In a world reeling from the echoes of the current conflict in the Middle East and Ukraine, we extend our deepest sorrow for the lives lost and the pain endured. It is precisely during such times that our pursuit of understanding the human mind gains heightened significance. Join us as we delve into the latest breakthroughs in maladaptive daydreaming (MD) research, seeking to bridge the gap between the harsh realities we face and the solace that knowledge can bring.
First, we invite those among you who have MD to participate in the study advertised below. It is only through sound scientific evidence that we are going to be successful in overcoming skepticism about MD.
A British call for research participants.
I'm doing my doctorate in clinical psychology at Canterbury Christ Church University. I'm promoting my research study aimed at exploring the underlying factors associated with the experience of maladaptive daydreaming (MD) with aversive themes. The aim is to understand better individuals' experiences with MD that involve aversive elements such as pain, death, violence, abuse, and illness. Additionally, this research may help identify potential targets for developing treatments.
This study is open to people who are:
· Aged 18 or above &
· Fluent in Written English &
· Have experience with Maladaptive Daydreaming with any themes.
We are very interested in people with MD with themes that are primarily or exclusively negative/ aversive.
After completing the questionnaire, you will also have the opportunity to enter a raffle to win one of two £50 Amazon vouchers! (or equivalent to your local currency)
If you're interested, please refer to the poster attached and follow the link to learn more about the study and sign up. My email address is: tt296@canterbury.ac.uk
Published papers
Somer, E. (2023). Body Movements During Maladaptive Daydreaming: A Thematic Analysis of Asynchronous Email Interviews. Journal of Anomalous Experience and Cognition, 3(1), 267-299.https://doi.org/10.31156/jaex.25004. The purpose of this paper's to shed light on the lived experience of stereotypical body movement and gesturing during maladaptive daydreaming (MD). The analyses revealed two main findings about the bi-directional effect of movement on MD. First, kinesthesia may enhance the daydreamers’ experience by deepening their fantasy immersion through improved focus featuring self-hypnotic characteristics. In addition, respondents reported that their body movements enhanced the daydreaming experience by embodying the protagonists' actions. MD-related motions were associated with occasional loss of agency, suggesting unintentional neuromuscular acti
Chefetz, R.A., Soffer-Dudek, N. & Somer, E. (2023) When daydreaming becomes maladaptive: phenomenological and psychoanalytic perspectives, Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy. https://doi.org/10.1080/02668734.2023.2246058
This paper claims that MD features active dissociative processes like depersonalization and derealization, including those also characteristic of dissociative identity disorder (DID): amnesia, identity confusion, and identity alteration and, that like in dissociative identity disorder, these symptoms seem to be psychodynamically driven. Often associated with profound shame experience, it is, like DID, a condition that tends to be concealed and requires a clinician to be knowledgeable about its nature before a diagnosis can occur and ef fective treatment be initiated.
Pyszkowska, A., Celban, J., Nowacki, A., & Dubiel, I. (2023). Maladaptive daydreaming, emotional dysregulation, affect and internalized stigma in persons with borderline personality disorder and depression disorder: A network analysis. Clinical psychology. https://doi.org/10.1002/cpp.2923 (Abstract only).
This study aimed to examine cognitive (internalized stigma), affective (affect, anhedonia, emotional dysregulation) and behavioural (escapism) aspects of MD in borderline personality disorder (BPD) and depression groups. Higher scores in emotional dysregulation, internalized stigma and escapism in the BPD group compared to the depression group; the subgroups did not vary in MD rates. The analysis revealed significant differences between groups in variables dynamics, with links between MD and self-suppression escapism, negative affect in the BPD group and MD with self-suppression escapism and social withdrawal in the depression group. Emotionally dysregulation and internalized stigma factors posed as the most robust expected influence components in both networks, suggesting that the cognitive and affective factors, not strictly behavioural, are pivotal for one's functioning and regulation strategies in the groups studied.
APA PsychNet listing
The 16-Item Maladaptive Daydreaming Scale - Arabic Version is now listed in APA’s Psychological tests depository with its unique DOI address. Click here to view it.
Completed student research
Shackled by Dreams: A Case Study of Maladaptive Daydreaming is a qualitative study of six individuals with maladaptive daydreaming is a qualitative research conducted by Myrtle Mae G. Ortazon and Nimfa Gail J. Villenas from the Southern Luzon State University as a partial fulfillment of their Bachelor's degree in psychology. Data were gathered
from six (6) participants who have a high probability of maladaptive daydreaming using a semi-structured interview, the Maladaptive Daydreaming Scale, the Immersive Daydreaming Content Checklist, the Daydreaminga Contents and Functions Checklist, and a diary. A case analysis and thematic analysis were adapted to assess the gathered information. Findings revealed that there are three factors that contribute to the development of maladaptive daydreaming: psycho-emotional, socio- cultural, and biological. The study concluded that regardless of the perceived positive effects of daydreaming on the participants, the negative effects on various aspects of their lives were significantly greater. Further study regarding the relation of childhood experiences on maladaptive daydreaming is recommended. Congratulations,
Myrtle and Nimfa!
