone a bot come on

I feel for you people, as a kid I used to daydream all the time for hours on end but it slowly died down.
It’s kinda crazy to think of how my life would be like if it never did, or if my daydreams became more intricate and easier to lose myself in them. It sounds both cool and scary for sure

Same I just realized that this was an actual thing and its very relieving Im not the only one, but I want stop LSUSJD

If you don’t want to tell them. Then don’t?

You don't have to tell them. I would suggest maybe draw or write abt it? Like make a webtoon or something that way you can get some money or smth

Not sure how old you are but I would try get help. I missed out on so much of the school, highschool, and university fun times because I was preoccupied. Lost so much of my young life that I will never get back .

I grew up with two narcissists, same with me!

Same for me, one of my parents is a narc, and to escape the reality of narc abuse and of my being a "failure" (that's what I thought of myself some time ago, still struggle with this), I would just MD.

i also plan to write down my universe one day but i don't know where to start as i randomly added more and more stuff and changing my plot line time to time and it was sort of never ending and most importantly i am NOT ready for the public judgements yet🙃

I wrote two books. They were bad. I think that was because of my lack of experience as a writer. I am currently working on the third one. I expect it to be better than the first two, but I don't know if it is going to be good enough for showing it to others. Maybe you should all just start writing, instead of telling yourself that you'll do it one day.

Lp

I'm so glad you said this because same! I've never told anyone that's why I keep "putting off getting a license". It's one of the major reasons I do. Whenever I'm in a car it's so easy for me to slip into one of my daydreams. I'm less worried about crashing if I drive and more concerned with just..."waking up" somewhere random. It would definitely happen.

I have a license and have gotten into an accident because of this. Trust me, you're doing the right thing.

I’m at the point in my life (17) where I’m being pressured to get my license - but I’ve spent all my life daydreaming constantly in the car - and to concentrate in that space instead - idk I just don’t want to give it up

I too do not drive. I have severe depersonalization, but I also just don't trust myself not to slip off into a daydream while driving.

Omg. I have my license and im really terrified when I'm on the road because I've come close to getting into car accidents because I'll slip into a day dream. People don't understand how much of a struggle it is. My daydreams trigger in the car when it's silent or when music is playing so im kinda fucked regardless.

I fucking hate it

I wanna end it but idk how. Fml

Yeah okay buddy

@@malachirichards1072 ?

Yeah I have it but no one knows and I’ve never really spoke about it? Is there anything you can actually do about it? I mean I don’t mind just living with it but it’s really hard to move on in life at the same speed as everyone else

i think that’s just daydreaming

@@i.love.kingvon how can you say what somebody else is experiencing..you cant.

@@TheKatarinaGiselle im saying that as a person who has this it isn't subjected to emotions much

No that's just daydreaming , maladaptive daydreaming doesn't go away no matter if ur happy or sad or depressed

@@TheKatarinaGiselle because they do that only when they're depressed or anxious

I don't think you need every symptom to be considered. Not everyone paces or rocks or do movements when they daydream. I would believe it's a spectrum of sorts.

This should be in the DSM because same

There definitely is a spectrum, I have it, but I don't do movements when I'm daydreaming, have full control over the stories and I can pull myself out of them when I need too. It still seriously affects my life though because I'll get sucked into daydreaming like when I'm doing homework and do that instead. It's also been causing me memory problems which is fun- I think that if it's negatively affecting your life, even if it doesn't hit all of the check marks, it still is Maladaptive Daydreaming. Though there is another type of daydreaming called Immerseve daydreaming that is more intense than normal daydreaming but it doesn't negatively impact your life like maladaptive daydreaming does.

Finally someone like me!

I think then its just "daydreaming" you know? Which i believe might be a very normal thing alotta people do?
Because ive talked about it with many of my friends. They literally all do it to a certain degree. Like having some characters and scenarios they go to etc....
I think its only considered a problem/disorder when its super intense and takes very long so it messes with real life.

when i discovered that it was on a snapchat storie and i remember that i cryed because it was portrayed as a mental disease and i thought " what no i can't have that" while i knew i was like that

Same! I understand this 100%

Same omg :(

Thanks for sharing Clary. If you need tips on how to manage this condition, head to my channel :)

Same...

