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Maladaptive Daydreaming

Maladaptive Daydreaming, what causes maladaptive daydreaming disorder | Dreams | That Awkward Moment When…
Featured Image By Melody Trujillo. Image Source: maladaptive-daydreaming

Finally I am free

To be who I was born to be

I am in total control

I can achieve every goal

I can swim and I can fly

I can laugh and I can cry

No one to stop me

Finally I am free

Background About The Poem:

This is another one of those poems that sort of came to me. If you don’t know what maladaptive daydreaming is and want to learn more about it, please click here.

I have been a maladaptive daydreamer ever since I can remember and I guess as I got older it got more. I think it was worst when I was a teenager and it’s still around now that I’m an adult. It’s caused by my anxiety and just because of the environment I grew up in. It served as an escape from the chaos.

The reason I don’t talk about it much is because I didn’t know how to explain it for a long time. It was only a few years ago that I learnt the term “maladaptive daydreaming” and realised I was not alone. I can’t tell you how great it feels to know that others experience this too.

It does suck but it’s the coping mechanism my brain has chosen. It’s something I am working on in therapy because it can be disruptive and I also want to learn to live in the present more. It sucks knowing I will never be the person I am in my head but it’s also toxic to live in a world that’s not real and miss out on the real world.

Let me know your thoughts about the poem in the comments below. I have a better poem about maladaptive daydreaming but I’m saving it for my book which may or may not ever be completed at the pace I’m going!

For more poetry click here.

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Posted by:

P. J. Gudka

68 responses to “Maladaptive Daydreaming”

  1. John Avatar
    John

    I like that image! Following the link you made, I don’t fall into that category…

    Reply
    1. Pooja G Avatar
      Pooja G

      Thanks, I liked it too! Haha that’s good.

      Reply
  2. ReMiXtuReaL Avatar
    ReMiXtuReaL

    I just found out about Maladaptive Daydreaming. Never really knew about it but your writing allows me to have an interest and wanna know more about it. By the way, this poem is a lit! 😇

    Reply
    1. Pooja G Avatar
      Pooja G

      Thanks so much and glad this helped you learn something new! 😊

      Reply
      1. ReMiXtuReaL Avatar
        ReMiXtuReaL

        My pleasure to read and learn from many things you have here. 😇

        Reply
        1. Pooja G Avatar
          Pooja G

          😊

          Reply
  3. Book Club Mom Avatar
    Book Club Mom

    Hi – I had not heard of this term, but after reading the definition, I can understand how it’s used as a coping mechanism. I’m sure it’s a challenge to manage this. The mind is so complicated in how it adapts to stress and anxiety. Thank you for sharing your story. I think your poem is excellent.

    Reply
    1. Pooja G Avatar
      Pooja G

      So true, the mind is incredibly complicated and it’s hard to know exactly how to fix something. Thanks so much, really appreciate that.

      Reply
  4. Hilary Tan Avatar
    Hilary Tan

    I haven’t heard of the term maladaptive daydreaming before. Nice poem, as always! 🙂

    Reply
    1. Pooja G Avatar
      Pooja G

      Thanks so much! Yeah a lot of people haven’t heard about it since it’s something relatively new and not talked about much.

      Reply
  5. Nicole Smith Avatar
    Nicole Smith

    I read excessively to escape reality, since I was little.

    Reply
    1. Pooja G Avatar
      Pooja G

      That’s how it started for me as a child.

      Reply
  6. Joyful Change With Yvonne Avatar
    Joyful Change With Yvonne

    Love your poem Pooja!

    Reply
    1. Pooja G Avatar
      Pooja G

      Thank you!

      Reply
  7. Author Melissa Crismon Avatar
    Author Melissa Crismon

    Love the art and the poem. I hadn’t heard of maladaptive daydreaming.

    Reply
    1. Pooja G Avatar
      Pooja G

      Thank you so much.

