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The recording of this webinar will be available later only for ESTD members.
Ari Nowacki is a psychologist and PhD student at the University of Silesia in Poland. His research focuses on maladaptive daydreaming, exploring its links to frustration intolerance, borderline personality disorder symptoms, and neurodiversity. He has also contributed to the THRiVE laboratory, investigating the relationship between PTSD and food addiction.
Maladaptive daydreaming (MD) is a compulsive fantasy activity that dominates one’s life, often interfering with daily responsibilities and becoming a significant source of shame. This webinar delves into the lived experiences of maladaptive daydreamers, as shared on Reddit forums, to explore the various pathways it can develop, its impact on everyday life, and the process of quitting daydreaming. A comparison is also drawn between MD symptoms and those associated with behavioral addictions.
The findings underscore the urgent need for professional interventions to address the widespread disruptions in daily functioning caused by MD, further highlighted by the maladaptive daydreamer’s reliance on peer advice due to the lack of professional support.
Katarzyna Furman, MA is a psychologist and psychotherapist working in an inpatient psychiatric unit for children and adolescents in the University Hospital in Kraków. Her research interests focus on issues related to trauma, complex PTSD as well as cognitive dysfunction in patients experiencing psychotic symptoms. She is a member of a research team investigating the polyetiological determinants of schizophrenia.
Presented results are part of a wide-ranging project on research into the complex nature of schizophrenia and diagnostic possibilities carried out at the University Hospital in Kraków. Numerous studies have established strong links between psychosis and exposure to potentially traumatic events. However, only a limited number have investigated the relationship between psychosis and the more recently defined complex PTSD (cPTSD), as outlined in the ICD-11. This study aims to examine the relationship between complex PTSD (cPTSD) and psychosis, with a focus on understanding their underlying correlation. The study sample comprised 46 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia. Psychotic symptoms and general psychopathology were assessed using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). The International Trauma Questionnaire (ITQ) was administered to assess the presence and severity of PTSD and DSO (Disturbance in Self-Organization). The results of the study indicate those who met criteria for cPTSD exhibited significantly higher levels of negative symptoms (MT= 23.33, SDT= 5.58, MNT= 18.32, SDNT= 6.99, p<0.01), disorganization (MT= 18.38, SDT= 4.75, MNT= 14.76, SDNT= 6.25, p<0.05) and anxiety/depression symptoms (MT= 13.33, SDT= 3.61, MNT= 10.16, SDNT=4 .30 p<0.01) than those who did not meet criteria for trauma (No Trauma group). In addition, strong correlations were found between PTSD, DSO, and psychotic symptoms—particularly the influence of negative self-concept. Results should be taken cautiously due to the small sample size.
AUTHORS: Katarzyna Furman (main author), Maciej Pilecki (supervision of the study), Aleksander Turek, Natalia Śmierciak, Marta Szwajca, Wirginia Krzyściak.
The webinar is intended only for professionally occupied with diagnosis, treatment, research or teaching in the field of trauma, dissociation and disorders related to chronic traumatization.
In case of any technical or organizational problems, please contact: assistant@estd.org
The recording of this webinar will be available later only for ESTD members.