Am I a Maladaptive Daydreamer?

Take this quiz to find out!

You have an active imagination. Your fantasies feature an exciting cast of characters, with complex storylines fit for the screen. You could spend the whole day lost in reveries. But are you just a dreamer—or are you letting dreams rule your life?

Ready to find out for yourself? Click “Start Quiz” now to discover if you’re a maladaptive daydreamer.

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Questions Overview

1. If you had unlimited time and energy, how long could you imagine yourself daydreaming for?
  1. Hours.
  2. 30 minutes to an hour.
  3. 10-30 minutes.
  4. I’d get bored after 10 minutes.
2. Does your daydreaming interrupt other activities, like school or work?
  1. Yes. I have a hard time focusing when I feel an urge to daydream.
  2. Sometimes, but I can usually force myself to pay attention.
  3. Rarely. I know that my fantasies aren’t as important as reality.
  4. Never.
3. Do you prefer exciting daydreams over actual conversations?
  1. Definitely. I look for excuses to leave conversation so I can be alone to dream.
  2. I like them both equally, but I’d never exit a conversation to daydream.
  3. I usually prefer real life conversations to daydreams.
  4. I prefer reality.
4. When your daydreams are interrupted, do you feel a desire to return to your dream ASAP?
  1. Yes—it’s like an itch I have to scratch.
  2. I do, but it goes away after a while.
  3. Maybe a little, but it’s hardly noticeable.
  4. Nope, I forget about daydreams once they’re done.
5. Are your daydreams brought on by movies, literature, music, or other media?
  1. 100%. It’s easier to have more complex dreams with a little inspiration.
  2. Sometimes.
  3. Rarely.
  4. No, never.
6. Do you perform repetitive motions while daydreaming?
  1. Every time. I might tap my foot, nod my head, or pace around.
  2. Sometimes, but not always.
  3. Rarely.
  4. Never.
7. Do your dreams revolve around a theme or fantasy (like love, power, or your ideal self)?
  1. Yes, my dreams are always about what I want most in life.
  2. I think there are common themes, but they’re not really obvious.
  3. Sometimes. But other times, they feel random.
  4. No, they don't follow common themes.
8. Do you daydream every day?
  1. Yes, definitely.
  2. I daydream most days, but not every day.
  3. I only daydream a couple days a week.
  4. No, I just daydream every once in a while.
9. Have your daydreams become more complex and creative over time?
  1. Yes. I have a cast of characters who follow complicated storylines.
  2. My daydreams are detailed, but they could be more complex.
  3. My daydreams aren’t too vivid and usually feature the same few people.
  4. No, my dreams are usually basic and straightforward.
10. When you have spare time, do you prefer daydreaming?
  1. Whenever I have a few free minutes, my mind jumps to daydreams.
  2. Sometimes I do, but sometimes I’d prefer to entertain myself in other ways.
  3. Rarely.
  4. I only daydream when I’m doing something long or boring.
11. Why do you daydream?
  1. Because it makes me feel happy or fulfilled.
  2. Because it’s always fun.
  3. Because every once in a while, it can be entertaining.
  4. To distract myself from boring things.
12. Do you lose track of time while daydreaming?
  1. Yes, my dreams could last minutes or hours—it’s so hard to tell.
  2. Yes, but never so much that I might accidentally show up somewhere late due to daydreaming.
  3. Maybe sometimes.
  4. No, never.

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Maladaptive Daydreaming: Unpacked

What is maladaptive daydreaming? Maladaptive daydreams are excessive, persistent daydreaming episodes. Typically, the daydreamer feels completely occupied by their fantasies. Oftentimes, maladaptive daydreams negatively affect a person’s relationships, work, or day-to-day routines. The dreams might also serve as a coping mechanism, or a way to distract from other unpleasant feelings.

Maladaptive daydreams are intense, persistent, or disruptive. Most maladaptive daydreamers experience vivid, complex dreams, maybe even employing a cast of different characters with thorough backstories. These people may get lost in fantasies for extended periods of time, even hours, without realizing it. Maladaptive daydreamers may feel entirely unattached to what’s happening around them, instead feeling completely immersed in their imagination. This can affect their social, professional, or academic successes—which might leave them feeling ashamed or addicted to their daydreams. Some people even experience compulsions, or a strong need to return to their fantasies—almost like an addiction.

Maladaptive daydreaming usually occurs alongside other disorders. Though there’s still much to learn about maladaptive daydreaming, it’s commonly observed alongside ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), anxiety disorders, depression, dissociative disorders, or OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder).

Is maladaptive daydreaming an official disorder? No, maladaptive daydreaming isn’t currently recognized by the DSM-5. That said, it’s a hot topic in the psychological community at the moment, and authorities in the field are calling for more research.

How common is maladaptive daydreaming? It’s much more common than you might think. Because maladaptive daydreaming isn’t an official disorder yet, there’s still a long way to go before we’ll understand its prevalence. That said, some initial research suggests that it could affect ~2% of the population, up to ~20% of adults with ADHD.

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