      Reply
  8. DEVANG UPADHYAYA Avatar
    DEVANG UPADHYAYA

    This is actually a new term to me and I clicked the link to understand it better.
    Thanks for sharing this.
    The cover image actually suits this.
    About the poem, I loved it. You are an amazing poetess and a terrific writer. You make reading enjoyable. That brings me to your book. I am excited for it. I hope to read it one day.
    Keep sharing and thanks for educating. 🙂

    Reply
    1. Pooja G Avatar
      Pooja G

      I’m glad this helped you learn a new term. Maladaptive daydreaming is not so popularly known at the moment so not a lot of people know what it is.
      Thanks so much. I hope so too, if I ever complete it lol.

      Reply
      1. DEVANG UPADHYAYA Avatar
        DEVANG UPADHYAYA

        You always teach something new!!
        I shall wait for that book 🙂

        Reply
  9. RAMAN Avatar
    RAMAN

    Thanks for introducing me to this term. And yes, I also belong to this category of dreamers and this has immensely helped me in sailing through life.

    But yes, such wild imagination often throws one into a vicious cycle wherein one finds himself unable to cope with reality since it is disappointing compared to world of imaginations.

    Reply
    1. Pooja G Avatar
      Pooja G

      I think it’s a double edged sword. It’s nice to have an escape at tough time but it can be damaging when we are faced with reality.
      Glad I’m not alone in this and thank you for commenting.

      Reply
  10. haoyando Avatar
    haoyando

    I’ve never heard this phrase before, but now I think of it–it makes sense. Children try their best to survive and often it means children use their imagination to deal with the stress in their environment. So true. Somehow modern society or social settings have a way to exacerbate the mental stress…

    Reply
    1. Pooja G Avatar
      Pooja G

      Yeah it can be difficult to understand and deal with certain situations as a child and your brain finds any way to cope with that. Social settings most definitely make it a lot worse.

      Reply
  11. Vidah Avatar
    Vidah

    I have never heard about this term earlier. Thank you for sharing this, Pooja.
    I loved the poem too!

    Reply
    1. Pooja G Avatar
      Pooja G

      Thank you so much, glad you enjoyed it!

      Reply
  12. Shaunelius Sterns Avatar
    Shaunelius Sterns

    I like the poem. I never knew about maladaptive daydreaming. Thanks for sharing that information.

    Reply
    1. Pooja G Avatar
      Pooja G

      Thanks and happy to share the information. It’s a relatively new term so most people are not familiar with it.

      Reply
  13. biglittleus Avatar
    biglittleus

    I was once asked to take part in research for maladaptive daydreaming as they think it could be linked to dissociative disorders. I didn’t take part as it does not apply to me.

    I hope that therapy helps you understand and manage this better.

    I love the poem

    Reply
    1. Pooja G Avatar
      Pooja G

      Oh I see. Yes, I have read that those with dissociative disorder sometimes experience it.

      Thanks so much.

      Reply
  14. Happy Panda Avatar
    Happy Panda

    There is a term for it? I’ve been doing this since my teenage years although now I do it much lesser.
    Great poem and educative post!

    Reply
    1. Pooja G Avatar
      Pooja G

      Yeah, I only recently learnt the term for it. I did it most as a teenager too and I think these days I’m too busy to daydream lol.
      Thanks!

      Reply
  15. Poet of the Light Avatar
    Poet of the Light

    I appreciate your post, I do but my questions are: who decides what “maladaptive” is; those who don’t partake in such activities? and or those who lack it’s ability, let alone in it’s “excessive” quantity?
    How quaint for them to cast such a negative pejorative tone over others… that are better at being different than they do at being “questionable” normal. 😉

    Reply
    1. Pooja G Avatar
      Pooja G

      Haha I sometimes think maybe their mind is just not as fun as mine? 😂

      Reply
      1. Poet of the Light Avatar
        Poet of the Light

        I’m sure that must be the case. Dull and overly pretentious minds fear creativity, imo

        Reply
        1. Pooja G Avatar
          Pooja G

          They usually fear anything that they can’t understand.

