

Trauma response: Research suggests a strong link between childhood trauma and maladaptive daydreaming in later life.Social impairment: MD has been linked to social anxiety in that those with MD are often highly isolated and lonely.Attention-related disorders: The inability to control one’s thoughts present in MD is highly reminiscent of attention problems, such as ADHD.Compulsions: The meticulous, detailed nature of daydreams and strong compulsions to spend time in them could alternatively be likened to the compulsions in conditions such as OCD.Addictions: MD is often described as producing an extreme yearning to spend time daydreaming, similar to an addiction.Dissociative disorders: Conditions involving detachment from reality.

MD shares a lot of similarities, symptoms, and risk factors with various other psychological conditions, including

Part of the problem with diagnosing and treating maladaptive daydreaming is that there’s still so much we don’t know about it. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Maladaptive Daydreaming Early research suggests that a combination of mindfulness training, cognitive restructuring, and strategies used to treat addictions can significantly reduce the distress MD causes. If you purchase products or services through the links provided, we may receive commission at no extra cost to you. Please note: To support the operation of this website, we are a BetterHelp affiliate.