Wait, are you me in disguise??

@@puddytat9752 that spiderman meme where they point at each other

eyy me too! i love creating little stories in my head that to me are super real and then writing them exactly how i imagine them

@@keira8372 99% of my stories are based on MD and dreams 😅

I do something similar except I draw it, make character sheets, I take a few notes, so a mix of world building and character art.

You are an amazing artist and as one of your subscribers we appreciate you so much for pulling through.

@@_someoneonearth_ I second that

Felt this. I smile, I laugh, I cry, I feel. Still struggling to come to terms with the fact that my other life is an issue

Omg I’m so self-conscious about it. One time I burst out laughing because of something I was imagining and my dad was like why are you laughing? But I didn’t want to tell him what I was imagining so I just shook my head and kept laughing. Plus the number of times people have asked me if I’m okay when I felt fine and was just imagining a character’s facial expression! 😬

hope everything goes well, i relate in many ways.

Same,I had a great childhood and my parents said I started the behaviors when I was 2. It is. A coping mechanism now for my anxiety and depression but back then, it might be from genetics of being an only child as the eldest child for a while.
I am also a 20 year old in college who has not accomplished must. Fortunately I know how to balance my school schedule to where I can succeed in it and daydream but I have like no time for anything else. Hope you do better!!!

Hey, I highly relate to this, and I was diagnosed with ADHD, anxiety and depression this year, and treatment really helps.
I was exactly the same, my childhood was great, but I was an only child with social difficulties (I'm still suspected ASD.) I was really bad through primary school and middle school, to the point of being on holiday in Indonesia for 3 weeks, and I have 0 memories of the trip outside of my daydreams, or wanting to daydream, because I literally locked myself in my hotel room the entire time. And I have loads of experiences I missed out on because I prioritised daydreaming instead of real life. However, it has been greatly reduced since I started treatment, and since I went on medication. I also found my own distractions to take control of my daydreams, like writing a 'book.' I make myself write stuff down, and engaging in my daydream in a way that makes me think and analyse it and clarify it means I'm less likely to think about it while I'm meant to be doing other things.

I've had some struggles like that as well. I had a great mom, and I've noticed the times in my life where I've daydreamed the most is when my social anxiety or health was bad. I do it less now, and I'm not attached to any characters, in fact I make most of my characters the opposite of who I am because it makes things interesting. It makes me wonder if I fit on the spectrum or not, since I there are times where I comes and goes but with my health being bad lately I've been doing it more often.

Sending love

Same

@@devon4357 me too but not as much as this and it's probably because of my ADHD

as a person who has struggled with this for 6 years, i can tell you that i only found out within the past year that it was an actual thing with an actual name

Ngl i know some of the comments are very genuine with this condition, but im 100% sure a lot of people just "found out" they have it

@@Thegenderfluiddinosaur _when you have (potential) ADHD and maladaptive daydreaming:_ **P A I N**

Totally, you're not alone

Not alone at all 🫶

did u quit it

How did you STOP? It's been lifelong for me since the age of 7.

I felt the exact same wayy

It’s so comforting to see that our disorder has been finally getting some recognition, and gets to be discussed. I’ve spent so many years thinking I was alone in it, and to see my struggles being validated is such a relief.

I feel like this too, I always see his videos and think nice representation for them! Now it’s something connected to me and I can’t even explain now I feel

I had no idea what MD was but I remember in college I kept telling a depressive friend to just escape in her head like me and she just didn’t know what I was on about ! Same as the girl in the video, I realised I had a problem when my first child was born. Ever since, I make a conscious choice not to daydream every time the compulsion arises, which is rarer and rarer now. You really have to train your brain to lose the habit. Also I avoid certain types of music which make me MD almost immediately

You're in good company in these online communities. 💛

I feel like maybe some meds could help? Like the woman at the end of this video said...so maybe that would be an option to try for you too. But dont be embarrassed cause i think many people would understand. because alot of people do a lighter version of it , so its understandable how it would feel and effect you if you had a more intense version of it...

