Maladjusted daydreaming. Seriously. It’s a thing. I just heard a report on the BBC World Service’s ‘Crowd Science’ show. (I am a legacy media fan. Cut me in half and I say BBC. Please don’t make me prove it, but it’s true.) Anyway, the days of gazing out the window and merrily dreaming of home time/sunshine/lots of wine without it being a CONDITION have apparently gone and a new diagnosis has appeared. Maladjusted daydreaming. Ready for the definition?
Maladjusted daydreaming is a condition where a person spends an excessive amount of time daydreaming, often becoming immersed in their imagination. This behaviour can interfere with their daily life and responsibilities and may be a coping mechanism for trauma or loneliness. Maladjusted daydreaming is not yet recognized as an official diagnosis, but some experts are calling for more research and awareness about it. (So not actually real REAL yet…)
Some of the symptoms of maladjusted daydreaming are:
Having intense, vivid, and detailed daydreams that have their own characters, settings, and plots.
Being triggered by real-life events or sensory stimuli to start daydreaming.
Having difficulty completing everyday tasks or sleeping due to daydreaming
Feeling a strong or addictive urge to keep daydreaming.
Making facial expressions, movements, or sounds while daydreaming.
Feeling distressed about daydreaming
Being aware that the daydreams are different from reality.
Are you daydreaming too much? This is what the experts recommend.
‘If you think you have maladjusted daydreaming, seek professional help/reduce the triggers that make you daydream, such as music, movies, or internet use, and to find healthy ways to express your creativity and emotions.’
WHATEVER…
I’m off to daydream about the following things. Sunshine. The first long Bank holiday weekend at the end of this month. Easter eggs. The playlist for the next Late Lounge podcast, to be released over the aforementioned bank holiday weekend. And I shall very much enjoy it, regardless of the threat of experts scooping me up for therapy! 😉