Daydreams

What exactly is Daydreaming?

From the dream analyst’s point of view daydreaming is a short period of time when you get detached from your immediate surroundings and het transported to a world of happy thoughts and fantasies. During this brief period of time your contact with reality gets blurred and you get visions of happy ideas that may be result of your hopes, wishes, ambitions and imaginations. These visions are mostly reported to be positive ones and are experienced while you are awake although in a state of mild dissociation.

What could be the Negative aspects of Daydreaming?

Negative aspects of daydreaming were put forward during the time when manual work and creativity started to get replaced more and more by machines. It is then that daydreaming started to become associated with lack of motivation and laziness. Then some others have also put forward the dangerous aspect of daydreaming when a person can get so engrossed in these that some harm may be caused just because of carelessness – for example, while driving or operating a machinery or while working in front of fire – many accidents have been reported due to the act of daydreaming.

It has also been said by researchers that since daydreams are mostly gratification of fantasies, if these are not fulfilled in real life, some people may get traumatized leading to psychological disorders. Also spacing out during important activities may make you lose out in real life, since during daydreaming you do not note information from the real world. You often become unfocused. If you daydream about negative ideas or thoughts, it can lead to depression.

What could be the Positive aspects of Daydreaming?

There have been ample examples that people have put forward that can be related to the positive effects of daydreaming. Creative people and thinkers have often reported of new ideas and innovations that they developed through daydreaming. Daydreaming have often led people to discover hidden talents in them and reach out for new horizons. Daydreams have also been associated with paving the foundation stone of ambitions that lead to new successes. The positive aspects related to daydreams are –

• Daydreams trigger problem solving capabilities making you resolve issues faster.
• Daydreams can generate innovative ideas and thoughts.
• Daydreams sometimes remove clouds from your mind making your thinking clear and concise.
• Daydreams can make you experience new horizons.
• Daydreams can make you live your fantasy albeit for a while.
• Daydreams can improve your performance.
• Daydreams can improve your focus enabling you to achieve your goals.

What are the various types of Daydreaming?

From the reports and dream journals of those who daydream psychologists have classified daydreams into certain categories. Before we discuss about the various types of daydreams, let us remind you the fact that daydreams are as unique as humans themselves. Just as each human being is different from the other, so are the daydreams. This is because daydreams arise from intimate wants, moods and emotions.

• Catastrophe – As the name suggests these daydreams are all about your thoughts that scare you about the negative things that can happen to you or someone dear to you. It could be about natural disasters or about manmade problems. People may even daydream about worst case scenarios in such dreams. Such daydreams are indicative of the fact that negative thoughts are prevailing in your mind and you need to win over them to replace with positivity.

• Victory – These are like your fantasies turning into reality. These are naturally full of excitement and thrills. Researchers have opined that people have such dreams when they are craving for more attention. These have recurred to people who generally are devoid of much limelight. These people are often shy and less assertive. However, deep within you may be seeking all that. Your daydreams then become the expression of your desires. You may consider being more assertive and communicative.

• Hiding – These are daydreams where you see yourself hiding – it may be a secluded place, a desert or a place you fancy. Researchers opine that such dreams happen to people who are looking for some respite from their real life. Our life at times becomes too monotonous and overwhelming. These are times when people like to break free away from the stress and humdrum of daily life. These daydreams are perhaps manifestations of your desire to do so. These are indicative of the fact that it is time you slowed down to rejuvenate your body and soul.

• Sensual – These arise from your desire to explore your sexuality. These are fun and thrilling experiences. Sex and love are very commonly reported topics of daydreams. These may occur when there is a void in your love life or there is an aspect of sexuality that you wish to explore but cannot for whatever reasons.

• Revenge – These arise when you want to release your anger or frustration of any kind. These should not be considered negative at all times. Often in real life we cannot retaliate. These give you the perfect outlet to pour out your anger. You may even see that you are committing something heinous; for example you may see that you are killing someone, and this may make you feel remorseful. Remember that these are simply expressions of your frustration, and it does not imply that you are capable of doing something heinous.

What have psychologists established about Daydreaming?

Modern day researches have established some interesting facts about Daydreaming –

• Most Daydreams are associated with ordinary happenings of everyday life. These are most mundane.
• Violet Daydreams have been reported very rarely.
• Daydreams create a very vivid experience and are pleasant thoughts that generally provide some respite to people from boredom or the rigors of regularity and routine.
• 5% of Daydreams involve explicit sexual fantasies.
• Daydreams allow insight to your state of mind.
• When you are daydreaming, it is the time for your brain to consolidate all the facts that you have absorbed in the course of the day or for a while.
• Daydreams have often helped people to sort problems by consolidating their thoughts and ideas. Researchers have also established that when you daydream your brain becomes active, especially the part of it which is responsible for providing solutions to complex problems.
• Daydreams often have laid the foundation stone of ambition that eventually leads to success.
• Daydreaming could be a very vivid experience, or could also be a mild imagery which helps you to find ways to your future or just space out from your surrounding or review moments from the past.