Maladaptive daydreaming, Coping Styles, and Frustration Intolerance is a Master’s thesis by Ari Nowacka, submitted in Polish to the Faculty of Social Sciences of the University of Silesia in Poland. Ari found that MD was related to avoidant coping, frustration intolerance, and its subscales (discomfort intolerance, emotional intolerance, entitlement, and achievement). There were differences between maladaptive daydreamers and the control group in avoidant coping, seeking emotional support, and frustration intolerance (including two of its subscales: discomfort intolerance and emotional intolerance). Discomfort intolerance and emotional intolerance were also predictors of MD, explaining 9.6% of its variance.
Congratulations, Ari!
Moment, L. (2023). Adverse Childhood Experiences and Maladaptive Daydreaming, Research Square (preprint). https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0335-4827 The study found a moderate positive correlation between maladaptive daydreaming and adverse childhood experiences, suggesting that childhood trauma may contribute to the development of maladaptive daydreaming. Maladaptive daydreaming was also significantly positively correlated with depression and anxiety, indicating potential comorbidity with these mental health concerns. The study highlights the need for increased awareness and understanding of maladaptive daydreaming as a potential mental health concern, particularly for individuals who have experienced adverse childhood experiences. Interventions aimed at improving coping skills and addressing underlying trauma may be beneficial in reducing the negative impact of maladaptive daydreaming on daily functioning.
MD in the media
· The Colin McEnroe Show aired a story on Connecticut Public Radio (NPR) titled “Lost in my mind: What happens when we daydream”. The 50-minute show featured an interview featured guests Leslie Jamison: Novelist, essayist and professor at Columbia University’s MFA Program; Jayne Rachel: An advocate for maladaptive daydreaming, who used to experience it and, Jonathan Schooler: Distinguished professor of psychological and brain sciences and director of The Center for Mindfulness and Human Potential at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Click here for the audio link.
· flowwee.cz is a Prague-based online magazine for Czech individuals interested in smart technology, art, lifestyle, and also in current domestic and global events. The magazine recently published a story titled “V zajetí svých fantazií: Maladaptivní denní snění je nebezpečná a nevyzpytatelná závislost” (Captive of your fantasies: Maladaptive daydreaming is a dangerous and unpredictable addiction).
· What's An Imaginationship And Can It Harm IRL Relationships? is a story published in Brit + Co, one of the largest digital media companies for women. Brit + Co reaches an engaged community of over 175 million online and across platforms. They garnered tens of millions of video views and produce hundreds of pieces of content every month to keep up with everything our audience is up to. The story is about "imaginationship", a fictional relationship people create in their minds due to unrequited love. While it can temporarily boost confidence, it often leads to isolation and heartbreak. Maladaptive daydreaming, while fun, can hinder personal growth. Real-world relationships are essential for growth and mental well-being, as they require vulnerability and selflessness. Balancing daydreaming with hobbies and passions is crucial for self-love and forming meaningful connections with others.
· ‘Apa itu Maladaptive Daydreaming: Pengertian, Ciri-ciri, Penyebab, Hingga Cara Mengatasi’. The English translation of this title of a story published in Parboaboa, an online Indonesian platform with a focus on news and media content, is 'What is Maladaptive Daydreaming: Definition, Characteristics, Causes, and How to Overcome It’. You can access it here.
· The Italian edition of Harper’s Bazar featured a story titled: Alla scoperta del disturbo da fantasia compulsiva Come riconoscere il Maladaptive Daydreaming (in Italian: Discovering compulsive fantasy disorder. How to recognize Maladaptive Daydreaming.). Harper's Bazaar is a well-known fashion magazine that has been in publication for over a century. It was first published in 1867 in the United States and is one of the oldest fashion magazines in the world. Harper's Bazaar covers a wide range of topics related to fashion, beauty, culture, and lifestyle.Over the years, Harper's Bazaar has expanded its reach to various countries and regions, with editions published in numerous countries around the world. Each edition often tailors its content to reflect the fashion and culture of its specific region while maintaining the overall Harper's Bazaar brand (pdf).
· State of Mind is the first online journal in Italy on psychology, psychotherapy, neuroscience, and psychiatry. Since 2011, they have been involved in scientific dissemination and the publication of psychological perspectives on current events has recently posted a story titled “Il ruolo difensivo delle fantasie e la relazione tra il narcisismo e il maladaptive daydreaming: Come la narcisistica tendenza alla fantasia può sfociare nel disturbo da fantasia compulsiva all’aumentare del sentimento di vergogna” (The defensive role of fantasies and the relationship between narcissism and maladaptive daydreaming: How the narcissistic tendency to fantasy can lead to compulsive fantasy disorder as the feeling of shame increases). (pdf).
· DreamsMean is an Australian website featuring thousands of articles on dreaming and the most comprehensive dream dictionary on the Internet. The website posted an article recently titled: Exploring Immersive Daydreaming: A Journey Into The Mind’s Fantasies. Click here to read.
As the autumn leaves gracefully surrender to the gentle breezes of change, may we too find the strength to navigate these challenging times. Let the knowledge shared today be a beacon of hope, guiding us towards a future where peace and well-being flourish, much like the vibrant hues of autumn painting the world in warmth and renewal.