Blockage.

The dyed-in-the-wool Romantic spends his or her time wandering – sometimes compulsively and sometimes voluntarily – between everyday reality and other forms of reality which the non-Romantic predictably, but in my opinion erroneously, defines as fantasy. The lines can sometimes become blurred, but contrary to commonly received wisdom this is not an unhealthy position as long as the Romantic retains the wit to distinguish between the two. It’s just the way that some people are made. Should I quote again my favourite maxim?

Perception is the whole of the life experience.

(There now, I feel better already.)

The problem, however, comes when everyday reality produces obstacles which prevent the Romantic living in the alternative realities of his or her choosing. That's when severe depression can set in to stop them functioning effectively in either.