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121:
505:, a form of normal dissociation associated with absorption, is a highly prevalent mental activity experienced by almost everyone. Some individuals reportedly possess the ability to daydream so vividly that they experience a sense of presence in the imagined environment. This experience is reported to be extremely rewarding to the extent that some of those who experience it develop a compulsion to repeat it that it has been described as an
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25:
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While maladaptive daydreaming is not a recognized psychiatric disorder, it has spawned online support groups since Somer first reported the proposed disorder in 2002. Although there are no specific treatments recommended for maladaptive daydreaming, Harvard
Medical School suggests individuals with
528:
There is no consensus among psychologists as to the causes of maladaptive daydreaming, although some experts believe it may be a coping mechanism. Teenagers and young adults, particularly those with childhood trauma or abuse, more frequently report having the condition than do adults. Individuals
571:
In 2015, a 14-item self-report measurement, known as the
Maladaptive Daydreaming Scale or MDS-16 was designed to identify abnormalities in the daydreaming of individuals. The purpose of designing this instrument was to provide a reliable and valid measurement of the existence of the proposed
546:
Maladaptive daydreaming is currently studied by a consortium of researchers (The
International Consortium for Maladaptive Daydreaming Research or ICMDR) from diverse countries including the United States, Poland, Switzerland, Israel, Greece and Italy.
494:. Somer's definition of the proposed condition is "extensive fantasy activity that replaces human interaction and/or interferes with academic, interpersonal, or vocational functioning." There has been limited research outside of Somer's.
509:. Somer has proposed "stimuli" for maladaptive daydreams that may relate to specific locations. The main proposed symptom is extremely vivid fantasies with "story-like features", such as the daydream's characters, plots and settings.
575:
Later, an additional two items were added, assessing the use of music in fostering daydreaming. The MDS-16 has been used in several countries such as the United States, Turkey, the United
Kingdom, Italy and Israel.
550:
Interested researchers are continuously added to the
Consortium to foster collaborations in this small field of research. The ICMDR's website features all scientific studies on MD in the "publications" section.
973:
Ballabio, Matteo; Griffiths, Mark D.; Urbán, Róbert; Quartiroli, Allessandro; et al. (2017). "Do gaming motives mediate between psychiatric symptoms and problematic gaming? An empirical survey study".
876:
Bigelsen, J., J.; Schupak, C. (December 2011). "Compulsive fantasy: Proposed evidence of an under-reported syndrome through a systematic study of 90 self-identified non-normative fantasizers".
559:
There are no official ways to diagnose maladaptive daydreaming in patients because it has not yet been recognized in any official diagnostic manual for psychiatry, such as the
486:
or work. Maladaptive daydreaming is not a widely recognized diagnosis and is not found in any major diagnostic manual of psychiatry or medicine. The term was coined in 2002 by
1471:
1523:
616:
Although maladaptive daydreaming has not been officially recognized as a mental disorder, it has garnered attention from numerous news and media outlets starting in 2020.
529:
with the condition sometimes share traits with other behavioral addictions such as gambling or video games and may use their daydreams as a means to escape reality.
1146:
Bigelse, Jayne; Lehrfeld, Jonathan M.; Jopp, Daniela S.; Somer, Eli (May 2016). "Maladaptive daydreaming: Evidence for an under-researched mental health disorder".
203:
196:
84:
1240:"Different cultures, similar daydream addiction? An examination of the cross-cultural measurement equivalence of the Maladaptive Daydreaming Scale"
1114:
608:, a medication typically used to treat those with OCD. The patient found she was better able to control the frequency of her daydreaming episodes.
1612:
1409:"Compulsive fantasy: Proposed evidence of an under-reported syndrome through a systematic study of 90 self-identified non-normative fantasizers"
830:
Somer, E.; Somer, L.; Jopp, S.D. (9 June 2016). "Parallel lives: A phenomenological study of the lived experience of maladaptive daydreaming".
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1038:"Trapped in a Daydream: Daily Elevations in Maladaptive Daydreaming Are Associated With Daily Psychopathological Symptoms"
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condition in patients and to garner attention to the potential existence of maladaptive daydreaming as a mental disorder.
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1299:"Reliability, Validity, and Factor Structure of the Maladaptive Daydreaming Scale (MDS–16) in an Italian Sample"
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that is not recognized by any major medical or psychological criteria. Maladaptive daydreaming can result in
1496:
1238:
Soffer-Dudek, Nirit; Somer, Eli; Abu-Rayya, Hisham M.; Metin, Barış; Schimmenti, Adriano (2 November 2020).
563:. However, some methods have been developed in attempt to gauge the proposed mental disorder's prevalence.
44:
1297:
Schimmenti, Adriano; Sideli, Lucia; La Marca, Luana; Gori, Alessio; Terrone, Grazia (2 September 2020).
1524:"People with "Maladaptive Daydreaming" spend an average of four hours a day lost in their imagination"
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402:
239:
1097:"The Micro-Politics of a New Mental Condition: Legitimization in Maladaptive Daydreamers' Discourse"
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Reality shifting is a trend that appears to be a form of excessive daydreaming, which emerged as an
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as people with maladaptive daydreaming can tell that their fantasies are not real, while those with
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that interferes with daily life. It is a proposed diagnosis of a disordered form of dissociative
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Pietkiewicz, Igor J.; Nęcki, Szymon; Bańbura, Anna; Tomalski, Radoslaw (August 2018).
