In December 2013, “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” was released in theaters. Walter Mitty, an employee at Life magazine, spent his days in the office developing photos and living an uneventful life. To keep things interesting, he would escape into elaborate daydreams, creating stories where he was a hero, exploring the world, and living life to the fullest.
This creative idea goes beyond just a movie. Spending hours daydreaming has affected many people worldwide.
This phenomenon is known as maladaptive daydreaming. It was first identified in 2001 by Eli Somer, an Israeli psychologist and former president of the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation.
What makes maladaptive daydreaming different from regular daydreaming? A maladaptive daydreamer can spend three to seven hours a day lost in their daydreams. These daydreams occur in well-developed imaginary worlds, often with “characters” the daydreamer feels deeply connected to.
It’s easy to slip into the daydreams and the daydreaming sessions are usually vivid and emotionally intense, often causing the daydreamer to physically act out scenarios, speak aloud, or engage in repetitive movements like swaying back and forth.
Maladaptive daydreaming can become an addictive cycle. It usually starts when someone feels the urge to escape into their fantasies rather than engage in social interactions. Daydreamers may prioritize daydreaming over important tasks like work or sleep and struggle to focus on real-life responsibilities.
Many online forums exist to raise awareness of maladaptive daydreaming. It’s not classified as a mental health condition in the DSM-5 and there are still debates about whether it should be recognized as a diagnosis or if it’s considered a symptom of other conditions like ADHD or OCD.
As someone who has dealt with this for at least eight years, I can say that it has a significant impact on daily life, especially as a student. I enjoy reading articles about this and participating in studies because I hope it will raise awareness and that people who daydream realize that they are not strange or weird for doing this and that they are not alone.
