Maladaptive Daydreaming gives me a false happiness and a false life.

[Parnate]

I am daydreaming most of the time while driving, working etc. the various scenarios in my daydreams give me happiness but it is fallacious. I have tried all the medication that were available in my country for my issues and nothing has helped.
The daydreaming has become a compulsion lately. There are times when all of a sudden I am unable to daydream, or I realise that it is futile and I am so depressed and suicidal. I want to ctb in those times but I feel so tired and exhausted that I can't do it, besides also my family flashes in front of my eyes .
I could hang myself at my apartment but my owner is kind and nice person and I don't want to give this place a bad name which might affect the future tenants negatively.
How do I stop daydreaming ?

 

[Forveleth]

Fellow maladaptive daydreamer here! Maladaptvie daydreaming is a behavioral coping mechanism. It's up there with rumination, doomscrolling, isolation, avoidant behaviors, even substance use. You use it as a way to disconnect yourself from situational and emotional stress.

So, you treat it like any other maladaptive behavioral coping mechanism. Since this has become compulsive and medication doesn't help you might want to approach it as such. I have used a lot of techniques that come from CBT, anxiety relief, and overstimulation control. It's helpful if you can identify when/where you feel the need to daydream most so you can identify your triggers. Then, try to reroute the urge into something more useful. Listen to music, take a 5 minute meditation/breathing break, use stim toys to keep you grounded in the present. When I feel myself spacing out I get one of my fidget toys and play with it for a little bit. I also listen to a lot of podcasts as they give me something to focus on that is outside of my own head.

Another thing that worked for me is turning daydreaming into a reward! Humans concentrate better with small, frequent breaks. If I have worked on something for an hour straight, I allow myself 5 minutes to daydream freely before getting back to work. I let myself daydream for a bit before going to bed. This way your brain starts associating it with a positive experience and not something used to avoid unpleasantness.

Sorry if this is a little jumbled. I tried to compress what I know into some useful bits.