# People Who Are Obsessively Devoted To Fantasy- What Mental Disorder Do They Have? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 14, 2004, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-are-obsessively-devoted-to-fantasy-what-mental-disorder-do-they-have/250292 "2004-06-14T15:34:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Aagramn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Aagramn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aagramn)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2004, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-are-obsessively-devoted-to-fantasy-what-mental-disorder-do-they-have/250292/21 "2004-06-15T19:53:14Z")
Just remember to save regularly. Or if playing a real RPG, photocopy (or xerox as you call it in the US?). ---
**Author:** ![Agent\_Cooper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@Agent\_Cooper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agent_Cooper)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2004, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-are-obsessively-devoted-to-fantasy-what-mental-disorder-do-they-have/250292/22 "2004-06-15T20:22:57Z")
> [@](#): > > People Who Are Obsessively Devoted To Fantasy- What Mental Disorder Do They Have? What you mean like religous folks? I think the root of your question is … How many people must share an obsession before it is socially acceptable? ---
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2004, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-are-obsessively-devoted-to-fantasy-what-mental-disorder-do-they-have/250292/23 "2004-06-15T21:27:34Z")
> [@Aagramn](#): > > Just remember to save regularly. Or if playing a real RPG, photocopy (or xerox as you call it in the US?). We call it photocopy, too. ---
**Author:** ![Cerowyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/82dd89/32.png) [@Cerowyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cerowyn)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2004, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-are-obsessively-devoted-to-fantasy-what-mental-disorder-do-they-have/250292/24 "2004-06-15T22:35:19Z")
Assuming that your post is representative of a genuine concern for people with real problems and not just YAILOT (yet-another-ignorant-lack-of-tolerance), the DSM IV term you are looking for is OCD, “obsessive-compulsive disorder.” According to [this site](http://anxiety.psy.ohio-state.edu/ocd1.htm), > [@](#): > > Obsessions as defined by (1), (2), (3), and (4): > > recurrent and persistent thoughts, impulses, or images that are experienced, at some time during the disturbance, as intrusive and inappropriate and that cause marked anxiety or distress > the thoughts, impulses, or images are not simply excessive worries about real-life problems > the person attempts to ignore or suppress such thoughts, impulses, or images, or to neutralize them with some other thought or action > the person recognizes that the obsessional thoughts, impulses, or images are a product of his or her own mind (not imposed from without as in thought insertion) There are further qualifications on that site that must be present to indicate that the disorder exists. As they note, however, no diagnosis can be made except by a psychiatrist. ---
**Author:** ![Roches](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bc8723/32.png) [@Roches](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roches)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2004, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-are-obsessively-devoted-to-fantasy-what-mental-disorder-do-they-have/250292/25 "2004-06-16T00:01:18Z")
OCD-type obsessions are not really the same as ‘being obsessed about Star Trek’. OCD-type obsessive thoughts are more like intrusive ideas that are triggered by something unrelated to the idea itself. For example, a person with OCD might recall, in detail, a scene from an episode of Star Trek when crossing a certain street. OCD isn’t really all about this, but it’s one possible symptom. Most ‘obsessions’ – whether they’re about Star Trek or work or science – are not pathological and are not obsessive-compulsive disorder. However, some people with certain conditions might be very likely to become obsessed about something. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2004, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-are-obsessively-devoted-to-fantasy-what-mental-disorder-do-they-have/250292/26 "2004-06-16T00:56:15Z")
> [@Freejooky](#): > > While I’m far from an escapist fantasy geek, I completely understand it. Guess what- the real world _sucks_. Modern life is mundane, routine, and crushingly boring. Apparently yours is, but you should speak for yourself and not assume that everybody’s life is like yours and the people you know. ---
**Author:** ![igloorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/858c86/32.png) [@igloorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/igloorex)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2004, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-are-obsessively-devoted-to-fantasy-what-mental-disorder-do-they-have/250292/27 "2004-06-16T01:45:07Z")
Some of the geekiness and obsessiveness to one particular subject sounds a bit like Asperger Syndrome to me – especially the stuff in section B. from the DSM: > [@](#): > > A. Qualitative impairment in social interaction, as manifested by at least two of the following: > marked impairments in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors such as eye-to-eye gaze, facial expression, body postures, and gestures to regulate social interaction > failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to developmental level > a lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interests, or achievements with other people (e.g. by a lack of showing, bringing, or pointing out objects of interest to other people) > lack of social or emotional reciprocity > > B. Restricted repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities, as manifested by at least one of the following: > encompassing preoccupation with one or more stereotyped and restricted patterns of interest that is abnormal either in intensity or focus > apparently inflexible adherence to specific, nonfunctional routines or rituals > stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms (e.g., hand or finger flapping or twisting, or complex whole-body movements) > persistent preoccupation with parts of objects > C. The disturbance causes clinically significant impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning > > D. There is no clinically significant general delay in language (e.g., single words used by age 2 years, communicative phrases used by age 3 years) > > E. There is no clinically significant delay in cognitive development or in the development of age-appropriate self-help skills, adaptive behavior (other than social interaction), and curiosity about the environment in childhood > > F. Criteria are not met for another specific Pervasive Developmental Disorder or Schizophrenia No, I am not saying that loves D&D = Aspergers, but the few folks I’ve known who were REALLY into the sci-fi/fantasy thing fit much of this description. (FWIW, I used to be pretty immersed in the D&D thing, but I got better.) ---
**Author:** ![igloorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/858c86/32.png) [@igloorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/igloorex)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2004, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-are-obsessively-devoted-to-fantasy-what-mental-disorder-do-they-have/250292/28 "2004-06-16T01:52:21Z")
Here’s an interesting [article](http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/9.12/aspergers_pr.html) from **Wired** about techies and kids with Aspergers… First paragraph: > [@](#): > > The Geek Syndrome > Autism - and its milder cousin Asperger’s syndrome - is surging among the children of Silicon Valley. Are math-and-tech genes to blame? > > Nick is building a universe on his computer. He’s already mapped out his first planet: an anvil-shaped world called Denthaim that is home to gnomes and gods, along with a three-gendered race known as kiman. As he tells me about his universe, Nick looks up at the ceiling, humming fragments of a melody over and over. “I’m thinking of making magic a form of quantum physics, but I haven’t decided yet, actually,” he explains. The music of his speech is pitched high, alternately poetic and pedantic - as if the soul of an Oxford don has been awkwardly reincarnated in the body of a chubby, rosy-cheeked boy from Silicon Valley. Nick is 11 years old. Nick sounds like the sort of folks you’re describing to me. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-are-obsessively-devoted-to-fantasy-what-mental-disorder-do-they-have/250292.md?page=1)