Lost in Thought: The Complexities of Daydreaming

Introduction

Interest in dreams and imagination appeared from ancient times through the Middle Ages to the present era, and ancient philosophical scholars and modern psychologists differed in dealing with and studying them with ancient primitive interpretations and from there to modern scientific interpretations, while daydreams are considered psychological phenomena that can be practiced by everyone within reasonable limits without exaggeration, as it is a vast world that opens up new horizons for the individual on his unknown future visions. The main topic for this informative essay is daydreaming as we will understand the nature of this psychological process that allows individuals to live theirs thoughts that are distant or impossible to achieve.

What is Daydreaming?

Daydreaming is a state of consciousness that diverts attention away from the present external work and toward something personal and internal. A big research found that participants spent an average of 47 percent of their waking time daydreaming, indicating that this behavior is ubiquitous in everyday living. Fugue, daydreaming, spontaneous thought, and other terms have been used to describe this phenomena. The use of the term 'daydreams' is based on his academic efforts and is considered the scientific foundation stone for all current studies. The sheer quantity of terminology available in academia nowadays makes it hard to identify the common elements of a phenomena (fictitious in this example) and encourage collaborative efforts among scholars. Psychologists explain to them, imagination has common features that suit moderate dissociation and also has effects that vary on average. Some can be destructive and harmful, while others can be beneficial in some way.

Bad VS Good Aspects

in the current study it was discovered that the negatives of daydreaming outweigh the benefits of daydreaming because daydreaming negatively affects daily activities such as reading and studying as well as in a shocking way that affects the persons mood and psychological state daydreaming on reading achievement has received the most attention as an element of the test reading retention was tested during daydreaming interruptions and it was discovered that there is a limited attention in the material and a decline in the capacity to form models.

Disruption daydream or random daydream is another characteristic of individuals having disorder adhd, and it can be seen negatively as children with adhd have a much more challenging time concentrate on their environment and keeping aware of current tasks. According to studies, people report a lower degree of pleasure during daydreaming than when they are not. People have reported a same satisfaction level for work accomplishments and pleasant activities they are more inclined to consider about when it comes to effective daydreaming.

The key association connecting moods and daydream, due to observation, is that the second happens first, not the other way around. For example instances, Toni Nelson propse that some daydreams with overated imaginations are self- gratifying attempts at 'Wish fulfillment.' Back in the 1950s, some counseling therapists asked parents not to let their kids to daydream due to the possibility to fall into be mentally ill .

Despite the growing popularity of daydreams, positive side has not got as much focus. It is conceivable that the advantage of daydreaming is concealed from the public. For example, it might be claimed that the cost of pursuing a goal is larger than the benefit of daydreaming. It is difficult to know and record people's inner thoughts, such as secret wishes and ambitions. The possible benefits of daydreaming are connected to the development of abilities that allow people to integrate their daily events with their unique significance.

Functions of Daydreaming

Because daydream avoids external duties and its possibility are frequently concealed and ambiguous, it is useful to discover whether daydreaming is, and individuals spend a major amount of their waking hours.

A review on six current data supporting the active advantages of daydreaming describes some of the key expenses of daydreaming that are not connected to constant attention, heart reading, and other factors. Many psychologists have investigated and interpreted the primary purposes of daydreaming. Some of these critical functions are:

• Daydreaming increases creativity. The best thoughts are those that came from when we are not thinking. A UC Santa Barbara research instructed a comparison group to let their minds wander while attempting to complete a creative problem. The end result was outperformed the group that did not take the break by 41%. So, if you've been working on a subject in a really focused manner, it might be time to allow your thoughts to be free
• Daydreaming calms anxiety. A study conducted by Columbia University proves that allowing your mind to think about whatever it wants when you feel stressed by compressive thoughts will make you find peace and conclude the solutionnt.
• Daydreaming enhances your relation. You can envision being around partners the moments between you and them when there are not present which improves the length of the connections.
• Daydreaming increases your production. It is known that production is related to the active mind but it should not be active to the point of exhaustion if you take a break in wandering of mind you will be productive. Georgia Tech proved short breaks connected with daydream make you more refreshed and energized by charging you after fatigue from constant work.
• Daydreaming is a path to your goals. One of the motivators to reach your goal is to imagine you have reached the existence of a dream in itself, which is a motivator to reach the goals. Daydreams, no matter how reasonable or unreasonable they are, are what encourage a person to reach his goals. Oettingen said, “If you want to fulfill your wishes, start with daydreaming, then find your obstacle” and he devising a strategy to dream in a reasonable and realistic way, then imagine the best results, disadvantages, and what prevents ambition, and then develop a plan to exceed what prevents you to reach your goal.

Daydreaming appears if the brains default on activated mood when no other outer work is demanding its focusing according to a multiple studies the DMN is a set of spots in the brain that light up only when the brain is left in a idle condition only when daydream begins the parts in DMN in brain light up in succession in one study it was shown brain utilized up to 6080 percent energy while it was not actively engaged in any external job daydream in other words uses the equal of brain activity as another complicated outer efficacy daydream not the one way the brain uses energy via thinking the human brain consumes over 20 of the energy in the human body thus a two hour chess match may burn over 560 calories and reading for 30 minutes may burn around 42 calories. A brain scan showing the brain regions involved in the DMN. Image credit: John Graner, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center

Maladaptive Daydreaming

Excessive daydreaming is a sign of anxiety disorder and detachment from reality. Excessive daydreams are neither simple imagination nor simple visualization. To create the reality you want and change your beliefs, both imagination and visualisation are great and effective tools. Why? Because it helps you focus on what you want, it's not an escape or a breakup, it's about the moment or future that you want to reverse the excessive daydreaming that you run from to change the past and that's the difference. Do not confuse them, because the latter is - a person stuck in the past escaping - a temporary happiness that ends with sadness and disappointment when it returns to reality.

The reason may seem known now why a person does this, that is clear, because he does not want to see his reality, he is still in pain from the past, so he is in pain from the present as well, he feels helpless because he did not change it. But, do all those who escape from their reality use excessive daydreams? No, this is only one of dozens of escape mechanisms from reality.

So who exactly uses it? It is not only the person who escapes from his reality because he sees it as painful and insufficient, but also the person who feels that there is a mistake in his life, but those around him tell him that there is no mistake and that he should be thankful because others suffer more! Or who does not recognize his current situation because everyone around him lives with satisfaction except him!

Conclusion

Excessive daydreaming can be problematic and it could be a symptom of an underlying condition such as ADHD, depression or anxiety. It can also be associated with maladaptive daydreaming, which is a condition characterized by excessive, vivid and elaborate daydreams that can take up a significant amount of time and interfere with daily activities.

Daydreaming is a common and normal form of spontaneous mental activity that can be both positive and negative. It can be a source of inspiration and creativity, and it can also help people to solve problems and make plans. However, excessive daydreaming can be problematic and it could be a symptom of an underlying condition such as ADHD, depression or anxiety. It's important to be aware of the balance and to seek professional help if it becomes a concern.