Maladaptive Daydreaming is supported by the conviction that one's fantasies are forthcoming.

The related fantasies leave out the discomforts of one's sought after existence.

Challenging the cognitive distortions of our hopes and dreams can help us make more meaningful choices.

People with obsessive-compulsive tendencies tend to struggle immensely with decision-making. Outsiders looking in wonder why common choices, like where to work or whom to marry, are so challenging for them. Worsening the problem is the proclivity toward maladaptive daydreaming, spending hours on end fantasizing about ideal scenarios. Often, these imagined scenarios don’t even entail the full scope of what would be expected were they to exist. A person who dreams of becoming a singer might only focus on the parts they like, like singing in a big arena, while leaving out the fatigue, the bad reviews, the deadlines, the anxiety of being on stage, and the physical symptoms that accompany it.

For those with vivid imaginations and convictions about what’s possible, maladaptive daydreaming serves not only as a place of respite; it’s also a reminder of what’s to come. The fantasies are as powerful as they are because the individual engaged in them sincerely believes them to be harbingers, merely necessitating patience. It’s a misconception that people who engage in maladaptive daydreaming do so because they prefer fantasy to reality—in reality, they prefer it momentarily, and only if it represents what’s to come. The fantasies are fueled by........

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