          Reply
  16. Doug Avatar
    Doug

        I like how you managed the rhyme structure. The matching start and end “to be” ‘s on line 1 are nice complements to the last line “free.” A little ironic.
        “Total control” and every goal are hallmarks for “maladaptive,” because you can’t fly, and lots of people can stop you. Being a slave to unrealistic daydreams and being constantly disappointed is not “finally being free.” Well, yes, being free to fly in a daydream, or dream, is a form of freedom.
        I’m wondering if in the world of academic psychology musings like this are actually a “maladaptive coining of words” (MCW) because they say in the link that there’s no direct treatment for recently named condition. They just say go get treated for anxiety etc. It’s like someone presenting with symptoms that are puzzling to them so they say, “You have PSS disease (puzzling symptoms syndrome).
        I think what’s more interesting is Adaptive-daydreaming. Nikola Tesla once daydreamed in vivid detail the parts of a new design for an electric generator. He imagined the parts being assembled with the new parameters he contemplated. Once assembled in his imagination, he turned the machine on and watched it rotate and work in his imagination. He remarked, “SEE : it works and runs without a problem.” Then he built the actual machine which also worked perfectly.
        But on the other hand, if someone, who is not a physicist, imagines the design for the first practical (more energy out than in) “atomic fusion reactor,” they are probably going to be disappointed.
        I suppose that certain forms of meditation are “adaptive” daydreaming.
        This also reminds me of out-of-context clichés like “you can do anything you want if you put your mind to it and try hard enough.” As a stand alone, this is false.
        I’m optimistic that my crops will grow and be abundant. I’m optimistic that we’ll have an abundant harvest and we’ll make billions of dollars. Now I have to figure out a way to get out of the desert and tell the camels to stop eating the seeds. I dreamed that the camels flew away and joined a flock of flying pigs.
        Good poem. Maybe your book will do well. Thanks for the inspiring post.

    Reply
    1. Pooja G Avatar
      Pooja G

      Thanks so much.

      I haven’t really thought about adaptive dreaming. That’s an interesting concept. I don’t think I have ever experienced that but I think it would be really beneficial especially for people like Tesla. I guess it’s a good way to use the power of daydreaming in your favour.

      Thanks so much and fingers crossed.

      Reply
  17. Always Andreina Avatar
    Always Andreina

    Love the poem and the background info of it. I daydream sometimes. I can’t understand to full extent how you experience it because it seems to be on a heightened level. But I do daydream sometimes and I can see how it can make you go down a rabbit hole. Awareness is the key to resolution. ♥️

    Reply
    1. Pooja G Avatar
      Pooja G

      Thanks so much. I think it was most when I was a teenager and it’s getting a bit better now. It can make me go down a rabbit hole if I don’t stop myself and come back. Thanks again ❤️

      Reply
      1. Always Andreina Avatar
        Always Andreina

        I was thinking, I think most creative people tend to be daydreamers. Where else can your mind go to create? Almost like bitter-sweet type of thing. 😅. I think you’re fantastic. ♥️

        Reply
        1. Pooja G Avatar
          Pooja G

          That would make sense. I think creative people also tend to have very overactive minds which could also be why they daydream more. Thanks! ❤️

          Reply
  18. Qonyike Avatar
    Qonyike

    I liked the poem. I guess I can sorta relate. Sometimes I imagine being some I am not or can’t be, just to forget the problems around me, maybe to calm down. ✨❤️

    Reply
    1. Pooja G Avatar
      Pooja G

      Thanks so much. Yeah it helps me calm down too especially when I’m anxious. 💕

      Reply
  19. reeydah Avatar
    reeydah

    I love the poem! And I hadn’t heard about maladaptive daydreaming until I clicked the link, and then I had to do some more research. Then it occured to me that I may have fallen into this category when I was younger, as I would daydream for lengthy periods of time back then. It’s reduced now, perhaps because I my mind is more occupied with other things. But it’s still there, coming and going, and making me zone out constantly. I still have my made up characters and made up stories and scenarios in my head. And no, this does not include the characters I write about.

    All I’m trying to say with the rant is, I understand the feeling, Pooja. I also love the picture

    Reply
    1. Pooja G Avatar
      Pooja G

      I guess you really understand what I go through. It was worse when I was younger too and I think as an adult we just don’t have enough time to really daydream for prolonged periods. I still do it but a bit less.

      Thanks so much and I loved that picture too because it was so perfect for this.

