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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Anyone else lives another life in their head?

168 replies

moumoute · 22/07/2019 22:48

I daydream of another lifestyle everyday. In the evening I search for a flat for my imaginary life.
I love my kid, I live in a small but decent flat, in a clean city but I'm not very inspired. So I imagine days out on my own or meeting with interesting people,etc...
Anyone else?

OP posts:
73kittycat73 · 22/07/2019 23:06

I'm always planning what I'll do with my jackpot lotto win. All the people I could help too.

Sparkles57 · 22/07/2019 23:08

Yes 😂 in my head I have a very rich, good looking husband and we have a fantastic sex life. We’re also planning a baby to which he will be the most wonderful father and I will work part time to raise the four sons we’ll go on to have.

bekindtothenewgirl · 22/07/2019 23:10

Yes, have done this for years and years, I only realised when reading a post on here that other people do this too, I thought I was odd/unique for doing it.

Apparently it's call maladaptive dreaming. I can spend hours in my daydreams, some people don't like it but I love it.

Anniegetyourgun · 22/07/2019 23:10

Several.

akmum18 · 22/07/2019 23:11

I’ve had this most of my life it started after a traumatic childhood, then ocd then this, it’s known as maladaptive daydream (if it’s like a different life in your mind constantly) It’s a coping mechanism for blocking something out. If it’s general wishing for a new life have you looked into what you can do to change it? Daydreaming is normal and common for filling gaps of boredom, but if these thoughts take over your life you may want to speak to someone Flowers are there groups in your local area to take your child to and meet new people?

Sparkles57 · 22/07/2019 23:11

I also plan the holidays we’re going to go on over the next year and look at schools for our sons Blush. I have never admitted to this IRL 😂

TheInebriati · 22/07/2019 23:13

Its only maladaptive if it interferes with your actual life. I save mine for when I am falling asleep, when I run a successful small business and have a lovely home.
God that sounds utterly boring Grin

Sparkles57 · 22/07/2019 23:16

Oh yes when I’m falling asleep I soothe myself byimagining the knowledge that darling husband is working late closing an important business deal so we can jet off to the Maldives over Christmas.

SomethingPhishy · 22/07/2019 23:18

I do mine before I go to sleep mainly... in my other life, things are quite different to how they really are. A lottery win features often! If only it would come true Smile

Rainbowknickers · 22/07/2019 23:21

During a hard shift at work I often dream of winning the lotto and giving up work

And plan who I’d give money to-and how much

And who I’d tell to fuck off to the far side of fuck...

Mydogmylife · 22/07/2019 23:25

I do this! At night when falling asleep I drift off into my 'other' life - I didn't realise it was a 'thing'!

Havingarethink · 22/07/2019 23:41

This is the reason I found mumsnet and fell in love 😍. I literally had no idea other people did this and it was my shameful secret since I was 9 years old.
Mine can be a problem or a saviour depending on what is going on in my life at the time. I can't imagine not having it.

EveryFlightBeginsWithAFall · 22/07/2019 23:44

Yes mainly just at night when falling to sleep

It did take over for some time after something traumatic happened which wasn’t great but was a coping mechanism at the time

Havingarethink · 22/07/2019 23:45

Oh and mine aren't based in reality at all.

IVflytrap · 22/07/2019 23:48

Yes, many. Except I'm not in any or them. I live other, imaginary people's imaginary lives. Grin

I also mainly do it when I'm trying to get to sleep. Unsurprisingly, it helps me get to sleep much easier than dwelling on my own life and problems.

ScratchyMap · 23/07/2019 00:01

I’m just starting to organise my annual summer barbecue at my gorgeous million pound house in my falling-asleep-life. I’ve got my outfit planned and I’m just debating whether to invite the gorgeous friend who I fancy. He might bring his swimming trunks for a dip in my swimming pool (Contained in a beautiful pool house, with hot tub and sauna). I even know exactly what shade of F&B paint I have in each room.

OneSliceIsNeverEnough · 23/07/2019 00:03

Yes as I'm going to sleep, my book is accepted for publication for a massive advance, or very weird this one - I go into a high security prison and shoot murderers to keep everyone safe and to ease overcrowding in prisons. Not sure what that is all about Hmm

ohtheholidays · 23/07/2019 00:15

Yes all of the time,in one of them I've won the lottery(a really huge win)and I've helped all of my family and friends out,set my 2 oldest DS's up in they're own businesses,opened up my own charity that I fully fund and I've set up a couple of businesses for me and my DH to run.

In another life I've had DC later in life and I've had all 5 of them with my DH(I had 4DC when we met and they're Dad's turned out to be abusive once I'd got pregnant and they thankly have nothing to do with our DC now and my DH has adopted them all as his own)I would have travelled with my DH and we would have got to go to shows and concerts together and my 2DC that are disabled wouldn't be disabled and I wouldn't be disabled or seriously ill.

EmeraldShamrock · 23/07/2019 00:21

Only when I buy a lottery ticket, I don't buy one weekly only when there is a big windfall, I think of all the amazing things I can buy. Grin

Twofurrycatsagain · 23/07/2019 00:24

Also a falling asleep one. Totally renovated a semi derelict cottage in Ireland. I had some lovely pieces of hand made furniture.
Did it a lot during the death throes of a relationship.

romany4 · 23/07/2019 00:24

Yes

There's a whole parallel universe going on in my head.
Always has been for as long as I can remember. Right back to childhood

Isitmeorhimthistime · 23/07/2019 00:30

I do this! I didn't know there was a name for it. I literally thought I may be sectioned if I ever told anybody about it.

Shplot · 23/07/2019 00:39

I thought I was weird! I used to dream of my other life quite a lot but since life has improved I don’t visit as often. Me and ds are in a plane crash, only survivors and walk for miles in a remote place to find a small cottage, man there looks after us and despite us not speaking the same language we get along and we end up staying and helping him with the farm. Not quite as good as winning the lottery Grin

ThighsRelief · 23/07/2019 00:51

I've done it all my life i love it. I'm in a very long running one now. I'm inside a 1988 film as Debra Winger (FBI Agent). Tom Berenger is starring as a local farmer who is desperately in love with me. I can a lot of vegetables and sing like an angel 😇

DramaAlpaca · 23/07/2019 00:56

Oh yes. It's my escape from reality. I love my fantasy life. Not that my real one isn't good, it is, but I really enjoy the scenarios I create in my head. I've always done it. As a child I was the middle one of five sisters & we had amazing adventures together. In reality I'm the eldest, with one sibling who I'm not close to.

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