Do you have maladaptive daydreaming?

[littleoc]

I realized later, and put in my diary, that when I do mindless farm work I still daydream. Just when...

I do that too -- though my therapist claims this is normal and okay..?

 

[DharmaGirl]

Well that's good @littleoc, I'm normal somewhere, lol.

 

[ms spock]

I'm always thinking about all my projects, which may be the same kind of coping mechanism. I have lots of projects going on at once. The front gardens, the chickens, furniture refinishing, the veggie and herb garden etc...

To me this is having a purpose and having a life? I really see this as planning out your day and being busy.

 

[ms spock]

I have to concentrate on the book so I don't go into a daydream and keep myself awake all night.

I have to do this as well.

 

[ms spock]

I don’t remember what my neighbors told me.

This has been a huge issue for me with other people. I am working on not doing this as much.

 

[ms spock]

So this is so huge for me still, it is impacting on my life, in that I am not present enough to live it. It is so all hypnotically encompassing!

I am more aware of it, and I am trying to be willing to change, and at times I am challenging it a lot!

 

[KwanYingirl]

Do you feel like you’re in a fog and at the same time see a clear view around you? I get that happening daily. Makes me very anxious when I can’t remember what just happened. Then it’s acid flowing through my veins.

 

[ms spock]

I am really struggling with this big time. It is so hard to be present in this now. It just takes over so quickly.

 

[ms spock]

This is my biggest struggle, and I need to get on top of this so I can complete my medication taper off (under medical supervision), I will have to work hard on this. I will break the back of this. I can do it. I can do it. I will do it. I will notice it as much as I need to, so I can be here now.

This morning I walked slowly and noticed my walking, instead of being in my head, and I had to keep coming back to the walking but I did it, and I slipped off, and I kept coming back. I kept coming back. My psychiatrist talks to me about challenging the obsessive thinking, and this is what I will do now. I walked and I walked to be grounded. I walked to be grounded. I was grounded for moments. I was grounded for moments.

I have to keep breaking through it to be back here now. It is really hard for me!

 

[littleoc]

I have to keep breaking through it to be back here now. It is really hard for me!

But you're doing it! Focusing on walking is great!

 

[ms spock]

Every step, I was trying to be present for every step @littleoc!

 

[ms spock]

I walked an hour again this evening, slowly, in order to protect my knee, but walking to keep my exercise and movement up. I was in maladaptive daydreaming part of the walk, but I kept bringing myself back to have awareness of the way that I am walking, the way I am walking with my partner, to what my partner was saying, what the dog was sniffing, and how the dog was urinating, and that was a mindful movement exercise. I am attempting to take the exercises that I have learnt in The Alexander Technique into the other parts of my day, such as my walking. It was not easy and the intrusive maladaptiving daydreaming kept intruding, but I did a little bit better with it.

This is the next big challenge for me.