The misunderstood importance of escapism

Popular psychology reminds us of the importance of sitting with our feelings - of working through discomfort rather trying to tune it out. After months of forced introspection we are pondering the question: when, if ever, is escapism a sound response to getting through a tough time? It seems unreasonably demanding that we turn towards uncomfortable feelings with undivided attention until that feeling has passed. Simultaneously, we want to honour the advice of our (sometimes long suffering) therapists and ‘do the work’, sans distraction. 

There are occasions when uncomfortable feelings linger for far longer than we would wish them to, despite ongoing efforts to work through them. Even when we’re doing all the ‘right’ things to support our mental health there will be days when things feel overwhelming. And perhaps in these times, when the ‘work’ on ourselves is being done but the feeling remains, escapism is not only understandable, but desirable. 

We all need moments of respite and the act of escapism actively requires us to turn our attention away from unpleasant realities and seek pleasure in activity or fantasy. Escapism in the form of a novel activity or a change of environment in these cases may be just what is needed in order to break free of a cemented neural pathway.

Some of us have turned to cooking (we’ve seen lots of people baking boulangerie worthy bread!), or taken refuge in the nightly television binge, even learning thirty second dance routines from a platform aimed at teenagers to escape for an hour or two from the 24 hour news cycle. Or some of us fantasise about the micro of our future escapades - what will we wear, how will we get there, what will happen along the way, how will we feel when we’re doing it. In this way, escapism through fantasy allows us to expand our horizons, explore new possibilities, and envision different versions of the self. 

Doing something new or being somewhere new, whether in our minds or in our days, allows us a new perspective, both literally and metaphorically. Ultimately, it allows us to create a vision of life that we might strive to make reality, even if that reality is not in that present moment possible. And as suspense writer Shirley Jackson said, “No live organism can continue for long to exist sanely under conditions of absolute reality.”

Resources To Go Deeper:

[Article] By E.B. Johnson, How to effectively use escapism in the age of social distancing 

[Research] By Future Minds Lab (UNSW), The 3 Scientific Benefits of Daydreaming 

[Recommendation] Use your library card to access Kanopy and unlock some new things to binge