People make it sound like it’s a bad thing to practice escapism, and maybe they have a point, but I personally think it’s pros outweigh the cons.
I’ve seen a lot of things in my few travels around the sun and I speak for myself when I say that escapism has kept me sane many a time. Being able to take myself out of a situation mentally is a skill that I rely heavily on because in this life, your mental health will be tried, numerously. Deciding you’re on vacation mentally and being able to smell the salt water of the ocean right from where your body is physically located hundreds of miles from the nearest shore, has the ability to release the hormones responsible for a good mood (endorphins).
It takes practice, you start by mentally creating your “happy place” – could be somewhere you’ve been to before (which is easier to mentally recreate), could be a photo/video you saw – then you learn to switch your mind there when under too much stress. Just imagine being there first, imagine how you’d feel if you were there – and bask in it. With practice, you can escalate to generating the physical sensations associated with the place, as it makes for a more intense detachment experience – which could be useful when under serious duress.
The danger however, is getting too sucked in. You don’t want to lose touch with reality, because time waits for no man. Learning to get the peace you need to recalibrate your mind and face your real life challenges with a clear lens – is key. Escapism is a temporary rest, it’s not designed to be permanent. If you need something a bit more prolonged then consider a change of surroundings, taking a break from the location where the stress is centralized (if possible)…do what works for you, I’m just sharing one of mine.
In all this, remember that prayer is key in handling challenging moments. I sometimes practice escapism in my prayers, like I envision what God’s Throne would look like and take myself there mentally – exercise your mind, it was given to you for a reason. All the best my darlings.
Till next time,
Dr. ETP xo
