Daydreaming is often seen as a harmless escape, a source of creativity, or a way to relax. However, mental health experts are warning that when imagined worlds begin to replace real-life experiences, the habit can develop into a condition known as maladaptive daydreaming.
According to a report by the BBC, people affected by maladaptive daydreaming can spend hours immersed in elaborate fantasy worlds filled with detailed characters, storylines, and ongoing narratives that may continue for years.
Psychologist and researcher Colin Ross says ordinary daydreaming is a natural and often beneficial mental activity.
Research suggests that people spend between 30 and 50 percent of their waking mental activity thinking about things unrelated to the task at hand. This process can support creativity, emotional balance, and empathy.
However, maladaptive daydreaming becomes a problem when individuals lose control over their fantasies and struggle to return their focus to reality.
Hours Lost in Imaginary Worlds
Experts say some individuals spend as many as 10 to 12 hours a day absorbed in their imagined scenarios.
As a result, their education, careers, personal relationships, and social lives may suffer significantly.
The term “maladaptive daydreaming” was first introduced by Israeli psychologist Eli Somer, who describes the condition as a situation where people are no longer using their imagination but are instead controlled by it.
Linked to trauma, anxiety
People experiencing maladaptive daydreaming often imagine themselves as highly successful, admired, courageous, or the center of attention.
According to experts, the condition is frequently associated with loneliness, childhood trauma, emotional neglect, depression, anxiety, Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD).
Many sufferers report that listening to music, pacing repeatedly, rocking, or engaging in specific physical movements can intensify their fantasies.
Some experts compare the experience to an addiction, making it difficult for individuals to disengage from their imagined worlds.
Impact on real-life goals
Mental health specialists warn that maladaptive daydreaming can pull people away from real-life ambitions and responsibilities.
Because success and fulfillment can feel easier to achieve in fantasy scenarios, some individuals may become less motivated to pursue goals in the real world.
Although maladaptive daydreaming is not yet fully recognized as an official mental disorder worldwide, researchers say growing evidence suggests it deserves greater attention.
Experts recommend psychological counseling, mindfulness exercises, maintaining structured daily routines, identifying triggers, and channeling creativity into practical activities as ways to manage the condition.
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