Is “delulu” really the “solulu”? In today’s world, many of us daydream about various things–whether they be about a current crush or future plans. But at what point does daydreaming border on delusional?

Some of us can say we are victims of overthinking – which is not inherently bad – though it can sometimes impede our ability to function in our daily lives. According to an article by the Cleveland Clinic, this level of overthinking is typical for those who have anxiety or depression; overthinking can happen to anyone.

Overthinking may correlate with daydreaming, though one does not necessarily lead to the other. Both can coexist, or even be comorbid. Some people rely on daydreaming to escape overthinking which, depending on the degree to which an individual overthinks, can lead to excessive daydreaming.

According to an article by WebMD, “Maladaptive daydreaming is when you spend a lot of time daydreaming. This behavior tends to be a way for people to live with mental health conditions like anxiety.” These thoughts are well planned out, though typically unintentional, and interfere with daily life, such as maintaining relationships and responsibilities. It usually begins with a stressful thought leading to a need to escape it, where daydreaming is done as a way to act upon that desire to escape. At that point, the person who is daydreaming may begin to form intentional storylines or plots to keep the daydream going.

Maladaptive daydreams have been normalized (if not encouraged) by social media trends. According to an article by Yahoo, this trend started as “#delulu.” The trend has over one billion views on TikTok with countless videos labeled with the hashtag and plenty of others that discuss the topic.

The trend at its core is about having a manifestation mindset, according to an article by Forbes. Manifestation has to do with the law of attraction and focusing on a certain mindset. This mindset is characterized as a positive way of thinking that focuses on telling oneself certain thoughts in order for them to become real. For example, if someone wants a raise, their thoughts would focus on telling themselves that they will get a raise. However, there is no concrete guarantee that manifestation works, and being “delulu” is not characterized by positive thinking–it is delusional thinking, not a manifestation mindset.

Being “delulu” can have serious consequences. Delusional thoughts about other people are concerning as is, such as genuinely believing that person one is guaranteed to get with person two because person one believes their delusions. However, if person one is wrong, they may become distraught and resort to stalking person two. Acting upon delusional thoughts can seriously harm others, not just oneself. 

Additionally, dreams can lead to false memories according to an article by Bustle. Furthermore, with the overlap of mental disorders increasing the chances of maladaptive daydreams, false memories become a form of delusion. False memories can potentially be distressing and may lead to someone believing an event that did not happen. This can feel positive to the person who is experiencing false memories, but, again, if it involves other people, can be troubling or harmful.

While maladaptive daydreaming is not a diagnosis in itself, it is typically a coping mechanism used as a way to detach from reality. Other ways people detach from reality are dissociation and resorting to escapism. It is essential to accept reality and be in the present moment. While it may take some time and a lot of therapy, it is possible. Being present makes it easier to focus on what needs to be done, work-wise and for the sanity of oneself. Just because someone may experience maladaptive daydreaming as a trauma response does not mean that they are without hope.