Can I ask a question?

[tired_of_starting_again]

For those of you that have fantasy worlds, how do you engage in them?
Do you just daydream in your head or act them out or what?
Because I act mine out, like physically. I must look pretty ridiculous talking to or hugging thin air, but that's how I've always done it.

Infact I can't really escape unless I'm acting them out, I don't know if this means I'm a more severe type of avoidant, but I haven't been able to find much detail on fantasies like mine.
Mine have always been like this, for seven years ever since I was at least nine.
It's been quite a bit better lately since I've been exploring my issue & whatnot, but overall I've spent the vast majority of my life & time pretending to at first me a better me, then eventually I'm pretending to be an entirely seperate person.

I don't know, it's just the way my illness has progressed.

 

[Harleyq]

My fantasy life stays in my head - I really only enter fantasy land as a coping mechanism when I feel anxious or sad. Maybe sometimes when I listen to music.

 

[FOR REAL]

i try to be like my idol at all times! DROP DEAD FRED!
somehow though it appears to me that "society" doesnt really like the idea!

well, i dont like society anyway, so i act as i please!
and stuff anyone that doesnt like it!

 

[typewriterx]

I generally keep mine in my head, just replaying situations excessively. I don't really think of it as a fantasy world though, more of a "I'm being prepared in case this comes up...or this, or this..." because if something social happened that I was really not expecting, that would be frightening. I think once or twice I have waved or made hand gestures while doing this though, but not often.

 

[reslo]

weee-- long post & rambling below v

I know that with avp, fantasy worlds are a part of the criteria. I'm not sure if mine count, because they're usually realistic?

i know this won't make me sound intelligent, and probably strange

but i can spend hours talking to myself, re-enacting social situations, imagining new ones- i try to keep it all in my head, but sometimes things come out in a low whisper [i don't think i realize how much i actually talk to myself]... it always involves real people i know- and they're usually plausible situations- like what if i ran into this person at the store? or magically this person knock on my door? or i called up this person- what would happen?

and i try to fill in the other person's responses by their personality, and it's not always like what i want to hear (sometimes it will be), usually just what seems realistic so i can get into arguments in my head with other people over nothing... and usually in these conversations i'm not really any different (like i'm still awkward, nervous, the same looking, and a little uncomfortable)

for me , it's mostly visual- i just try to picture it in my head- a lot of times my eyes are open, and i kinda stare off (which if you do all day is called catatonic schizophrenia)

it's kinda weird, like i've imagined what it would be like to go in and see a therapist, what questions they would ask me, if i would ever get mad at some point and storm out, would i be able to be ontime/be consistent with therapy, at least a half dozen times.

it can be helpful to make you sleep if you can fully imagine a relaxing scenario... which used to work great for me, but i can't do it anymore.

i think typwriterx is right in saying that it can be a protection thing

its weird that this thread started now because last night, i felt like i was gonna throw up, [i didn't thankfully] and i was curled up, feeling horrible, and lol i imagined if i had a husband, how would he react in this situation- like if he would cuddle with me, and i imagined stroking his face, and actually like moved my hand to where his face should be and petted the air O_O ?

as a kid i always wanted to be a writer- which i think definitely relates... i just wish i could stop daydreaming- i spend hours going nowhere.... which is probably why i daydream ><

but in response to your post, maybe if you're able to write out or record your thoughts, you can turn it into something tangible- like a movie/novel/video game/short story?? and maybe you have to act things out because you're somebody who learns by doing or you're aware of your body... i think that's kinesthetic intelligence. so it may not be a bad thing, just like a different way of expressing yourself?

 

[JCS008]

It's just so easy to fantasize and lie to yourself. I know I did that to myself for the longest time. Afterall, an imaginationary and ideal place is a lot easier to live in than realisty. And as much as you know that you have to face reality, its still a struggle. Especially if you may have something like OCD (in my case). The hard part is getting started living your life again, but I think through the initial uncomfortableness and uneasiness, it does get a little easier.