Who are these people?

Are you diagnosed?

yes! music is a common stimulus for daydreaming and a lot of people daydream most when they listen to music, and its like a need to have it there.
pacing is a common action when daydreaming, along with rocking nd spinning. personally I pace too, I'll have my headphones it, phone in my hand and I would just pace for ages. so walking activities are good!

I’m not a maladaptive daydreamer but I love pacing and listening to music while I daydream. Car rides too.

@@fionamarcotte2810 maladaptive daydreaming (as of now) has not been recognized as a diagnosable illness. it's often acknowledged as a symptom of other mental illnesses though (ADHD especially).

In the car - looking out the window and the pace of the passing scenery is the same as my mind, that’s where it’s strongest for me.

SAME!! 37 and this is the 1st time I've EVER heard any1else ever mention anything like this!.... I literally daydream my life away 🙄

How did you stop?

@@goddessciara8343 it didn’t stop, just became less severe

hi, can have ur insta or something? , bc I need friend who feel the same

@@-bugbite who cares like genuinely. they didn’t even ‘claim’ anything

@@-bugbite you need to stop gatekeeping people. They didn't even mention any diagnosis, just shared their experience. Be kinder.

Maybe you could write a book or a movie about them so the world can know and love them like you do

Thank you guys :)

write a book or something, please.

@@Imhighandhungry how does someone "promote" mental health issues lmao. More like showing people that there are more people out there like them making them feel human again and encouraging them to get help if possible

@@Imhighandhungry
Thanks for leaving we didn’t need you here YAY! ❤

Do you ever pretend the person your talking to is in your daydream and mix them together?

@@los3r426 Yes all the time! Its to the point where I struggle to remember whether what the person actually said was really said by them or if it was in my head and if I made it up as part of my daydream. Ever since watching this video and discovering what it is I am starting to notice just how badly it affects my day to day and I can't actually recall what really happened only what happened in my head

Yeah my way of daydreaming is by "acting it out". In my teenage years I used to do the same as the people in the video with just "sleeping", but then I started craving for more and now I act. I'll just be alone in my room and act what I'm daydreaming about, so sometimes I stand for 8 hours long in my room talking to the walls. And sometimes its the same daydream, but often I have multiple kind of dreams, not just one world. That was my rant😂 I hope one day (if you are struggling with it) that it becomes better

That’s a really dope combo

@@acfamily1513 SAMEEE

I'm extremely confused as to how it's possible to daydream with aphantasia? When I do it, it looks like a film in my mind's eye...

@@shadowscribbler6100 It's easier for me to daydream if I already know what a setting or character looks like. If I have to come up with something from scratch, that's when I struggle with aphantasia. Like I can imagine two characters talking to each other. But the surrounding stuff around them tends to just be gray and unimportant space.

I have literally the same thing except I'm not moving around where I play music during school work n I put off the work I'm doin to stare off n imagine a 'music video' to a daydream scenario n my head, it's gotten to the point where I get annoyed when people sing along to it n I'm just here zoning out. I have this worry n my head that when I start driving I'd be too into the music that I'd get into a wreck. It scares me sometimes so I only want my radio to be on somethin like jazz, it's more like background music n it's much harder to daydream to it. Idk if jazz helps with u, but it has with me I don't know why.

I did this my whole childhood I to my early 20s. I didn't need music but it started with a toy and like pracing around the garden.
I would do it any time I was bored and hid it from everyone outside my family.

