These can trigger daydreaming episodes that last for hours and can be extremely disruptive.

She then describes the symptoms, speculating the reasons behind its onset in different people, for example traumatic experiences, hormonal changes, or even just something simple such as being alone a lot and being bored (which I’m sure we can all relate to during this pandemic). She first defines what Maladaptive Daydreaming is, likening it to the severity of an addiction or a mental disorder. I found myself laughing and cringing simultaneously at myself throughout the whole book, since the symptoms she lists are me to a T. It is incredibly amusing and relatable even from the first page, which was perfect for my relatively short attention span (which Andler also explains away that this is due to my tendency to unconsciously slip into my dream world). If I had, I would have recognised the reasons behind why I have a very severe form of maladaptive daydreaming - it is a coping mechanism and a way of escape for those who have experienced repeated childhood trauma.Īndler expands on this by writing about her own experiences with compulsive fantasising. This book is a must-read for any maladaptive daydreamer - in fact, I feel frustrated at myself for not having read it earlier and educating myself on this topic sooner.

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