Do you look at the stress in your life as challenges to overcome or are you being overwhelmed? Daily life has its fair share of stressors, including financial, job-related and personal. In order to manage stress and keep a level head, some people start exercising. Some people play video games or browse the Internet, and other people use alcohol or drugs to help them unwind and relax. While this can be beneficial in helping individuals gain a new understanding of their problems and develop solutions while relaxing, escapism can also be harmful. Let’s take a look at escapism in detail and how it can lead to addiction.
Table of Contents
Understanding Escapism
The term escapism refers to any activity that distracts the brain from reality. It’s a coping mechanism that helps people relax and forget their troubles for a short amount of time, and when done in a healthy manner, it can help reduce levels of stress and lead to clearer thinking and strategizing about life’s small and large problems.
Forms of Escapism
People can use almost anything to escape reality. They can read books, browse the Internet, watch TV or videos, game, ride a bike, run, paint or daydream. Using recreational drugs or consuming alcoholic beverages can also be a form of escapism.
Escapism in History
The term escapism was first used in the 1930s as a way to refer to people who seek to relax by ensuing reality, and it was quite popular due to the harsh realities of the Great Depression. In order to escape, many people chose to go to the movies, and the movies of the time had comedic and romantic themes in order to help people forget about their day.
People in the 1930s and 40s might also put together jigsaw puzzles, read books or comic books or attend the World’s Fair. Throughout the 60s, 70s and 80s, people might watch TV, listen to the radio, play music or go to a bar or club.
During the 80s, video games and computers were just making their way into people’s homes, and these things gave them other ways to escape reality and unwind. The 90s saw much of the same. In the 2000s, the Internet became popular. In the 2010s, smartphones made their way into the markets, and these two items can also be used to distract the mind from the challenges of everyday life.
The Appeal of Escapism
When utilized properly, escapism actually has many psychological, and social benefits.
Psychological Benefits
There are many psychological benefits to participating in escapism. Just think about when you take a vacation from work. You get to relax for a week or two, and when you get back to your job, you’re recharged and ready to tackle your tasks. You might even have new ideas on how to do your job better. Escapism, when utilized properly, can result in the same mental and emotional benefits.
Enhance Creativity
If your escapism involves reading, art, music or another creative endeavor, you’re stimulating your mind while you relax. Reading can stimulate your mind while improving your vocabulary. Drawing or painting can help you process uncomfortable emotions while improving your focus. If you play an instrument, it can help you feel more emotionally balanced, improve your cognitive performance and reduce stress.
Social Benefits
If you escape into a world or activity with other people, it can increase your social interactions. For example, if you join a group that heads to the gym, you can converse and exercise with those individuals and form friendships. If you join an online gaming community, you’ll get to form relationships with your fellow gamers. If you write and share your stories in a forum, you’ll get to interact with other writers as well as your fans.
The Risks and Drawbacks of Escapism
While escapism has many benefits, it also has several drawbacks. If you choose the wrong activities or spend an excessive amount of time on the activities, it could begin to hurt your finances, lifestyle, friends and family members.
Avoidance of Real-Life Problems:
Escapism becomes a problem when it starts interfering with your responsibilities and relationships. For example, if you miss work to play a video game, the escapism has gone too far. The same can be said if you fail to make dinner for your children or refuse to help them get ready for school in the morning. Excessive escapism can actually lead to problems in your marriage or with your significant other because your significant other has to take on more of the household responsibilities.
Escapism and Isolation:
Excessive escapism can lead to social isolation. Activities that may lead to social isolation include reading, writing and gaming, when there’s no online community associated with the game, Drinking and doing drugs can also lead to social isolation.
Negative Impact on Mental Health:
Excessive escapism over a long period of time can actually be detrimental to mental health. This typically occurs when the individual relies on escapism as a primary coping mechanism. When escapism becomes the norm rather than the exception, it can exasperate preexisting mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety and low self-esteem. This is especially true when the form of escapism is also a solitary activity or involves alcohol or recreational drugs.
