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<h2>Flirting with Fantasy</h2>Fantasy can be an enjoyable escape from stress, but what happens when the coping mechanism once used to distract from worries becomes an addiction that perpetuates the very issues that prompted withdrawal in the first place? You make a choice to wake up and quit daydreaming! In this blog post we will discuss the dangers of tuning out reality to engage in excessive daydreaming. <h3>Dangers of Addictive Daydreaming</h3><figure id="figure-kbuq7i368glm59y9xw"><img id="kbuq7i368glm59y9xw" src="https://cdn.durable.co/shutterstock/2HdXSiseyG8QZgEkVf9RqNwgkbBsWRoAye8BAzeJEktWo5RQb2WyIu001t0xwFrx.jpeg" alt="fantasy books" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="no-rounded" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="null" data-positiony="null" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/shutterstock/2HdXSiseyG8QZgEkVf9RqNwgkbBsWRoAye8BAzeJEktWo5RQb2WyIu001t0xwFrx.jpeg" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure>When I was younger, my number one goal in life was to be famous...literally. As a kid, I loved to sing and dance and I would do so obnoxiously to the annoyance of all my friends and family. We even shared an inside joke where if one of them attempted to tell me off for my random outbursts, I would scoff in fake offense, before telling them they would regret blowing me off after I got famous. The irony of all of this is even though we all laughed about it in the moment; I didn't even realize that somewhere deep inside of me I was dead serious.For a while, living in this dream world I created helped to distract me from my real-world problems. And whenever I found myself bored, or sad with my everyday circumstances, I would slip into the comfort of my subconscious and dream up an elaborate celebrity-filled life. But after some time, I realized in order to get the euphoric feeling I was striving for, I had to completely submerge myself in my fantasy world. This meant I constantly went over every intricate detail of the same thoughts for hours every day, just to ensure my "daydreams" were accurate and held some type of semblance to the public figures they were inspired by. <figure id="figure-22erosp6fllm59ybdl"><img id="22erosp6fllm59ybdl" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1500602517813-4142fef80b29?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwyMHx8ZGF5ZHJlYW18ZW58MHx8fHwxNjkzODU0Mzc5fDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.0.3&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" alt="fantasy movies" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="no-rounded" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="null" data-positiony="null" data-mce-src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1500602517813-4142fef80b29?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwyMHx8ZGF5ZHJlYW18ZW58MHx8fHwxNjkzODU0Mzc5fDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.0.3&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>Maladaptive Daydreaming</h3>If you are a chronic daydreamer like I was and got to the point where you were desperate to get your head out of the clouds, you may have stumbled across these words in your quest searching for solutions. Still, if you are not familiar with the term, but have experienced difficulty tuning into reality when life got tough, it may very well be the name of the thing fueling your incessant daydreaming and absentmindedness.&nbsp;Basically, maladaptive daydreaming is a condition where a person spends more than half of their waking life immersed in a story they have created in their heads. The term was coined by Israeli professor Eli Somer, who defined the disorder as “extensive fantasy activity that replaces human interaction and or interferes with academic, interpersonal, or vocational functioning.” Mental health experts note the condition is characterized by the following symptoms:1. Vivid daydreams with &nbsp;characters and settings&nbsp; 2. Fantasizing that is triggered by real-life events 3. Trouble completing everyday tasks 4. Difficulty falling and staying asleep at night 5. An impulsive urge to disassociate with reality&nbsp; 6. Performing repetitive movements while daydreaming 7. Making facial expressions while daydreaming 8. Whispering and talking while daydreaming 9. Daydreaming for a long period of time&nbsp;<figure id="figure-6jjf8j0bylm59ycg9"><img id="6jjf8j0bylm59ycg9" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1546521677-b3a9b11bee6f?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwyN3x8ZmFudGFzeSUyMHZpZGVvJTIwZ2FtZXN8ZW58MHx8fHwxNjkzODU1NzA3fDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.0.3&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" alt="fantasy video games" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="no-rounded" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="null" data-positiony="null" data-mce-src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1546521677-b3a9b11bee6f?