Thread: Elaborate daydreaming, like an addiction

I daydream in an excessive, uncontrollable way. I've done this since I was a very small child. I create elaborate daydream "worlds" in my mind. These "worlds" have changed and grown with me as I've gotten older. Here is a website that calls this Maladaptive Daydreaming:

http://www.daydreamingdisorder.webs.com/

People who have it will also sometimes compare it to an addiction, and say that it is hard to stop. It is definitely like an addiction to me. Anyone else out there have this problem?

'Compulsive rumination' (daydreaming) is often a symptom of schizophrenia. You're probably right to describe it as an addiction. I'd guess dopamine is the main neurotransmitter involved in the addiction. Cocaine, amphetamine, PCP ('angel dust') and ketamine are all addictive drugs which act on the glutamate NMDA receptor. This causes prolonged firing of dopamine D2 receptors. The dopamine D2 receptor is where the older drugs for schizophrenia exert their therapeutic effect, by blocking the receptor so that dopamine can't bind to it.

Dopamine is the neurotransmitter involved in anticipation of reward. It's probably also the cause of other 'psychological' addictions, such as gambling and sex addiction.

Is this uncontrollable? Does it disrupt your operation or relationships?