Yep, I also feel very embarrassed when I'm caught daydreaming. I almost always have to pace around the house in order to daydream better, but if i cant move around I'll just space out, and my mom tends to be concerned and ask me what I"m thinking about. A lot of times I don't even notice myself doing it until I suddenly snap back to reality and realize I haven't started my homework or chores 😭 it's been a problem for me for as long as I can remember, but it's one of the only things that keeps me happy.

as an autistic person and a maladaptive day dreamer, i feel that, except i typically pace around everywhere and mimic the facial expressions or subtlety mimic the poses of characters in my head. my characters are a greater comfort than people would understand.

That's so true... Thank you, I never realized it was this. When someone catches me daydreaming, and I'm pacing or turning my head or something... I'll feel violated, like they caught me naked doing the most shameful act... I never realized maladaptive daydreaming was a thing before.

Same, but as long as your able to control it and not let it take over your life you should be good, I myself keep it around since real life is so boring .

Same lol. I can't even picture a dot

I can do that but I don't think I can do it like anyone else I feel different like everyone else's daydreaming and picturing is diffrent from mine idk though it just is weird I cant explain it

Samee

I don't have maladaptive daydreaming but I do day dream a lot when I'm in bed or walking and for me my daydreams are more a running narrative with only occasional vague visuals. So I'm sure it's possible to have maladaptive daydreaming without being able to visualise anything.

Aphantasia?

Thank you for sharing :) If you need tips, my channel is dedicated to spreading awareness and speaking on this condition. Don't hesitate to ask!

same I’ve had really similar experiences staying in bed until hella late in the day just laying with my eyes closed completely awake

Similar here
My furthest memory of recognizing this was I remember I thought since I was going into 6th grade I need to stop daydreaming if I want friends
I never stopped
And I have friends 😂

Me too, i used to just go to bed or sit somewhere in the middle of the day and daydream for 3+ hours just making scenarios in my head, or before sleep till early in the morning. I still do that sometimes but just for few minutes

I didn't know it was a thing until now. I would literally spend hours daydreaming stuffs and creating stories and living in it. Its really fun and relaxation for me. I think maybe it's time for me to stop.

Where can you read it? it sounds very interesting

omg that sounds interesting, I love webtoon, ty, ill read it

Thank you love Webtoon too. Another to my list!

i don't find it :(

Thanks for recommending!

I didn’t know that the walking in circles was a common thing. It was rare I was able to, but I definitely paced.

Damn, I still do it

I’ve been pacing in circles since I was able to walk 🥲

I spin in circles in a swivel chair and daydream

I’m confused on what makes them distinct with each other though?

@@battlequestvalley2416 Severity, effect on life. Daydrems aren't inherently bad, and the daydreams consuming the maladaptive daydreamers aren't any different. It's the way the person reacts to the action and how they create habits etc that can make it harmful.

@Andhowdoesthatmakeyoufeel In my case, the worst it gets is me starting to talk with myself or putting on music and getting up, and suddenly it's 4 AM and my half eaten dinner is now cold and looks bad, and it still looks weird after silently putting it in the microwave trying not to wake people up, and I slightly regret my life choices.
Luckily I was on vacation and I was free to mess up my sleep schedule.

@@battlequestvalley2416 medically we can assume too that brain patterns are different for maladaptive daydreamers and people who are just daydreaming

I don't think it's all negative. I haven't been diagnosed with MD but I'm pretty sure I have it, but just a really mild case. I daydream a lot and I have to daydream to fall asleep basically but it doesn't consume my life. It used to consume my life a bit but that was when I was 11-13 years old and had no life and no school work, so it consuming my life wasn't bad. If it was still like that now though, it wouldn't be great.

Hi, I'm glad this video helped you! If you have any more questions or concerns on maladaptive daydreaming, head on over to my channel where I answer some of them :)

Same a little bit, hard to not get lost in it when life sucks.

