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When Daydreaming Becomes a Disorder: Understanding Maladaptive Daydreaming
🇹🇷 Turkey /Health & Science

When Daydreaming Becomes a Disorder: Understanding Maladaptive Daydreaming

From Cumhuriyet · () Turkish

Translated from Turkish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Maladaptive Daydreaming is a condition where individuals spend over half their waking hours lost in complex fantasies, significantly disrupting daily life.
  • Psychiatrist Colin Ross notes that extreme cases involve up to 12 hours of daydreaming daily, with intricate plotlines lasting decades in the mind.
  • The condition, affecting an estimated 2-4% of the adult population, stems from feelings of inadequacy and a need for isolation, according to psychologist Wanda Fischera.

Daydreaming, a common escape from daily stress that can foster creativity and empathy, can become a debilitating condition known as Maladaptive Daydreaming. Psychiatrist Colin Ross explains that when the mind's "inner cinema" locks individuals out of reality, it transforms from a healthy activity into a disorder that can paralyze daily life.

Ross highlights the addictive nature of this condition, with some individuals spending up to 12 hours a day lost in elaborate fantasies. These mental worlds can feature complex narratives and characters that unfold over decades, severely undermining the person's real-world responsibilities, career, and social connections. He estimates that Maladaptive Daydreaming affects approximately 2-4% of adults.

Kyla Borcherds, who began creating "other worlds" at age 4, found her fantasy world became a refuge after experiencing bullying. This evolved into an uncontrollable urge, similar to addiction, that led her to neglect her career. "Why should I spend time and energy trying to get promoted at work? I could achieve it instantly in my imagination with no effort, and it was 95% as good as the real thing," Borcherds recounted, noting she was still in entry-level positions in her 40s.

Why should I spend time and energy trying to get promoted at work? I could achieve it instantly in my imagination with no effort, and it was 95% as good as the real thing.

— Kyla BorcherdsDescribing how maladaptive daydreaming impacted her career progression.

Clinical psychologist Wanda Fischera, research director at the International Maladaptive Daydreaming Association, likens the allure to being the star of your favorite TV show. "If your current life isn't that exciting, it's very hard to give up," she stated. Fischera suggests the condition often arises from feelings of "I'm not good enough as I am" and a need for isolation.

Eli Somer, a retired clinical psychology professor from the University of Haifa and a pioneer in researching this field for over 20 years, has coined the term "maladaptive daydreaming." He notes that repetitive physical movements and specific triggers can be associated with the condition.

If your current life isn't that exciting, it's very hard to give up.

— Wanda FischeraExplaining the allure of maladaptive daydreaming.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Cumhuriyet in Turkish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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