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1551:"Reality shifting: psychological features of an emergent online daydreaming culture"
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Somer, Eli; Cardeña, Etzel; Catelan, Ramiro
Figueiredo; Soffer-Dudek, Nirit (2023).
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604:(OCD). In one case study, a patient believed to have the condition was administered
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the condition may find treating other mental health conditions to be effective.
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817:
Daydreaming: An
Introduction to the Experimental Study of Inner Experience"
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Somer, Eli; Lehrfeld, Jonathan; Bigelsen, Jayne; Jopp, Daniela S. (2016).
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The
International Consortium for Maladaptive Daydreaming Research (ICMDR)
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928:"Development and validation of the Maladaptive Daydreaming Scale (MDS)"
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with a number of already existing recognized mental disorders such as
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have difficulty separating hallucinations or delusions from reality.
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1354:"The Comorbidity of Daydreaming Disorder (Maladaptive Daydreaming)"
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provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject
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Maladaptive daydreaming has been identified to potentially have
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1094:
720:"Maladaptive daydreaming as a new form of behavioral addiction"
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Somer has argued that maladaptive daydreaming is not a form of
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Fisher, Jennifer (January 9, 2024). Collier, Stephanie (ed.).
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925:
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Somer, Eli; Soffer-Dudek, Nirit; Ross, Colin A. (2017).
1145:
1008:"Maladaptive daydreaming: What it is and how to stop it"
1351:
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369:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
1095:Bershtling, O., & Somer, E. (27 August 2018).
1035:
1604:
1454:Bigelsen, Jayne; Kelley, Tina (April 29, 2015).
798:"Maladaptive Daydreaming: A Qualitative Inquiry"
1406:
1214:"Publication on Maladptive Daydreaming | ICMDR"
1036:Soffer-Dudek, Nirit; Somer, Eli (15 May 2018).
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466:, is when an individual experiences excessive
1190:"Maladaptive Daydreaming researchers | ICMDR"
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311:that contextualizes different points of view.
297:to certain ideas, incidents, or controversies
1113:: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (
994:
53:Learn how and when to remove these messages
16:Trait associated with some mental disorders
1407:Bigelsen, Jayne; Schupak, Cynthia (2011).
706:
144:. Please do not remove this message until
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1358:The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease
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447:Learn how and when to remove this message
429:Learn how and when to remove this message
327:Learn how and when to remove this message
266:Learn how and when to remove this message
164:Learn how and when to remove this message
103:Learn how and when to remove this message
642:Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
590:attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
579:
140:Relevant discussion may be found on the
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497:
1613:Symptoms and signs of mental disorders
1605:
1129:"Maladaptive Daydreaming Publications"
1005:
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567:Maladaptive Daydreaming Scale (MDS-16)
202:Please improve this article by adding
1456:"When Daydreaming Replaces Real Life"
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85:providing more context for the reader
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832:Journal of Trauma & Dissociation
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367:adding citations to reliable sources
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1303:Journal of Personality Assessment
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34:This article has multiple issues.
1474:from the original on May 1, 2015
1244:Journal of Behavioral Addictions
724:Journal of Behavioral Addictions
687:Schizotypal personality disorder
612:Maladaptive daydreaming in media
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1497:"The daydream that never stops"
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976:Addiction Research & Theory
693:The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
354:needs additional citations for
42:or discuss these issues on the
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1315:10.1080/00223891.2019.1594240
988:10.1080/16066359.2017.1305360
844:10.1080/15299732.2016.1160463
699:
682:Schizoid personality disorder
647:Avoidant personality disorder
602:obsessive–compulsive disorder
204:secondary or tertiary sources
1425:10.1016/j.concog.2011.08.013
1370:10.1097/NMD.0000000000000685
1160:10.1016/j.concog.2016.03.017
944:10.1016/j.concog.2015.12.001
890:10.1016/j.concog.2011.08.013
820:. New York, NY: Random House
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532:
474:, associated with excessive
7:
1413:Consciousness and Cognition
1148:Consciousness and Cognition
932:Consciousness and Cognition
878:Consciousness and Cognition
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541:
146:conditions to do so are met
10:
1629:
1567:10.1007/s12144-021-02439-3
657:Fantasy-prone personality
652:Dissociation (psychology)
598:major depressive disorder
523:
378:"Maladaptive daydreaming"
215:"Maladaptive daydreaming"
1055:10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00194
796:Somer, Eli (Fall 2002).
1485:(subscription required)
1257:10.1556/2006.2020.00080
1042:Frontiers in Psychiatry
637:Absorption (psychology)
460:Maladaptive daydreaming
1101:The Qualitative Report
1016:Harvard Medical School
736:10.1556/2006.7.2018.95
191:relies excessively on
813:Singer, J. L. (1966)
580:Potential comorbidity
464:excessive daydreaming
305:by rewriting it in a
498:Range of daydreaming
363:improve this article
1561:(14): 11415–11427.
621:internet phenomenon
518:psychotic disorders
492:University of Haifa
133:of this article is
81:improve the article
1555:Current Psychology
772:www.psychiatry.org
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1419:(4): 1634–1648.
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1250:(4): 1056–1067.
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1530:. 25 June 2018
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1309:(5): 689–701.
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1012:Harvard Health
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672:Mind-wandering
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667:Hyperthymesia
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419:December 2020
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1500:
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1476:. Retrieved
1460:The Atlantic
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1019:. Retrieved
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361:Please help
356:verification
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