Is it healthy to fantasize about a better life?

[heywey]

Most of the time it just makes me feel worse, because of how unattainable my dreams seem, and I end up just spiraling further. But on the other hand, when I'm at my lowest I can't even imagine being okay, which doesn't seem any better.

Do you often think about how you wish your life was different? Does it motivate you, or do you feel it holds you back?

 

[fromange]

Probably both, as all things are. I'm a daydreamer. When I'm depressed I don't have happy daydreams anymore. So having that for myself felt as good or low key better than eating showing or exercising. I need to get back to doing those regularly again but when I'm stuck in bed that was what slowly got me out a little of rock bottom these last few days.

 

[Brokensaddle]

Most of the time it just makes me feel worse, because of how unattainable my dreams seem, and I end up just spiraling further. But on the other hand, when I'm at my lowest I can't even imagine being okay, which doesn't seem any better.

Do you often think about how you wish your life was different? Does it motivate you, or do you feel it holds you back?

Everyday I plan out different scenarios in my head. Why if I had health, safe parents who didn't abuse me. What if I had friends and I went to events and could share my life with!! It makes me sad how In reality my life is miserable and messed but boy do I dream for much better life

 

[stillbrthng]

I don't have another life, and I never will. I used to dream a lot. Unfortunately, all my dreams were about death. Then I started dreaming about a better life. But I'm just one of the biggest losers on the planet. Even the good moments always turn into something awful.

And my dreams of a better life just hurt even more. Then it hits me that, having spent most of my life in negativity, I can't even feel the positive anymore.

 

[Brokensaddle]

I don't have another life, and I never will. I used to dream a lot. Unfortunately, all my dreams were about death. Then I started dreaming about a better life. But I'm just one of the biggest losers on the planet. Even the good moments always turn into something awful.

And my dreams of a better life just hurt even more. Then it hits me that, having spent most of my life in negativity, I can't even feel the positive anymore.

It's an escape at the end of the day. Some people cope by taking drugs and alcohol. I lie to someone at in way in other world maybe I'm not hated just for existing

 

[fedup1982]

Yup it's definitely healthy to fantasise about a better life. Without ideas you cant make plans, and without plans, it's unlikely to make progress with actions. Most people have a range of dreams, from unattainable to obtainable. As humans we're rarely happy just staying where we are, we always want better.

Yup, I often wonder about how my life could be better. Sometimes it motivates me, sometimes I get depressed thinking how unlikely it will be, sometimes I accept that I'll never achieve certain things.

My advice to you is when you get depressed thinking about how a dream is unattainable, it means you need to get creative, and try and satisfy the missing aspects of your life in other ways. Like I'll never be a millionaire or own my own house. So instead I'm planning for my future security by putting money into a pension plan and putting spare money in a savings account.

 

[nocatwaslost]

Well, remembering past positive experiences shows that life can be good and can be a resource when you are down to not spiral entirely down.. But as fed up said, it can also be the opposite to show how far away one is from their goals.

Yup, I often wonder about how my life could be better. Sometimes it motivates me, sometimes I get depressed thinking how unlikely it will be, sometimes I accept that I'll never achieve certain things.

 

[Macedonian1987]

I used to often daydream of my version of an imaginary perfect life when things got really bad for me. I dreamed how im non autistic, have a wife , a job, a normal life, friends and loving parents. But after too frequent daydreaming, I grew bored of it. Now I rarely daydream of such life. Now I just await for death, and even death is choosing to avoid me.

 

[neurotic]

I've never really thought about it. It's mainly a coping mechanism for me. I think it's really healthy if you just try to be realistic with your daydreaming and fantasizes. I probably wouldn't dream of being the next president, but maybe meeting a nice friend at a future career is okay.

 

[Lycoris]

having the occasional dream about how nice my life could be is part of the reason im probably still here. im really lucky (and unlucky) that i have almost always had very vivid dreams so they feel so real to me that i genuinely get upset when i wake up and i just find myself wishing the day could be over already so i can return to that "world"

 

[Sewing]

Most of the time it just makes me feel worse, because of how unattainable my dreams seem, and I end up just spiraling further. But on the other hand, when I'm at my lowest I can't even imagine being okay, which doesn't seem any better.

Do you often think about how you wish your life was different? Does it motivate you, or do you feel it holds you back?

I can't think about how my life could be different, it sends me into a spiral. One of the things I'm trying to work on is being more present and focusing on what I can actually change about my present experience.
It just makes me focus on all the opportunities I missed, the ones I never had, the stuff that happened to me that ensures that I will never be normal or happy, ever.
They say that comparison is the thief of joy, and I don't 100% buy that, but it's definitely applicable in my situation. I always end up comparing myself to people I know. How my life would be so different if I grew up like they did. Some of them are a lot like me, so it sends me into despair to think it didn't have to be this way, but it is.
That being said, I think fantasizing is pretty normal and shows you still have hope or at least some concept of how your life could be better.

 

[kiwimochii]

I think i kind of lost the ability to imagine a better life for myself, since in a way that is hoping for it. I hate hoping for anything better for myself now as it just makes me anxious and scared. I don't even have it in me to hope for a better life lol doesn't that sound so pathetic.
Whenever I do wish for something tho it's mostly about wishing i was dead or wishing I would die. So it's not like the alternative is all that better either lol

 

[Daigo]

Hmm it made me unbearably small whenver I do this the more you imagine something brighter, the darker everything around you seems.
And in the end, those dreams often feel like reminders of what you'll never have. But hey a glimpse of hope isn't too bad to get yourself distracted.

 

[Marbas]

Yeah I often find myself day dreaming about a better life for myself but it often makes me depressed because it's a reminder of what my own life will never be.