      Reply
  20. michaelfoglietta Avatar
    michaelfoglietta

    I can’t claim to be able to relate to maladaptive daydreaming, or daydreaming, or any kind of dreaming. Not being able to dream is a side-effect of my brain injury. I would like to be able to dream, I think it is part of a person’s personality. People like to talk about their dreams but I can’t join in the conversation, which is a little sad sometimes. It can be fun to listen to what people daydream or dream about though.

    Reply
    1. Pooja G Avatar
      Pooja G

      Wow, I didn’t know about that. It must be strange especially at first not to be able to dream at all.

      Reply
      1. michaelfoglietta Avatar
        michaelfoglietta

        It’s very strange. That was another thing that I had to get used to. Not many people realize how important dreaming is unless they lose that ability.

        Reply
        1. Pooja G Avatar
          Pooja G

          I think we don’t realise how important most of these kinds of things are until we lose them. We really take so much for granted.

          Reply
          1. michaelfoglietta Avatar
            michaelfoglietta

            Yes we do

            Reply
  21. Pennize Pics Avatar
    Pennize Pics

    I enjoyed this poem because it has a very positive and uplifting feel to it. At least to me. Nice work Pooja.

    Reply
    1. Pooja G Avatar
      Pooja G

      Thanks and I wanted it to be uplifting when I wrote it. We all need our little escapes.

      Reply
  22. Jim Borden Avatar
    Jim Borden

    I had never heard of maladaptive daydreaming; I hope you are able to get it under control…

    Reply
    1. Pooja G Avatar
      Pooja G

      I’m much better now, I think it was worst when I was a teenager.

      Reply
      1. Jim Borden Avatar
        Jim Borden

        I’m happy to hear that you are much better!

        Reply
  23. Chris Adedoyin Avatar
    Chris Adedoyin

    I love the poem. Anyways, Never stop daydreaming, even when you are an adult. 🙂

    Reply
    1. Pooja G Avatar
      Pooja G

      Thank you so much. 🙂

      Reply
  24. BBYCGN Avatar
    BBYCGN

    Hold on… I’ll be back cuz I wanna read this over. It sounds really relatable. Just gotta do a few things first so I can read without any distractions.

    Reply
  25. BBYCGN Avatar
    BBYCGN

    Yes, this is me to a “T”. In fact, I had to finish my current daydream before I could return to this post. Lol.

    Reply
    1. Pooja G Avatar
      Pooja G

      Lol I’m the one person that fully understands.

      Reply
      1. BBYCGN Avatar
        BBYCGN

        Awe… thank you, Pooja G. At times, I’m so immersed in daydreaming that I forget what I’m doing in Real Life.. lol. 💜 ♥️ 💜

        Reply
        1. Pooja G Avatar
          Pooja G

          Lol I’m the same way sometimes so you’re definitely not alone 💜😅

          Reply
  26. dustyreviewer Avatar
    dustyreviewer

    I love this poem (the message and how you structured it)! I (like a lot of other people commenting) had never heard that term before. I’m going down a rabbit hole now to decide if this fits me, too, because it seems initially like it does.

    Reply
    1. Pooja G Avatar
      Pooja G

      Thanks so much. Yes, this term is relatively new so I think it’s new to a lot of people. Let me know if it does fit you too.

      Reply
      1. dustyreviewer Avatar
        dustyreviewer

        After reading about this some more, I don’t think my proclivity for daydreaming fits the criteria very well after all. I do have a strong / vivid daydreaming life, but I don’t think I fit the definition for “maladaptive” very well. I don’t really have triggering events, trouble sleeping, difficulty with daily tasks, etc. If there is a kind of spectrum, I would be barely on it. But golly, if you are dealing with more of the overtly negative aspects of this, I hope therapy continues to help you!

        Reply
        1. Pooja G Avatar
          Pooja G

          Oh I see. I don’t think everyone experience it the same and I think daydreaming effects people differently. It’s not too bad, it was worse when I was a teenager. And therapy is definitely helping, Thanks!

          Reply
  27. a-cute-weirdo Avatar
    a-cute-weirdo

    Lobe the optimism!😊

    Reply
    1. Pooja G Avatar
      Pooja G

      Thanks!

      Reply

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