Hi everyone. This is my first time posting on Reddit, so please bear with me. I really need to share something that’s been happening to me for as long as I can remember and see if anyone else relates.
Ever since I was a kid, I’ve had this "thing": I constantly imagine complex stories and scenarios in my head. I can spend hours just pacing around or sitting and getting lost in these plots. It’s like a private cinema where I’m the director, the actor, and the audience all at once. I get an incredible rush—pure dopamine—from these stories. Sometimes I even intentionally set aside time just to "sink" into my head and play out the next "episode."
Recently, I met a girl, and my brain immediately hijacked it. Now I spend hours fantasizing about different scenarios involving her.
To be honest, it scares me. I keep thinking it’s some kind of weird mental disorder or that I’m losing my mind. I often feel a massive wave of guilt afterward, like I’m just wasting my life away. I catch myself thinking, "I could have watched a real show or played a video game," but instead, I just sat there staring at a wall, lost in my own thoughts.
I’ve noticed it gets much more intense when I’m lonely or bored. My fantasies become my refuge.
Does anyone else experience this? Is it normal, or should I be seeking professional help? How do you deal with the feeling that you’re "broken" because your inner world feels way more exciting than reality?