 

[dooby-duck]

weee-- long post & rambling below v

I know that with avp, fantasy worlds are a part of the criteria. I'm not sure if mine count, because they're usually realistic?

i know this won't make me sound intelligent, and probably strange

but i can spend hours talking to myself, re-enacting social situations, imagining new ones- i try to keep it all in my head, but sometimes things come out in a low whisper [i don't think i realize how much i actually talk to myself]... it always involves real people i know- and they're usually plausible situations- like what if i ran into this person at the store? or magically this person knock on my door? or i called up this person- what would happen?

and i try to fill in the other person's responses by their personality, and it's not always like what i want to hear (sometimes it will be), usually just what seems realistic so i can get into arguments in my head with other people over nothing... and usually in these conversations i'm not really any different (like i'm still awkward, nervous, the same looking, and a little uncomfortable)

I do this very regularly too, with potential situations and situations that have happened. I do have quite a few conflicts in my head too.

As for the pure fantasy stuff this stays inside my head most of the time. I also let the occasional hand gesture slip for some reason. They do seem to flavour some of my real world thinking sometimes. I think my mind protects itself from the intrusive and anxious thoughts by going into imaginary and fantasy places.

 

[divethruhaze]

Edited post
=========

 

[Lonelykitsune]

I tend to just daydream when i fantasiz about my character (never me).i only ever act it out when im hom alone

 

[Kanon]

For those of you that have fantasy worlds, how do you engage in them?
Do you just daydream in your head or act them out or what?
Because I act mine out, like physically. I must look pretty ridiculous talking to or hugging thin air, but that's how I've always done it.

Infact I can't really escape unless I'm acting them out, I don't know if this means I'm a more severe type of avoidant, but I haven't been able to find much detail on fantasies like mine.
Mine have always been like this, for seven years ever since I was at least nine.
It's been quite a bit better lately since I've been exploring my issue & whatnot, but overall I've spent the vast majority of my life & time pretending to at first me a better me, then eventually I'm pretending to be an entirely seperate person.

I don't know, it's just the way my illness has progressed.

with avpd, this is common, and it gets more extreme with less social interaction.

i haven't stepped foot outside of my house since dropping out of the college i was attending last year and having to move back home. not only are my fantasies longer and more intense, but when i catch myself and look back, they always seem lame. >_> sometimes i'll act like i'm some pro musician and being interviewed. before i know it, 5 or 6 hours has gone by and i "wake up" in the middle of me saying something absurd like, "Its always a blast to compose scores for Tarantino's films!" ...

even worse, sometimes i'll "zone back in" in the middle of one, and just keep going. sadly, i can't find much research on this. maybe the brain is trying to rewrite or even create memories so the mind has something positive to reflect upon.

 

[Satine]

I keep mine in my head. I used to get quite deep into it and then get pulled out of it by mum or dad or classmates telling me I'd been talking to myself, or making fun of me for something I thought I'd only thought, not done. I managed to tone it down so that I don't show any external signs of my fantasy world any more. It probably also helps that I don't need it as much, just use it as a force of habit.

I also write stories, so I think that serves as my externalisation.

 

[tired_of_starting_again]

with avpd, this is common, and it gets more extreme with less social interaction.

i haven't stepped foot outside of my house since dropping out of the college i was attending last year and having to move back home. not only are my fantasies longer and more intense, but when i catch myself and look back, they always seem lame. >_> sometimes i'll act like i'm some pro musician and being interviewed. before i know it, 5 or 6 hours has gone by and i "wake up" in the middle of me saying something absurd like, "Its always a blast to compose scores for Tarantino's films!" ...

even worse, sometimes i'll "zone back in" in the middle of one, and just keep going. sadly, i can't find much research on this. maybe the brain is trying to rewrite or even create memories so the mind has something positive to reflect upon.

I haven't been able to find much of any research on it either, one of the reasons why I am very possibly going to write a book about my experiences with this.

Luckily for me recently, my fantasies have been staying in my head, or my dreams at night. The admittence of this to the Greater World has somehwhat relieved me of the uncontrollable desire to disappear in a world where I can stand being as I am.

 

[Bar-AKA-Redzer]

Mine stay in my head and all its is me banging some famous chicks HAHAHAHA

 

[Be Free]

I've been there, done that; I have this exact same behavior. I'm pretty sure what you and some of the other people have is called Maladaptive Daydreaming. It's a little understood condition that causes obsessive daydreaming. Take a look at this website:

Are You Daydreaming Your Life Away? - Home

If you read about this person's behavior on this site, I think that it will sound very familiar to you.

