Maladaptive daydreaming and how to know if you have it
Most people daydream, maybe even every day, but, certain individuals possess the ability to daydream so vividly that they can experience their presence in the imaginary environment of their creation. While experiences of such vivid, active day-dreaming may seem odd to some people, they’re extremely commonplace for others, and in some cases, depending on a number of factors like severity and frequency, may suggest a psychiatric condition called maladaptive daydreaming, or MD. In addition, these individuals also experience constant compulsions to switch to the fantasy several times during the day, which has led experts to believe that it is a behavioral addiction. However, this is still an evolving area of research and is yet to be formally recognized as a disorder by the American Psychological Association (APA). Common symptoms include: extremely vivid daydreams with their own characters, settings, plots, and other detailed, story-like features daydreams triggered by real-life events ...