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwyN3x8ZmFudGFzeSUyMHZpZGVvJTIwZ2FtZXN8ZW58MHx8fHwxNjkzODU1NzA3fDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.0.3&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>Escaping Reality</h3>Now if you’re anything like me, your mind may be running at a million miles per hour if you have experienced any of the symptoms above. Still, I want to assure you that regardless of how you may feel:1. You are not crazy &nbsp; 2. There are millions of people that are just like youIn fact, the difference between you actually slipping into insanity and nipping an unhealthy mental habit in the bud really depends on whether you choose to acknowledge that excessive daydreaming is a problem and whether or not you are willing to wake up, open your eyes and change the way you think. After all, the most accepted definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again but expecting a different result.<figure id="figure-6jjf8j0bylm59ycg9"></figure><figure id="figure-nka0x3joylm59ydqc"><img id="nka0x3joylm59ydqc" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1523293836414-f04e712e1f3b?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwyM3x8ZmFudGFzeSUyMGVzY2FwZXxlbnwwfHx8fDE2OTM4NTU3MDl8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.0.3&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" alt="fantasy escape" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="no-rounded" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="null" data-positiony="null" data-mce-src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1523293836414-f04e712e1f3b?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwyM3x8ZmFudGFzeSUyMGVzY2FwZXxlbnwwfHx8fDE2OTM4NTU3MDl8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.0.3&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>God's view on Disassociation</h3>While God gives us dreams and vivid imaginations, he did not design us to live in our heads for hours on end –and that's exactly what maladaptive daydreaming is.So what does his word say?Romans 12:2 NIV: “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”Proverbs 12:11 NIV: “Those who work their land will have abundant food, but those who chase fantasies have no sense.”1 Peter 1:13 NIV: “Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming.”Isaiah 26:3 ESV: “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.”2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV: “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”<h3>The Takeaway</h3>Let’s set the record straight. Daydreaming is completely normal, but excessive fantasizing is a symptom of a much larger problem. Whether we want to acknowledge it or not, there are millions of people all around the world who are dragging through a less than satisfactory life and living out their desired reality through a fantasy they have cultivated in their heads. While this kind of behavior is expected and even tolerated in children up to a certain age, by the time a person grows out of their adolescence, they are expected to put off play-pretend and deal with whatever circumstance life brings their way. The elephant in the room is that a lot of grown adults struggle to do this, and just like some people turn to external substances like drugs and alcohol to fill the voids in their lives, others retract inwardly and use their minds to imagine a world abundant with the things their real life lacks. Both types of coping mechanisms are equally damaging and addictive.&nbsp;<figure id="figure-cy90qts4ulm59yhaz"><img id="cy90qts4ulm59yhaz" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1444703686981-a3abbc4d4fe3?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwyfHxmYW50YXN5JTIwd29uZGVyfGVufDB8fHx8MTY5Mzg1NTcxM3ww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.0.3&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" alt="fantasy wonder" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="no-rounded" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="null" data-positiony="null" data-mce-src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1444703686981-a3abbc4d4fe3?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwyfHxmYW50YXN5JTIwd29uZGVyfGVufDB8fHx8MTY5Mzg1NTcxM3ww&amp;ixlib=rb-4.0.3&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure>

Flirting with Fantasy

<h2>Idolatry Defined</h2>The word “idol” evokes mixed feelings in most people. While some associate it with explicit commands in the scriptures, others have grown indifferent because of how the term has been adopted in mainstream culture.That being said, many believe idolatry only encompasses the worship of a physical monument in the place of God. Still, anything or person we allow to take the place of God in our hearts, minds or souls is an idol. That is why identifying the voids we’re trying to fill when we replace our Creator with a created thing is the first step to mental freedom.<h2>Modern Day Idolatry in Action</h2>You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them.&nbsp;–Exodus 20:4 NIVAs a teenager, I would spend all my free time surfing the web and scrolling down the feeds of popular social networking websites. I can recall my dedication to a Twitter account I had made to support my favorite musical act.I can’t begin to explain the amount of time, effort and resources I dedicated to promoting this band whose members did not have the slightest clue that I existed.Not to mention, the group I adored lived half-way across the world, so my chances of ever meeting them was slim to none. Still, that didn’t stop me from waking up every morning and checking my social media feeds to stay updated on the latest news.