@@deimos589 same and it's kinda scary

Actually, they say that maladaptive daydreaming can happen to cope through other mental illnesses like depression and anxiety so you're not too far off

Pausing the video in order to daydream, pls I’m doing the same right now 💀

Me in life but i actually do chores and stuff but preffer daydreaming instead of being close to anyone... In the end the only place where i'm happy is my mind, where someone would accept me with flaws and all, and wouldn't be alone

@@MC-gu1rx Same! Some of the content I consume just instantly triggers me to get up, put on music and start pacing to get lost in my daydreams

Omg yes I always daydream of interviews and stuff like that

You are just me

hi, can have ur insta or something? , bc I need friend who feel the same

My character is similar, slavery, childhood sexual abuse, forced to murder to live, forced to do horrible stuff to others but managing to retain his empathy for others into adulthood. In "todays time" he has been away from that abuse for over 20 years but he is terrified of his past being discovered so he does good things as quietly as possible, seeking to right the wrong he brought into the world. These days I've being playing out how his past is uncovered and he dies heroically or is forgiven by the public/his friends, I've being trying to finish the story for 4 years but this character has been with me for 10 years. I both do and don't want to let him go. It's so frustrating.

I relate with the part of it being triggered by movies and shows, when mine is triggered it usually lasts I'd say maybe an entire day sometimes half a week, so while I'm just existing walking around doing stuff it's all going on in my mind, btw your name is awesome.

I relate to you the most. Less the people in the video. I stop myself from doing this by going on my phone then I get lost in my phone. So it’s a lose lose for my time. Honestly need weed or shrooms to be more “normal” I’m better now. Honestly don’t know if this is what I have or something similar because this doesn’t completely feel right. I always say I have severe adhd😂

It's the same for me. I've been this way for as long as I can remember and I'm almost 29. I'm a bit better at grounding these days but I don't think I'll ever be completely in reality. When I was younger through my mid-twenties I was also obsessed with written role play because it helped me get the world and everything 'out'.

I relate so much to all of you here!!! I too have to go on my phone (mostly listen to podcasts and watch KRplus) to get out of my “vivid daydreams” -that I now know is a condition (my mind is seriously blown)!!! Omgosh seeing this video and especially reading all the comments is seriously a game changer…

SAME!!!!!!

show them this vid?

This is exactly what i was experiencing too at this moment

this is the type of daydreaming i experience rather than fantasy stuff. i also daydream about traumatic stuff happening to myself often or people around me and i wish i knew what that was about. another issue about daydreaming about "a better me" was a lot of self hate that came with it. then i would start to feel like i deserved the negative things that happened to me even in the daydreams where i felt my life was better. doesnt help that i move my hands weirdly when i daydream and i used to get yelled at when i was a kid because my parents didnt want other people to think there was something wrong with me which also added to the self hate early on. this shit is hard to live with but im glad its getting researched more.

@@0QuinTessential I relate. Yes even I think something is wrong with me why do I daydream about horrible things happening to me & the other characters in my head. The situations I make up are horrible. I think it maybe to make me feel better about my own life but idk

And my father said only mad people move around the room in circles & talk to themselves. Are you crazy or what?

Yup that sounds like me i even walk around while listening to videogame music...

This sounds so much like what I'm experiencing and I always thought I'm the only one I'm actually shocked...

Thank you for sharing your experience. If you have some unanswered questions, head over to my channel where I answer some of them and also offer tips on how to manage your daydreaming.

Yes before this video I always felt it adictive because it instantly feels good like a bite of your favorite candy, and you get moody if someone intercepts you while you're sitting staring at the floor or wall dreaming about literally whatever, when you're shy, introverted and an insecure person it gets worse because that's literally the only way you can feel excited since you avoid going out or meeting people or doing fun things, that is your amusement park or your rollercoaster ride, it's better the alternative reality you create in your head because you control everything that happens to you. You don't have to worry about anything because you do what you want to do, there's no imposible and if you don't like something you just start dreaming again and fix it. It's more than just a quick daydream its quite life consuming it literally takes hours of your days.

@@paulovemx2222 I never knew this was a thing. I've always been so embarrassed to tell anyone about this. For me whenever it starts its like a rush of good feelings, like a high. I started experiencing it when I was 13 and I never knew what it was. Now I have no social skills because I spent so much time doing this.