You’re describing all the symptoms. Many people with this problem will pace or shake things in their hand while daydreaming, do some other repetitive motion, or talk to themselves or gesture as they daydream.

There is a forum just for this:

maladaptivedaydreamers : Maladaptive Daydreamers forum

Hope this info helps.

 

[Square_Eyes]

but i can spend hours talking to myself, re-enacting social situations, imagining new ones- i try to keep it all in my head, but sometimes things come out in a low whisper [i don't think i realize how much i actually talk to myself]... it always involves real people i know- and they're usually plausible situations- like what if i ran into this person at the store? or magically this person knock on my door? or i called up this person- what would happen?

and i try to fill in the other person's responses by their personality, and it's not always like what i want to hear (sometimes it will be), usually just what seems realistic so i can get into arguments in my head with other people over nothing... and usually in these conversations i'm not really any different (like i'm still awkward, nervous, the same looking, and a little uncomfortable)

I do this a lot but unlike you I'm usually playing myself without the SA symptoms. Also, I can't remember the last time I initiated a conversation with someone without meticulously rehearsing beforehand various ways in which the dialogue could play out. Sadly this little ritual seldom improves the quality of my genuine day to day interactions.

 

[dooby-duck]

I do this a lot but unlike you I'm usually playing myself without the SA symptoms. Also, I can't remember the last time I initiated a conversation with someone without meticulously rehearsing beforehand various ways in which the dialogue could play out. Sadly this little ritual seldom improves the quality of my genuine day to day interactions.

I wonder why do people not do or say what you have rehearsed in your mind?

 

[Square_Eyes]

I wonder why do people not do or say what you have rehearsed in your mint?

Yeah. How dare they.

 

[tired_of_starting_again]

I've been there, done that; I have this exact same behavior. I'm pretty sure what you and some of the other people have is called Maladaptive Daydreaming. It's a little understood condition that causes obsessive daydreaming. Take a look at this website:

Are You Daydreaming Your Life Away? - Home

If you read about this person's behavior on this site, I think that it will sound very familiar to you.

You’re describing all the symptoms. Many people with this problem will pace or shake things in their hand while daydreaming, do some other repetitive motion, or talk to themselves or gesture as they daydream.

There is a forum just for this:

maladaptivedaydreamers : Maladaptive Daydreamers forum

Hope this info helps.

It was only recently that I stumbled upon the term Maladaptive Daydreaming.
It is without a doubt what I have although I had never once thought of it as daydreaming. Daydreaming sounds like too light a word to use for it.
I'd call it something like Disassociative Fanstasy Syndrome or Maldaptive Fantasy Syndrome.

 

[chained]

For those of you that have fantasy worlds, how do you engage in them?
Do you just daydream in your head or act them out or what?
Because I act mine out, like physically. I must look pretty ridiculous talking to or hugging thin air, but that's how I've always done it.

Infact I can't really escape unless I'm acting them out, I don't know if this means I'm a more severe type of avoidant, but I haven't been able to find much detail on fantasies like mine.
Mine have always been like this, for seven years ever since I was at least nine.
It's been quite a bit better lately since I've been exploring my issue & whatnot, but overall I've spent the vast majority of my life & time pretending to at first me a better me, then eventually I'm pretending to be an entirely seperate person.

I don't know, it's just the way my illness has progressed.

I use to do this all the time, then I realized that there is no use... it's not real.. have to concentrate on the real... even tho I miss it, it's for the better... but I tend to get like this in society.. like start making some faces I've seen that I think r cool.. glad this is normal.. well as normal SA is... but it ' s all part of the process, how old r u?

 

[tired_of_starting_again]

I use to do this all the time, then I realized that there is no use... it's not real.. have to concentrate on the real... even tho I miss it, it's for the better... but I tend to get like this in society.. like start making some faces I've seen that I think r cool.. glad this is normal.. well as normal SA is... but it ' s all part of the process, how old r u?

I'm 16, problem is I'm addicted to it.