While maladaptive daydreaming (MD) is not currently recognized as a psychiatric disorder, a new study suggests that the condition deserves more clinical attention. The researchers found that only about 20% of an ADHD sample met criteria for MD, suggesting that maladaptive daydreaming involves a unique form of inattention that makes it distinct from ADHD. The findings were published in theJournal of Clinical Psychology.
Maladaptive daydreaming is the act of immersing oneself in detailed, imaginative fantasies that consume ones attention at the expense of everyday functioning. This type of daydreaming shares some overlap with symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a condition involving difficulty maintaining attention.
However, the authors of the current study proposed a distinction between MD and ADHD. The researchers suggest that the daydreaming associated with ADHD is better described as mind wandering the spontaneous shifting of attention to task-unrelated thoughts. Maladaptive daydreaming, on the other hand, is defined by daydreaming that is intentional, complex, and vivid. These distinctions are important because the two forms of daydreaming may have different underlying mechanisms and call for different treatment.
In a previous study, we recruited about 40 people with MD and did a full clinical interview with each of them to identify if they meet criteria for any DSM-5 disorders, and if so, which. The most striking finding in that study was that they had overwhelming levels of clinical-level psychopathology: all participants met criteria for DSM-5 disorders, with most of them meeting criteria for more than one, often even three or four, said study author Nirit Soffer-Dudek, a senior lecturer and head of The Consciousness and Psychopathology Laboratory at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev.
In addition, we found that 77% of the sample met criteria for ADHD, most of them to the inattention only type (without hyperactivity). Spontaneously in the interview they explained that their difficulty concentrating on tasks was a result of their addiction to fantastical daydreaming. Thus, we began to view meeting criteria for ADHD as a secondary result of MD.
Moreover, we came to view this supposed comorbidity not as a true comorbidity but rather as inaccurate labeling. Specifically, it seemed that if MD were a formal diagnostic syndrome, the label of ADHD would be superfluous for these people (because the symptoms seemed to be better explained by MD in their cases). We assumed that having MD leads to meeting criteria for ADHD, but not necessarily vice versa.
For their new study, Soffer-Dudek and her colleagues aimed to investigate whether MD is a distinct mental phenomenon from ADHD by examining rates of MD among people with ADHD. While studies have found high rates of ADHD among people with MD, if the two constructs are independent, people with ADHD will not have similarly high rates of MD.
A group of 98 people with ADHD completed online questionnaires that assessed ADHD symptoms, several measures of psychological distress, and maladaptive daydreaming. Of these participants, 59 had elevated MD scores and were contacted to undergo a clinical interview to assess MD. After 44 of these participants responded and were interviewed, 17 met criteria for MD. Accounting for selective dropout, this means that roughly 20-23% of the full sample of ADHD participants also met criteria for MD.
Notably, this rate of MD in an ADHD sample is far smaller than the previously reported incidence of ADHD in an MD sample, which was around 77%. This suggests that the two constructs are distinct, with MD involving unique characteristics that are not explained by ADHD.
The study authors suggest that maladaptive daydreaming is better described as a dissociative disorder or behavioral addiction, rather than an issue of attention. They suggest that MD is an independent mental phenomenon, which often creates a deficit in attention as a side effect, causing MDers in some cases to also meet criteria for ADHD, but not necessarily vice versa.
Participants who met criteria for both ADHD and MD had higher depression and loneliness, and worse self-esteem. These heightened symptoms of distress were not explained by ADHD symptom severity, suggesting a unique contribution of MD.
The researchers note the importance of distinguishing between the two conditions. There are many reasons why people may find it hard to focus, Soffer-Dudek told PsyPost. The ADHD diagnosis is a bit broad in that it looks mainly at the end result, and not on the inner dynamic of thought leading to that result. We suggest that different thought dynamics should be treated differently.
If your ADHD stems from general mind-wandering with ever-changing distractions (which is characteristic of typical ADHD), you may need different treatment than if you find yourself compulsively drawn to engage in elaborate, narrative, vivid and highly emotional fantasies (characteristic of MD). If it is the latter, we suggest seeking psychological help, and introducing to the clinician the concept of MD, which has been researched extensively in the past years, but is still quite unknown.
Along similar lines, many people with MD have called for better recognition of the construct of maladaptive daydreaming, expressing that the existing psychological definitions do not adequately capture the depth of their experiences. While further study is needed to confirm whether MD should be considered a psychiatric disorder, it could be that some people with an ADHD diagnosis would be better served by a diagnosis of MD.
