Am I crazy? or a dreamer?

[Anonymous]

I am a senior in high school. I never had friends in my life because I didn't need them. I created an imaginary universe for myself in my mind. In my dreams, I make imaginary friends and create memories with them, and sometimes the sad events I experience in those memories affect me, too. And this situation still continues, I can't get out of the world in my head, sometimes I can't distinguish which is the real world.

[Ozanne]

Sounds like you are maladaptive daydreaming. It's when you have vivid thoughts that create actual real feelings within you. Some of these thoughts can have you cry real tears or laugh out loud, even mouth words if you're speaking to the characters in your mind. People who maladaptive daydream are very aware that they are doing it, they just prefer to do it. This is not to be confused with schizophrenia where one doesn't realize that these are not actually real people they're speaking with. Maladaptive daydreamers can quit daydreaming when the situation calls for it and snap out of it on their own.

Sometimes maladaptive daydreamers also forgo real life events so that they can take their private time to continue daydreaming. The term is 'maladaptive' because it's not productive and gets in the way of real life, or it is causing some distress in your life. Some people who don't understand maladaptive daydreaming often get scared that they are wasting their life away, knowing that they have this amazing, cinematic world they've created in their mind that really means nothing, in a practical way.

Maladaptive daydream is a way to soothe yourself if you've experienced negative events. It's also often triggered by music, TV, books, and for some people, the usual environment where one can be alone will bring it on, such as being in bed, or alone in the shower, even in the car.

[Asker]

You summarized my situation very well. I've done a lot to get out of this situation, but now it's starting to cause me trouble.

[Ozanne]

If I were you, I would seek out maladaptive daydream support groups.

[Asker]

I've never heard of support groups, how can I reach them?

[StarWarGirl]

This is not the healthy habit and can cause you to get mental illness. Try to get rid of this habit instead of this try to get a hobby or something to keep yourself busy then living in such imaginary world

[Asker]

Believe me, I did a lot to change the situation, but it didn't work.

[Wise4myage]

You should talk to a therapist about this.