Maladaptive Daydreaming
Sanjarenje je naraven del človeške izkušnje – nudi prostor za kreativnost, refleksijo in oddih od vsakdanjega tempa. A ko postane kompulzivno, dolgotrajno in nas odmika od realnega sveta, govorimo o maladaptivnem sanjarjenju – pojavu, kjer domišljijski svet prevzame nadzor nad vsakdanjim življenjem.
V prvem delu članka avtorica Antigoni Efpraxia Palioglou razišče ozadje in simptome maladaptivnega sanjarjenja, ki pogosto izvirajo iz psiholoških stisk, kot so travme, ADHD, anksioznost ali osamljenost. Posameznik se umakne v idealiziran svet, kjer se počuti varnega in sprejetega, kar pa lahko vodi v izolacijo in zmanjšano funkcionalnost v resničnem življenju.
Drugi del se osredotoča na vprašanje, ali je tovrstno sanjarjenje mogoče zmanjšati ali obvladati. Čeprav še ne obstaja uradno priznano zdravljenje, lahko posameznik simptome ublaži z različnimi terapevtskimi pristopi – med njimi dialektična vedenjska terapija (DBT), čuječnost, uravnavanje čustev in tehnike sproščanja, kot je dihalna vaja 4-7-8. Pomembno vlogo igrajo tudi zdrave življenjske navade, kot so dober spanec, gibanje in zmanjševanje stresa.
Cilj ni popolna odprava sanjarjenja, temveč njegova zavestna preobrazba v ustvarjalen in zdrav mehanizem spoprijemanja s težavami – kar lahko posamezniku ne odvzame domišljije, temveč mu jo pomaga usmeriti v življenje tukaj in zdaj.
Avtorica članka je Antigoni Efpraxia Palioglou študentka dodiplomskega študija psihologije na University of Ioannina v Grčiji. V okviru programa Erasmus+ Traineeship opravlja štirimesečno prakso na SFU Ljubljana (marec - junij 2025). Njeno zanimanje je usmerjeno predvsem v psihoterapevtske pristope, zlasti Geštalt in sistemsko perspektivo, ki ju želi poglabljati v kontekstu dela z otroki in mladostniki. Pravi, da jo k opravljanju prakse vodi velika želja po pridobivanju praktičnih izkušenj in raziskovanju terapevtskega dela v mednarodnem okolju.
Have you ever wondered how to convince yourself to stop daydreaming without feeling like you're depriving yourself of something valuable? Have you spent hours immersed in imaginary scenarios, watching movie-like scenes play out in your mind, analyzing every detail as if you were directing a parallel life? A life you truly wish you could live without effort, or perhaps one you wouldn't even wish upon your worst enemy?
Daydreaming during the day is a natural state in which every person spends a few minutes of their life. It can function as a relieving defense mechanism after a stressful day or as a stage for visualizing new goals. But when does it transition from being functional to dysfunctional? When it becomes compulsive and starts interfering with real life, it turns into what we call Maladaptive Daydreaming—a state in which our imagination absorbs us so intensely that it distances us from reality. This condition involves conscious absorption yet temporary disconnection, alongside a strong desire to repeatedly relive the experience. As a result, this extensive fantasy activity replaces human interaction and negatively impacts a person’s life.
The main difference between normal daydreaming, which consists of simple thoughts or fantasies in relation to reality, and maladaptive daydreaming, is the lack of control over the thought process and the excessive time spent engaging in it. While in normal daydreaming, the imagined scenarios typically revolve around an idealized version of one’s everyday life, people with maladaptive daydreaming immerse themselves in complex imaginary worlds, with characters and situations that often evolve independently.
Studies conducted so far indicate that individuals with maladaptive daydreaming report that their imagined characters develop over time—even aging alongside them. Additionally, they state that they spend up to 56% of their day in a daydreaming state, and they often find that physical activity, such as body movement, enhances the vividness and intensity of their imagined scenes.
There is a common set of symptoms frequently observed, though not always present in every case. Many individuals create a parallel world in which they experience an idealized version of themselves. This alternative self-offers them a sense of safety and protection from the overwhelming or unpleasant conditions of their real life.
Common Characteristics Associated with Maladaptive Daydreaming
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Lack of stable interpersonal relationships
Insecure attachment styles
Co-occurrence with other forms of addiction, such as excessive engagement in video games
High levels of attention deficit
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Emotional detachment
History of abusive experiences in childhood
Some of the most common fantasy scenarios involve imaginary relationships with a famous person, the belief that one is famous, or the creation of a romantic relationship with an idealized version of oneself. Additionally, themes of death or catastrophic events are frequently observed.
Maladaptive Daydreaming is not currently recognized in the DSM-5, meaning it is not classified as a distinct mental disorder. It could be considered a symptom of another psychological condition or a self-developed coping mechanism in response to emotional distress.
Personally, I see Maladaptive Daydreamers as some of the most naturally gifted screenwriters—but with the unfortunate consequence that their talent often negatively impacts their lives. However, if they learn to harness this powerful ability of visualization and storytelling, I believe they can achieve extraordinary things, benefiting not only themselves but also those around them.
Habit or Addiction
Now we are here to discuss about if there is a possibility to treat it or to reduce the symptoms of It with a therapeutic perspective.
Many maladaptive daydreamers suffer from others psychological problems such as ADHD (80%), anxiety disorders (71,8%), OCD (53,9%) or trauma and abuse during their childhood. It’s not necessary to have this to develop this maladaptive mechanism as we said. But the real point here is can we break this circle of habit?
There is no standard treatment for Maladaptive daydreaming but we can start treating other psychological problems in our life so it can be reduced. Below we will present some tips that you can adapt to your daily life from a psychotherapist perspective.
Many approaches in psychotherapy would be effective like Dialectical Behavior Therapy. In DBT we learn to accept those parts of ourselves and situations we cannot control and finding ways to make positive changes where we can . Aso very useful approach it would be emotional regulation and distress tolerance .Learning to identify and express painful emotions in a healthy way and at the same time to cope with unpleasant experiences without harmful or self-destructive behaviors it could help to reduce the symptoms of wanting to live in another reality . Main problem of Maladaptive daydreamers is that they can’t live in the moment , so exercising mindfulness could help them to focus on the present moment and not distress form unhelpful thoughts and from the painful guilt that comes after .Choose to not engage in those type of dreams can reduce this habit and make it more lighter as a problem.
And we must mention that a healthy lifestyle, as improving sleep quality ,a healthy diet and exercise routine ,reducing stress with breathing exercises and getting exposure to daily sunlight can help a lot with coping with stressful periods of life that can increase the symptoms .
4-7-8 Breathing Technique
In a more practical perspective , a simple but effective technique, is breathing exercises. Breathing techniques could help and reduce emotions , with some easy steps .
How to practice :
Find a comfortable position : Sit or lie down in a relaxed posture. Close your eyes if you feel comfortable.
Inhale deeply through your nose for 4 seconds : Focus on filling your lungs completely.
Hold your breath for 7 seconds : Feel the stillness of the moment.
Exhale slowly through your mouth for 8 seconds : Release tension and negative thoughts.
Repeat the cycle 4 times :You can gradually increase the repetitions over time.
The aim is not to stop daydreaming completely. But accept this part of us and make it a healthy mechanism for our life . Don’t forget that Maladaptive daydreaming usually begins as a coping mechanism, an attempt to escape from something unbearable in our real life, or an attempt to see our life in the best way possible without putting an effort .