If someone has fanciful immersive daydreams but does not experience them as a problem, then that would not count as MD, and is not a problem, Soffer-Dudek noted. Our aim is not to pathologize normal daydreaming. MD describes a situation where the person feels that their addiction to daydreaming is impairing their lives (e.g., loneliness, difficulties concentrating due to daydreaming, or difficulty creating or maintaining relationships because it is easier and more rewarding in the short run to daydream them).
Many MD communities exist online (e.g., Facebook, Reddit) offering peer support, Soffer-Dudek added. Also, we have a website dedicated to the research of MD, where people who see themselves as suffering from MD can register to get news updates on the topic and be offered to participate in research.
The researchers are currently seeking participants for a new study. We are looking for people who have been diagnosed as suffering from ADHD (they dont have to be maladaptive daydreamers), Soffer-Dudek said. Information about the new study can be found here: https://bgupsych.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_2lQVt6a2JKLFzD0
The study, Could immersive daydreaming underlie a deficit in attention? The prevalence and characteristics of maladaptive daydreaming in individuals with attentiondeficit/hyperactivity disorder, was authored by Nitzan TheodorKatz, Eli Somer, Rinatya M. Hesseg, and Nirit SofferDudek.
Read more:
- Intentional Community and Capitalism - Shareable - April 10th, 2024 [April 10th, 2024]
- How alternative communities have evolved from pacifist communes to a solution to the ageing population - The Conversation - March 12th, 2024 [March 12th, 2024]
- Georgia Power Announced T. Dallas Smith named to Georgia ... - All On Georgia - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- CSRWire - Thought Leaders Gather for Critical Community ... - CSRwire.com - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- EPA centers diversity with first-ever environmental youth advisory council - Yahoo News - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- Rigor, Relevance, & Reality: Education Collaboratory at Yale ... - Yale School of Medicine - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- Gaza: UN experts call on international community to prevent ... - ReliefWeb - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- Fathering Together Announces Acquisition of City Dads Group - PR Web - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- Company to pay over $50 million in largest environmental lawsuit settlement in D.C. history: Health risks to the public - Yahoo News - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- Student death is now part of the routine at Middlebury - The Middlebury Campus - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- We welcomed an abandoned dog into our family. But dog dumping ... - Kansas Reflector - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- The National Climate Assessment Goes Woke - Dallasweekly - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- A Conversation about History, Race and the Meaning of True ... - Philanthropy Roundtable - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- The color of community | WORLD - WORLD News Group - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- Kindness has good benefits | News, Sports, Jobs - The Review - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- Georgia Power Foundation awards grant for BIG Edge ... - Georgia Southern University Newsroom - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- "Chilling": Maryland lawmakers threaten to cut aid to immigrants ... - Salon - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- Three water options come with high cost | News, Sports, Jobs - Evening Observer - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- Welcome to the Team, Kintan! | Office of Immigrant Affairs - Philadelphia Water Department - July 11th, 2023 [July 11th, 2023]
- Fannie Mae Recognized for Its DEI Efforts - DSNews.com - July 11th, 2023 [July 11th, 2023]
- Fannie Mae Named 'Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion' and ... - Fannie Mae - July 11th, 2023 [July 11th, 2023]
- Focused on progress - Weekly Challenger - July 11th, 2023 [July 11th, 2023]
- Good Ancestors and Messengers of Hope - Digital Journal - July 11th, 2023 [July 11th, 2023]
- 'Make it intentional': 3-N-1 Trinity Services helps young ... - Longview News-Journal - July 11th, 2023 [July 11th, 2023]
- 'Latinistas' is the World's First All-Latina Fashion Doll Line - hiplatina.com - July 11th, 2023 [July 11th, 2023]
- CSU Releases Findings of Three-Year Research Study on NAVA'S ... - InvestorsObserver - July 11th, 2023 [July 11th, 2023]
- Press Ganey's Physician of the Year on a cardiology 'game changer ... - Becker's Hospital Review - July 11th, 2023 [July 11th, 2023]
- City Officials Join Summer Campers and Local Artists to Kick Off ... - Philadelphia Water Department - July 11th, 2023 [July 11th, 2023]
- Merrill and Linda Hutchinson on Communication for a Summer of ... - Digital Journal - July 11th, 2023 [July 11th, 2023]
- Feathers installed as Rotary District Governor | News, Sports, Jobs - The Inter-Mountain - July 11th, 2023 [July 11th, 2023]
- Theatre at St. Luke's: All Shook Up to The Little Mermaid - Orlando Sentinel - July 11th, 2023 [July 11th, 2023]
- Culture wars rage on, forcing marketers to decide whether to ... - Marketing Dive - July 11th, 2023 [July 11th, 2023]