&nbsp;It also did not deter me from getting into heated online arguments with rival fandoms who posted anything negative about my idols. I use that word because although I would not admit it at the time, that was what they were.While the word idol was used to refer to wooden statues and clay figurines in the Bible, today, the term is used to describe entertainers whose images are marketed to maintain close relationships with fans. Clearly, it is no coincidence popular culture has adopted the word “idol” to define the biggest celebrities of our day. If we’re not careful, we may also become desensitized and end up conforming to customs that will drive us away from the Father.The truth is, if we are not aware of what holds our devotion, we risk walking down a slippery slope that can end in our own destruction. In my case, it started off innocently. I was a 12-year-old girl who, like millions of other young girls, was enthralled by a group of “teenage heartthrobs” that were strategically marketed to appeal to my age group. But by accepting idols into my heart at an early age, I passively accepted several worldly doctrines that gave Satan a foothold in my life for years to come.<h2>Idolatry: A Heart Issue</h2>“Temptation comes from our desires, which entice and drag us away.” –James 1:14 NIVStudies show that most people engage in psychoactive experiences to make themselves “feel good or better.” This is why addiction resides in activities that are closely linked to pleasure seeking and self-medication. The mind disease also revolves around a person’s dedication and devotion to an object, substance or activity. These facts suggest that idolatry lies at the root of addiction.Addictions do not develop overnight. On the contrary, most destructive habits are formed through constant repetition that gradually alter how a person perceives the substance or practice bolstering their compulsive behavior. &nbsp;<h2>How Addiction Develops</h2>Over the years, scientists have broken down the pattern of addiction by outlining distinct stages every addict experiences.This gradual progression typically begins when a person is first exposed to a trigger, and ends by the time the compulsive behavior is fully developed. These six stages are:&nbsp;Initiation: This is the period when an individual tries a substance or destructive activity for the first time.&nbsp;Experimentation: At this stage, a person has graduated past trying a drug or questionable habit and is now engaging in the behavior to see how it impacts their life in terms of alleviating stress, or giving them a euphoric feeling. At this point, there are very few cravings and the individual is making a conscious choice to engage in the behavior or not.Regular Usage: As a person continues to use a substance or engage in a damaging practice, their involvement with the trigger becomes normalized and their usage or involvement increases from sporadic to habitual.Risky Usage: At this point, a person’s regular use of a substance or involvement in a bad practice begins to negatively impact their life. For example, an alcoholic may experience constant hangovers that affect their productivity at work.Dependence: This stage is defined by a person’s reliance on the substance or destructive habit. Here, a person has abused their trigger to the point where their body has adjusted to its presence and has grown to depend on it to function.Addiction: After a person has grown to rely on a drug, they reach the stage where they feel as though they cannot live without it. Thus, at this point, the person’s substance use or involvement in a bad habit is no longer a conscious choice but a compulsive urge.<h3>Idolatry Causes Addiction</h3>You may be wondering, what does addiction have to do with idolatry? But even if you're not strung out on drugs or attached to an alcohol bottle, there if God is not the centre of your life, someone or something holds your devotion.The truth is, most addictions begin with idolatry. Moreover, the majority of the temptations that trigger them are caused by our own desires. Think about it, when a person struggles with addiction, they justify their bad habit by telling themselves it is the only thing that makes them feel better.Not only that, many addicts who relapse will tell you they understand their habit is destructive, but their hearts won’t allow them to let it go. In the book of James, the apostle reminds us that God does not tempt people, nor can He be tempted. Instead, James explained that each person is lured away when they follow the inclinations and desires of their own selfish hearts.&nbsp;Ironically, this theory is based on another mentality that has infiltrated society. In almost everything we listen to or read about, we’re bombarded with content that constantly reminds us to “do what makes us happy.” While the delivery may vary, the message remains the same: “Follow your heart and do whatever it takes to achieve your dreams.” While on the surface this theory may seem logical, God teaches us another way, because He knows a heart that is not governed by His word is inherently selfish.&nbsp;<h2>Conclusion</h2>“The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?” –Jeremiah 17:9 NIVWhile the world tells us to do whatever feels right, God reminds us as creatures living in a fallen world, we are inclined to sin. If you’re struggling to break free from addiction and negative thinking patterns like I was, accepting this fact is crucial to your deliverance. While continuing to live a life enslaved to destructive habits won’t help you, acknowledging where you went wrong and asking God to free you is the first step in the right direction.