I have been sleeping at almost every chance I get as a way to escape reality. It has also started to lead to episodes of derealization, but I do not really want to stop.

I just wanted to rant about this here in case someone else has experienced something similar. When I try to bring this up with my therapist, she does not seem to understand why I feel like I have no choice but to escape my life and live through my dreams instead.

In my case, I am not sure if this is related to my medication, but I have very vivid dreams that feel extremely real and long. The most important aspect of these dreams is that my illness and disability are not present. I am “normal” in my dreams, and that is part of why I am not fully willing to give up this coping mechanism, even though I know it is unhealthy.

At the same time, I do recognize that this is an unhealthy way of coping, especially since I am actively trying to avoid my reality by sleeping more. What my therapist does not seem to fully understand is why I keep trying to escape reality and sleep so much, even though she knows I am mostly homebound and that most activities I try only cause me more physical pain. She is a therapist who specializes in disability and chronic illness, so I am not saying she is unqualified.

I guess I want to know if other people with disabilities that leave them homebound have experienced this, and if you were in my position, would you try to change this habit?