Every time you put on your noise-cancelling headphones and play your favorite tracks, the daydream begins. The immersive reality feels so relaxed, so safe, so familiar, so under control, so complete and real. While this may sound like everyday life for creatives (artists, filmmakers, writers, and more), uncontrollable, excessive daydreaming can actually be a mental health condition.
Is It a Real Mental Condition?
This phenomenon is known as maladaptive daydreaming (MD). While it may mirror the vivid imagination of a creative writer, it crosses into the realm of a clinical concern based on its intensity, the distress it causes, and the individual’s inability to control it. First coined by Professor Eli Somer in 2002, MD describes a condition where individuals experience intense, highly immersive, and structured fantasies that actively interfere with daily functioning, academic performance, and social relationships.
Frequently and notably, it is triggered by music and repetitive physical movements (such as pacing or rocking). They can often catalyze daydreaming immediately, prompting the individual to construct intricate storylines, recurring characters, and emotionally charged scenes.
When It’s Not “Creative” Anymore?
As a full-time artist and writer, I get it. Yet the differences from healthy daydreaming or artistic creation include some key factors. MD often serves as a compensatory coping mechanism to escape psychological distress, trauma, or profound loneliness.
- Creating a detailed, fantastical world that has full-blown characters, a storyline, and a dramatic arc
- Uncontrollably physically act out.
- Losing track of time, the fantasy feels so real (and comforting in some way), so hours passed by unaware.
- Malfunctioning. Neglecting responsibilities, missing important events in real life just for the sake of daydreaming, and losing sleep or sleep quality significantly reduced.
- Feeling distressed afterwards. This can include (guilt, shame, or frustration) over the inability to control the behavior.
Final Thought
Commonly recommended treatments include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and emotional regulation strategies. Daydreaming is not considered a mental disorder like mood disorders (such as depression), personality disorders, or schizophrenia. Most of the time, it’s harmless and can even be enjoyable as you play out your own stories.
However, once it begins to interfere with your daily functioning, it may indicate an unhealthy way of coping with chronic trauma that deserves attention, rather than simply being a fun activity or a sign of introversion.
*What is Daily Insight? An ongoing series of quick, bite-sized brain snacks. Every week, there are three research-based factual reports and three research-informed reflective notes.
*Note: This series is for informational purposes only and is not intended to give advice. If you are in crisis, please reach out for professional help. Always prioritize your wellbeing.*
