r/adhdwomen•
tripchin

Do you maladaptively daydream and have ADHD?

Diagnosis

Currently, I'm undiagnosed. I'm 24 (F) and lately I've been looking into an ADHD diagnosis, but I've been going back and forth with myself.

I have OCD and my psychiatrist had put me on fluvoxamine to treat it, but I had originally gone to her because I have a horrible daydreaming and pacing problem.

It started when I was around 7, and it has affected my life greatly. I procrastinate, I miss deadlines, and I've missed opportunities because I cannot bring myself to sit long enough to complete essays, applications, etc because I maladaptively daydream. The way I describe it is that I do it to regulate my energy. I cannot sit still, and I tend to lose interest in hobbies really quickly -- so I think MD is just more stimulating. TV, music are the biggest triggers, but I can do it without these stimuli as well.

I expressed to my psych that I zone people out a lot when they talk, not to be rude, but because my mind drifts elsewhere during conversations. I forget details, like someone's birthday/appointments, or even things they tell me to my face -- I simply block them out.

When I study, I have a hard time initiating. I can't study at home because I will take forever to start -- I'll leave my computer and walk around, try on clothes, go on my phone -- and by the time I start, I don't really "lock in." Oftentimes, I HAVE to go to a library with friends early in the AM in order to properly study.

I've debated whether I had ADHD for a while because I *can* focus, but I tend to hyperfocus. When I do study in the library, I'll continue for hours and hours, but only under a controlled environment. I've also been told I can't have ADHD because I had perfect grades -- but I genuinely feel like I cannot bring myself to sit down and do one task at a time without pivoting elsewhere.

Does anyone else experience maladaptive daydreaming and also have ADHD? I've spoken to some of my friends with ADHD, but they do not experience MD, so I've felt discouraged and maybe feel like I'm just tweaking.

Posted Jun 8, 2026, 4:37 PM UTC

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