Anyone else with anxiety have trouble with daydreaming?

So this might sound weird, but do any of my peeps with severe anxiety also have a problem with daydreaming? like I get into a state where I'm daydreaming about good things that calm me down, but its hard to come out of it. I also get really irritated when someone tries to break me from daydreams. I've done this all my life. when I was younger, I actually remember setting aside time every day just to sit and daydream, like I made it a priority. Sometimes it even affects my job because I'll drift off at work and get absolutely nothing done. I know this is strange and hard to explain, but does anyone else do this?

Your answer

bermly

2y ago

yes I do this a lot and I get very mad when people try to talk to me while I'm in one cause I have to reset everything

Suze

2y ago

It's called maladaptive daydreaming and it is not a form of mental illness but rather a symptom of one like an anxiety disorder etc. A trained therapist can help with cognitive behavior therapy but I read that meditation can help curtail it by quite a lot over several months.

juniper.rose

2y ago

Yes! It was a coping mechanism for me as a kid that I've realized I carried over into adulthood. Sometimes I can get a handle on it, but it's really difficult, takes so much focus. 😕

Rowboat

2y ago

If it interferes with daily life such as eating, sleeping, going to the bathroom, daily functions, etc it is called maladaptive daydreaming. I personally experience this and it has wreaked havoc on me in periods of my life because I literally won’t do anything else.

Kelsh

2y ago

wow, I didn't know it was actually a thing. It has hurt my relationship a little and it gets in the way of my job a lot, so it may be. Do you know of ways to reduce this so I can concentrate on my work? I hardly get anything done because of this

Jessy95

2y ago

👍

ChillaxinEskimo

2y ago

I'm a very avid daydreamer, even now at my current age. I try to balance it out so I don't get too distracted from what's important.

Suze

2y ago

Yes. It's a way to cope that was probably learned early on. There's actually a term for it but I can't remember. It's harmless like anything else until it interferes with life.

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