Maladaptive daydreaming

She ran around the house, bounded down the stairs 

Then she saw them and realized what she was doing.

She was working diligently on her project,

Until everything started blurring and she was again in her safe haven-

Then a colleague saw her smiling to herself-

And tripped over a glass vase

The collision brought her brain back to her project.

At night, she caught herself walking down the River Nile and dancing with the trees, Until she slipped on a wet bit of carpet

On the stairs, and grabbed the railing to steady herself.

Whilst with her friends she often caught herself starting to smile randomly 

Then as she realized she was being looked at 

She said oh wait-- I just saw a really pretty bird

She was scared of being labeled as someone insane

She stared out the window 

Her eyes widened as she saw

Three grisly bears 

Walk in until 

She blinked and they disappeared

She turned and saw 

The man of her dreams

Reach out for a hug until 

She felt her own arms wrap around herself 

And realized that it truly was a man in her dreams

She often found herself talking to her best friend in the secrecy of her room 

Laughed and smiled and had the best conversations of her life 

Until her best friend couldn't eat the imaginary food

It drove her back to reality 

It was a problem she knew,

But she felt the happiest

When she saw a unicorn come and pat her head 

Even though she never felt the pat

When she was on the sofa watching a movie 

With her funny smart boyfriend even though 

He wasn't there when the movie ended

She enjoyed going out for a run with her sister egging her on - 

Until she realized 

She didn't have a sister and,

This all was a cruel joke of her mind

Often she wondered 

Where were all these stories coming from?

Why did they feel so real?

But she held on to them, ever  

So tightly as she was scared when 

They weren't there, 

She felt so lonely

But it was taking over her life,

Her life force was being shared by characters that didn't 

Exist and she made storylines

In her sleep

In the kitchen at school

Everywhere

She imagined her perfect life, a huge perfect family, 

A twin, more brothers and sisters, a warm house

It was getting out of hand and she knew it

She couldn't focus on anything

As she was having conversations in her head

Laughing to herself as she made tea an 

Then realized she wasn't actually sharing it with anyone

And she forgot the things she did in her own life

She became impulsive and the only thing that mattered was satisfying 

Her curiosity 

Her need for company and the warmth of her fantasies

And she couldn't tell anyone 

What would they think of her?

She'd be so embarrassed.

If she started listening to music, that was the day gone.

Even if she had no music 

And was in a barren wasteland

Her mind kept her company and nothing felt boring 

As the fantasies began and corrupted her mind.

But time, she knew

Time was precious and

She talked to her imaginary friends while 

Gazing at the Eiffel tower with her perfect

Too-perfect-to-be-real and was in fact not real, boyfriend,

She dedicated so much time in building their love story , 

In building his background, his age.

As she fixed every detail about her imaginary best friend 

Who liked cooking and put 

Lilies in her hair,

She felt such lack of control in her life 

As her daydreaming took up more time and all 

She did was walk senselessly around her 

House or sit on her bed and occasionally turn around.

Maladaptive daydreaming is real, 

It can destroy your life and

Is more serious than it is made out to be

It is not funny,

It is not a joke

For some people, it is their only refuge 

Whilst drowning in a sea of solitude

Maladaptive daydreaming is more than a mental disorder 

It is addictive and a chronic battle

For those who suffer with it 

maladaptive daydreaming 

needs to be taken 

more seriously.