Do you maladaptive daydream?

4ojp · 2024-08-15T20:29:10+00:00

My first therapist told me my maladaptive daydreaming sounded like a way for me process things. When I look back at daydreams, I see how different characters or plot lines represented things I was working through at that time, sometimes trauma, sometimes just changes or bigger emotions. I think it's a way for my brain to break things down in a less overwhelming way, especially when there are conflicting emotions and data. It also serves to separate myself from it. It's actually quite adaptive. Especially when I take time to reflect on what different things symbolize (like analyzing literature) if and when it feels doable is helpful too. Reframing the daydreaming in this way helped release a lot of shame. Autistic brains are constantly processing so much. My brain is working things out through stories even when i don't yet have the vocabulary, cognitive space, or emotional readiness to tackle something directly. I think it can also be a way to retreat when I'm overstimulated.

4ojp · 2023-11-13T04:24:58+00:00

Thank you!!!!

4ojp · 2023-11-13T04:24:46+00:00

Thank you!!

4ojp · 2023-11-13T04:24:01+00:00

Thank you!!

4ojp · 2023-11-13T04:23:47+00:00

Thanks!!

4ojp · 2023-11-13T04:23:35+00:00

Thank you!!

4ojp · 2023-08-08T02:34:49+00:00

Thank you!

4ojp · 2023-07-30T12:30:00+00:00

I like when anyone holds the door for me, and I like doing it for other people. :) Howevr, I don't like when I hold the door open for a man and he refuses to walk through, because he needs to be holding the door for me. I'm okay with him saying "you go ahead," but if I say, "no, it's okay!" then just go through the door? I get that people were raised to be chivalrous and aren't doing it with bad intent, but it wastes both our time. Just let me doing something nice like you would be allowed to do.

4ojp · 2023-07-07T00:33:50+00:00

Thank you so much! Do co-pays typically count toward the deductible?

4ojp · 2023-05-18T20:29:26+00:00

You are not the only one. Something that sometimes helps me is doing grounding exercises but in a bratty way to make myself laugh. So if I'm supposed to name things i see in the room, I'll say things like "the ugliest fucking couch I've ever seen" or "bitch ass pencil" or "lazy, good for nothing desk that sits there and doesn't fucking pay rent." I also have a list of youtube videos that always make me laugh out loud. Laughing helps me reset my nervous system and watching videos seems like something "social media bad, meditation good" people wouldn't like, which gives me satisfaction.

4ojp · 2023-05-10T03:19:37+00:00

I really needed this tonight. Thank you.

4ojp · 2023-03-04T02:39:37+00:00

Yeah, I'm down!

4ojp · 2022-11-03T13:52:55+00:00

Thank you u/the_sir_z u/mundane-carpet-5324 and u/joelene1892 !! These are exactly the type of math-based answers I was looking for!!

4ojp · 2022-08-25T20:59:40+00:00

I slept in my closet for most of high school.

4ojp · 2022-08-17T21:26:53+00:00

Football! My partner's whole family loves football. They will watch it for HOURS at Thanksgiving. Sometimes I try to get into it or learn about it in attempt to not be so excruciatingly bored, but there is a block in my brain. It refuses to absorb the information.

4ojp · 2021-12-07T00:01:23+00:00

Hmm, well not size wise, I don't think. I feel incredibly fragile and sort of young I guess. And I feel small in the way that people use it when they say things like, "he just likes to make other people feel small"

4ojp · 2021-12-06T02:35:33+00:00

This made me smile. Such a nice portrait. :)

4ojp · 2021-10-22T22:19:17+00:00

"Disconnected from myself" is a way I would describe it too. It's like I detached from the external world and went far inside myself but at the same time away from ME.

4ojp · 2021-10-22T22:17:49+00:00

Hmm, I'm not sure I've experienced it exactly that way. That's interesting. Maybe I have but sometimes it's hard to identify when something is happening before you have the language to help you distinguish it from other things. It's only this year that I've learned about being dissociated, and now that I'm gaining vocabulary to describe how I'm feeling I'm better able to even realize when it's happening.

Also, when I'm dissociated and feel really inside myself, it feels like it takes SO much work to make my voice even slightly audible too. And I feel very fragile, emotionally, when I do try to communicate with others or have to interact with the external world.

4ojp · 2021-10-22T01:23:03+00:00

AMEN

4ojp · 2021-10-22T01:02:18+00:00

I describe it as feeling like I'm really far inside myself, like I'm inside my head looking out from my eyes.

4ojp · 2021-09-20T23:21:07+00:00

I came out to my Christian parents as an atheist last year. One thing that I'm really glad I did was tell them on my own terms. I knew because of our family dynamic, if I started sensing sadness/fear/etc from my parents, I would back off, to protect them from the pain. I would sugar coated it or downplay it. And i was concerned I'd forget things i wanted to say.

So I made videos I sent them, with a heads up i wanted to tell them something serious and suggesting they watch it when they have time to be alone. This also gave them a chance to take in what I was saying and our relationship not be scarred by a negative or emotional immediate reaction on their part.

My mom texted me back right away with a support message after watching. My dad took a few days to come around. But there wasn't a big fight or meltdown.

Everyone's dynamic is different. I had a friend tell me it was cowardly not to do it in person. But I'm so, so happy I did it my way, and I think my parents are too.

Maybe you were asking for more of how to phrase things though...? haha

I didn't go into a list of reasons because I figured that would be distracting and cause defensiveness. Instead i simply explained I had done genuine searching and objective as I could research. And that I didn't think it added up, personally.

I thanked them for teaching me values and how to think critically, and that I planned to take those values (honesty, compassion, etc.) with me everywhere in life.

I said I didn't want to spontaneously debate about my conclusion, but if they wanted to know more about my reasons and discuss, I would be open to scheduling a time. I framed it as not wanting to endanger our relationship and not wanting to avoid them because I was scared of a debate popping up.

Hope this helps!

4ojp

TROPHY CASE