- Some thoughts on governance of the local variety - Resilience - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- 988 is saving lives, but more awareness and support needed - Alton Telegraph - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- The Limitations of Eco-Anxiety | Atmos - Atmos Magazine - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Welcome Back: How JAPER Becomes Real for the People in Brazil ... - Just Security - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Now Is the Time to Go All In on Heat Pumps - Rocky Mountain Institute - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) celebrates 40th ... - Elizabethton.com - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Discrimination or bureaucracy? A Jewish community in Germany ... - The Jerusalem Post - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- AAP Rules And Guidelines For How To Keep Kids Safe From Cars - Fatherly - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Pine County Sheriff's Report and Jail Roster | Communities ... - Pine City Pioneer - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Is a Hanan Ben Ari concert the solution for Jewish divisions? - opinion - The Jerusalem Post - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- What the LGBT wedding website Supreme Court ruling means for ... - The Atlanta Journal Constitution - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Out at CHM hosts its first 2023 event - Windy City Times - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- 'The time is now': Longtime friends launch support organization for ... - The Lawrence Times - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- La Vergne Receives Municipal League Award for Excellence in Fire ... - rutherfordsource.com - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- UW System offers status update on its five-year strategic plan (day 1 ... - University of Wisconsin System - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Hawaii Native Krystal Ka'ai Tackles Equity And Anti-Asian Hate For ... - Honolulu Civil Beat - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- News & events / News - Diocese of York - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Businesses that address social or environmental problems often ... - The Conversation - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- EFOC: Is This Happening To Me Because I'm Black? Combating ... - Essence - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Stations Telling Diverse Stories With Sponsored Segments from ... - Next TV - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Ex-Prisoners Face Headwinds as Job Seekers, Even as Openings ... - The New York Times - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Bungie weighs in on the current argument raging through the ... - PC Gamer - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Myanmar: Dire humanitarian and human rights situation ... - OHCHR - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- Invest in our public schools - EdNC - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- N.Y. stands up for LGBTQ equality: Having Pride 12 months a year - New York Daily News - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- NASCAR, Bubba Wallace bring 'Bubba's Block Party' to Chicago - Daytona Times - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- Fifth Third's 2022 Sustainability Report Shares Progress on Priorities ... - InvestorsObserver - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- Top LGBTQ+ Financial Influencers to Learn from in 2023 - Investopedia - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- 'Retirement is so traditional,' try periodic retirement to figure out ... - Morningstar - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- Crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous people brings federal ... - New Mexico In Depth - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- The Astounding Power of Intentional Productivity (And How You Can ... - The Good Men Project - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- What SCOTUS ruling on affirmative action means for UL schools - Louisiana Radio Network - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- Community managers find the path for developers and players to ... - VentureBeat - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- The EPA was ready to clean up 'Cancer Alley.' Then it backed off. - Grist - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- What Bidenomics Means for Workers and Families - UpNorthNews - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- The vital link between a healthy press and our republic - The Fulcrum - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- Death, Drag, and Decadence shows off the queer joy of DnD - Wargamer - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- Israeli Expats in the U.S.: 'I Speak English, but I Don't Speak American' - Tablet Magazine - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- NTSB hearings end with talks on tanker conditions, fire's aftermath - Marietta Times - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- Can 'Friendship Clubs' Cure the Loneliness Created by Remote Work? - The San Francisco Standard - June 4th, 2023 [June 4th, 2023]
- 'Men in Blazers' Podcast Comes to Higher Ground to Talk Vermont ... - Seven Days - June 4th, 2023 [June 4th, 2023]
- Mindfulness, breathwork expert preaches value of slow living to Black and brown communities - Yahoo News - June 4th, 2023 [June 4th, 2023]
- Idaho's physician shortage is here. Here's what we can do about it. - Idaho Capital Sun - June 4th, 2023 [June 4th, 2023]
- Awards Ceremony Shines Spotlight on Caltech's Trailblazers in ... - Caltech - June 4th, 2023 [June 4th, 2023]
- The African American Museum of Iowa Announces Juneteenth ... - River Cities Reader - June 4th, 2023 [June 4th, 2023]
- US Supreme Court Rules Against Striking Drivers Who Abandoned ... - Engineering News-Record - June 4th, 2023 [June 4th, 2023]
- The Future of the Thomaston Green is Green (or should be) - PenBayPilot.com - June 4th, 2023 [June 4th, 2023]
- The Elephant in the Ethernet Port - City Journal - June 4th, 2023 [June 4th, 2023]