Escapism and Addiction
When the time spent on an escapism activity becomes uncontrollable, it can become an addiction. For instance, did you know that 57 percent percent of Americans are addicted to their phones? That’s according to an article at CBS News. Between 3 to 7 percent of people who exercise are addicted to the exercise, according to the Columbia University Department of Psychology. The truth is that anything can become an addiction.
When Escapism Becomes Addictive:
Escapism becomes an addiction when it starts interfering with a person’s daily responsibilities. Someone who is excessively addicted to an activity may forget to eat. They may deprive themselves of sleep. They may miss work and forget to pay bills. They may start to find themselves having more arguments with family members and friends. When these things start happening in a person’s life, the escapism may have turned into an addiction.
Examples of Escapism Leading to Addiction:
Escapism can lead to addiction. For example, someone who takes up running may receive lots of compliments on their appearance and endurance. Those compliments are positive reinforcement. As a result, the individual may try to run farther and for longer periods of time in order to maximize their gains and receive more compliments. Someone who games a lot may receive accolades when they beat the levels faster or become the primary winner in the game. This may cause them to play the game longer and spend more money on the game. Unfortunately, if the activity becomes all-consuming, it can lead to negative consequences.
Gaming Addiction:
According to the University of Michigan, between 14 and 18 percent of gamers are addicted. Gaming is a type of alternate reality, and individuals can get lost in those realities. It can feel good to have the biggest fortification and the largest in-game bank account, but when it starts to interfere with showering, eating and working, the game has most likely become an addiction.
Substance Abuse:
Alcohol and recreational drugs can also be used as a form of escapism. Alcohol is a depressant and may help someone feel relaxed. Marijuana, sedatives, pain medications, heroin and ecstasy are known to induce feelings of euphoria and/or relaxation. The problem with using alcohol and drugs to relax is that those feelings are temporary. This can cause an individual to use the substance more frequently or in larger doses, which can lead to addiction.
Signs of Escapism-Related Addiction:
The signs of escapism-related addiction can be similar to those seen in other types of addictions.
- Failing to eat, sleep or shower.
- Failing to pay bills on time.
- Isolating oneself.
- Missing work in favor of the escapism.
- Neglecting family responsibilities in order to participate in the escapism.
- Spending more time in the alternate reality than in real life.
- Unable to set limits and stick to them when it comes to participating in the activity.
Balancing Escapism and Reality
Escapism can be helpful when it’s not used as the sole coping mechanism for life’s daily challenges.
Setting Limits:
Set time limits and boundaries for your activities. If you want to exercise, set a time, distance or repetition limit. If you want to play games or watch videos, set a screen time limit so you don’t spend the entire day on the activity.
Mindful Engagement:
Don’t just zone out when you’re participating in your escapism activity. Be mindful of its advantages and how it positively affects your mental well-being, and do your best to make sure you’re not participating just to escape reality.
Seeking Help and Support
If you believe that the activity you do to help you unwind and relax is becoming an addiction, you can get help and learn better ways to cope with stress.
Recognizing Problematic Escapism:
If you’re concerned that your escapism might be causing a problem, you can ask yourself a few questions.
- How much time or how often do you participate in your escapism activity?
- Does your escapism also involve drugs or alcohol?
- Are you neglecting certain areas of your life in order to escape from your problems?
The answers to these questions will help you determine if you need to get help for your addictive activities, and if you do need to get help, there are plenty of resources.
Conclusion
If you find yourself escaping into fantasy worlds, reading too much or spending too much time on something you thought was a hobby, it may be time to seek treatment. While escapism can be a healthy coping strategy when performed in moderation, it can quickly become an obsession, especially if you drink alcohol or take recreational drugs alongside it. If you need help with your escapism, call the Garden State Treatment Center today.
Published on: 2024-08-09
Updated on: 2024-10-08