@@kiraholmes3123 I discovered it a few years ago but it started since I can remember especially teenage years, I haven't tell anybody either, it's not like they would understand what it really is, people would think I'm making it up, but if I can tell you one thing is that once you are aware of it, you learn to control it most of the times, though I still catch myself doing it but I immediately stop cause I know it will only bring disappointment once it's over

@@paulovemx2222 that's exactly what I've been doing. I try not to do it as much as I used to but sometimes I feel like I need to. People would always make fun of me and say I'm always in my own world and day dream too much. Now I'm trying to live in the now and stop doing it.

It really just seems like another type of addiction. Addiction is often escapism

Same here!

Yours mimics mind a lot! Also I see Aizawa as your pfp so I feel like we also have a similar cast of characters 😂

@@delaneykeller1389 nice 👍😂

Yup same here

are you me???:$&: bc this described everything i did / do omggg

Hi, if you need tips on how to manage maladaptive daydreaming, head to my channel!

Everyone can do this. Some people just have nothing better to do (myself included).

@@thisisanoldemaildonotreply7045 Well I spoke with my bf about this and he said he cannot do this, no matter how hard he tries

@@taonmi well everybody daydreams. And regular people daydream for that same sensation you get. but I feel that certain people get really attached to that sensation they get when they do it. It becomes addicting and can be a coping mechanism to a sad or boring reality. It will probably always be ingrained in you. That being said I don’t think it should be painted all negative. I believe it could become a healthy coping mechanism if you learn how to balance it. Stopping myself from doing it sometimes leaves me with a strange yet uplifting feeling that encourages me to get up and do something useful. But sometimes sitting down in your room and staring at your wall with a blank face letting your imagination run wild in your head can be the most peaceful and relaxing parts of your day. It’s a beautiful thing when you balance it and learn not to do it at inappropriate times. Didn’t mean for the reply to be this long haha.

@@thisisanoldemaildonotreply7045 you legit do not know how much your comment has helped me lol

I have the same thing but I don't know if that is maladaptive daydreaming or just daydreaming?

@@o.d.a.t2367 maladaptive daydreaming is much more intense and is a disorder

hii, do you have any advice about how to deal with it?

@@larissa-nn8ng Personally, keep a couple aspects of your life out of your daydreams, if it's possible. That way you're not stuck in those dreams forever, because there's still things that's worth living your life for.

@@larissa-nn8ng Hi Larissa, if you need tips on how to manage, please head to my channel where I may have already answered some of your questions :)

@@larissa-nn8ng My best advice is just to try and remember that life outside the daydreams is worth living. Try to find friends you can have fun with or activities you like to do so you have something other than just MDD to help you cope with your issues.

If I do have maladaptive daydreaming it is definitely not as bad has some people's. I don't do it all the time but my default (when I am not doing anything else) is to daydream. I have different stories that I can differentiate between so I do have a sense of control most of the time. I do the same scenes again and again like a comfort tool - it is a mechanism for loneliness.

I've been having very similar plots for years with one character reappearing over and over again. I always change it up a bit. I don't think it's the extent of maladaptive daydreaming, but it might go into that direction.

I DO THAT TOO!!! THE UNHEALTHY DAYDREAMS!!! Tell me something do you also have ptsd and complex trauma? Cuz I think that's related...

@@isapheonix ptsd, DiD and adhd… god I’m a mess!!!

@@adrienlangdon339 I have two of those complex trauma anxiety and depression. Dude I wonder if toxic day dreaming is related to trauma?

The adhd and ptsd, just realized I should clarify. Btw ur not a mess, your a person who's healing.

I do it too. I'm so glad to have found people like me.

Me too I just thought I was very imaginative.

Somentimes i would create my own cartoon shows in my mind

So sorry to hear your MD is out of control... 💛

Glad you were able to find support! :)

Glad you were able to find what you were looking for! :)