creating stories in your head is not a disorder in itself. In fact, it is a common and natural activity for many people. However, storytelling can become a mental health disorder if it is produce inconveniences in the way of establishing social ties and carrying out activities of life daily. Despite the fact that fantasies are produced by a large number of people, the crucial thing is to understand the interference they have in the actions they wish to carry out. To dispel doubts that may arise, it is necessary to have a solid foundation and determine the conditions and experiences of each person in order to develop strategies to improve their quality of life.
In this Psychology-Online article we will provide you with information about the question Is creating stories in your head a disorder?
create stories does not necessarily constitute a mental health disorder, since many people have this tendency. However, it is important to differentiate their intensity and interference in order to establish an adequate diagnosis.
In clinical terms, the presence of some indicators may represent a problem of excessive daydreaming or compulsive fantasying. This condition consists of excessive mental activity that is commanded by fantasies, which interferes with contact with other people and activities of life.
Diagnostic criteria for excessive daydreaming
Taking as reference the DSM-V[1], it is possible to include this pathology within the group of disorders not related to substances. To detect it, a series of diagnostic criteria must be found:
- Persistent and recurring behavior.
- Recurring thoughts.
- Lack of control.
- Deterioration of social, work and family relationships.
- The alterations cannot be explained by the presence of other mental disorders or by the intake of toxic substances or medications.
Having an idea about the incidence that this type of behavior can have can lead to establishing a greater knowledge of the person himself. For this reason, it is necessary to take into consideration the risks that arise from excessive daydreaming. In this section, we will point out what happens if you make up stories in your head:
- Suffering from other mental disorders: Excessive daydreaming may be an indication that the person suffers from other conditions that deteriorate their life. This can affect the behaviors, thoughts and emotions that you have about reality, which negatively alters the vision of the present and the future. In this article you will find the Types of mental disorders and their characteristics.
- Social isolation: Living within fantasies can cause a withdrawal from the social environment. In these cases, the person may choose to cut social ties and avoid situations that imply contact with reality.
- Decline in work and/or academic performance: Given the excess of fictitious stories that persist in the imagination, it can represent poor performance at work and study.
Beyond the complications that excessive daydreaming entails, there are some strategies to mitigate the consequences of this condition. In the next few items, we will address how I can stop creating stories in my mind:
- psychological therapy: Going to a mental health professional provides significant relief, since it allows you to have contact with reality in a pleasant way. In this sense, therapy invites reflection and allows the construction of a future different from the one the patient had built. On the other hand, it is possible to establish tools to cope with situations of anxiety and/or stress that arise from the stories.
- Carry out recreational activities: Visiting places that are fun and enjoyable can help you avoid creating too many stories in your mind. For this reason, it is interesting that the person wonders about her interests.
- psychiatric medication: In serious cases, the supply of psychiatric drugs appears as another viable option. There is psychotropic drugs that act on the neural connections of the central nervous system and generate a relaxation of brain activity. However, it is imperative that the intake be supervised by a mental health professional.
This article is merely informative, at Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
