Figure 1: An illustration representing the minds of individuals daydreaming
Source Credit: Mental Health Today (Link)
Our minds wander around all the time. After watching a fantasy movie, we daydream about being a queen with magical, icy hands or a wizard shouting “Expecto Patronum!” to our greatest enemy. A surprising number of us love to engage in pretend plays in our minds; in fact, in a study where approximately 2200 adults between ages 18 and 88 were asked to report their thoughts and actions regularly, the researchers were surprised to find that about 50 percent of the times, they were daydreaming of positive thoughts like being promoted, exploring a new island, or inventing a new space travel.
However, daydreaming has long been considered a bad indication of mental health or academic performance, and we often hear others saying “get your heads out of the clouds!” whenever our minds are floating in our own fascinations. And they are not entirely wrong. Hypothesizing the worst scenarios and excessive daydreaming of intrusive thoughts may be symptoms of mental illnesses, such as anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and depression. In other words, daydreaming may be harmful to those whose minds struggle to concentrate or involuntarily fall into a loop of unwanted imaginary thoughts. Our minds are, in many cases, uncontrollable. We do not know where they are shifting to, and it is difficult to push them in a certain direction. The level of control we have over our minds depends on each individual, but those that find themselves helpless in most situations are often victims of rumination, otherwise known as having repeated negative thoughts. Some research even revealed that it is associated with low academic performance, poor reading comprehension skills, a bad mood and spotty memories.
Despite its negative consequences, not all daydreaming is a result of cognitive failure, as may be assumed by some. Some people can actually choose to daydream, engaging in another form of mind wandering called volitional daydreaming. Individuals who decide to decouple their attention and are fully conscious of an internal stream of imagination are engaged in this form of mind wandering, which sheds light on the positive effects and relates to what Jerome Singer, a former professor at Pennsylvania State University, has proposed: positive constructive daydreaming. Positive constructive daydreaming provides various advantages, such as enhanced social skills, happiness, and creativity. According to an article from National Geographic, our brain parts, even ones that have been inactive, are simulated during daydreaming, allowing us to think in a new direction with wisdom and creativity. Furthermore, daydreaming helps us rehearse and plan future goals, giving us an opportunity to reinforce, reflect, and digest thoughts and memories.
Daydreaming is also useful in mental therapies as a tool to relieve anxiety. Abigail Nathanson, a trauma therapist, often utilizes daydreaming to help her patients heal painful memories. By letting them imagine their source of conflicts or emotions as something metaphoric, such as a wall or a brick, Dr. Nathanson provides them time to reflect and reevaluate their memories closely. She would ask them questions like, ‘what are you wearing in front of the brick wall?’ or ‘what is underneath your feet?’ and help them overcome their mental complications by suggesting them to take certain actions in their minds, such as breaking the brick or kicking the wall. Even though these actions are imaginary, they are more effective and powerful in mental therapies than we expect. All in all, daydreaming may contribute to our mental health and satisfaction if utilized positively.
We often experience guilt after waking up from our numerous daydreams, feeling bad about ourselves for our low productivity and concentration. However, now that we are aware of the advantages of daydreaming in our daily lives as well as therapies, it now seems as if the punishment was unnecessary. Of course, extreme level of mind wandering is, as aforementioned, harmful, but engaging regularly in daydreaming poses enough benefits that fulfills our mental satisfaction and gratification. However, there seems to be a number of positive effects to keeping our heads in the clouds, if used correctly and purposefully.
Q&A:
Jiwon: Throughout your article, you addressed some misconceptions about daydreaming and the numerous positive impacts it may have on people’s mental states. Given all of this, what is your personal opinion on daydreaming (outside of medical treatment) for individuals? Is it more beneficial than harmful? Why so?
I personally believe that daydreaming is beneficial to us in terms of helping us simulate or practice future activities; with mental simulations, it can definitely help us relieve stress and anxiety. Furthermore, I believe that daydreaming can fuel our imaginations.
Hannah: Is there any difference between the daydreaming we do in everyday life and the daydreaming used in mental therapies?
Daydreaming used in mental therapies involve metaphoric objects like the wall or a brick as mentioned in the article. It is more of using it as a tool, whereas in everyday life daydreaming, it is an escape door from reality.
Xavier: In your article, you mentioned that the practice of volitional daydreaming is linked to various health benefits. As clarification, do we only experience those benefits when we daydream by choice?
The benefits do follow if people dream of positive thoughts rather than negative, worst scenarios. However, if it is at an excessive level that disturbs one from focusing on academic work or daily activities, it can lead to a feeling of guilt or rumination that may bring harmful consequences.
John: Why is cognition such an important part of whether or not daydreaming has positive effects on one’s mental state?
Being in a cognitive state helps us construct positive thinking rather than dreaming about negative thoughts. Furthermore, cognition indicates the ability to control daydreaming.
Eric: How do volitional daydreaming and positive constructive daydreaming differ, and how do both benefit our mental state?
Volitional daydreaming and positive constructive daydreaming are not different types of daydreaming, but it is just that positive constructive daydreamers are more likely to daydream volitionally. They help us maintain a healthy mental state.
Works Cited:
Feldman, David B. “Why Daydreaming Is Good for Us.” Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers, 19 Dec. 2017, www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/supersurvivors/201712/why-daydreaming-is-good-us.
Ferguson, Sian. “Can Excessive Daydreaming Be a Symptom of Mental Illness?” Healthline, Healthline Media, 28 Oct. 2019, www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/excessive-daydreaming-symptom-of-mental-illness.
McMillan, Rebecca L, et al. “Ode to Positive Constructive Daydreaming.” Frontiers in Psychology, Frontiers Media S.A., 23 Sept. 2013, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3779797/.
Renner, Rebecca. “Don't Take Your Head Out of the Clouds!” The New York Times, The New York Times, 11 Apr. 2021, www.nytimes.com/2021/04/10/at-home/daydreaming.html.
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