These are harrowing times. Donald Trump is moving back to Washington, DC, where his supporters attacked the Capitol Building following his defeat in 2021. Further to that he has also shoved his way back in our societal collective consciousness.
This time the US president is threatening to take over a large part of the Western Hemisphere, including Canada, by using economic force.
The destruction by fire in Los Angeles is frightening and heartbreaking. The conflict in the Gaza Strip is saddening, and the Russian aggression and subsequent war crimes in Ukraine is a nightmare that seemingly won’t end.
The human against human violence is found in hundreds of more geographic locations but, tragically, doesn’t receive press coverage.
Those of us with fragile mental health situations or any ongoing issues or illnesses can be pushed further into unhealthy states by a world which seems to be aflame with negativity and a widening division among people. One coping mechanism for people just holding on with their mental health scenarios is temporary escapism.
A short definition of escapism is “the act of temporarily avoiding negative feeling of situations by distracting oneself with entertainment or fantasy.” Escapism can be a healthy tool to detach from the stresses of life and regain a healthier perceptive.
Nonetheless, like everything in mental health and life generally, finding a healthy balance between avoidance and engagement must be attained for good mental healthiness. Escapism has been found to have positive effects, such as relaxation and mood repair, and negative consequences, such as excessive media use.
Once again, the secret to making escapism effective is to find the right balance. Our biological bodies search for a state of homeostasis where changes happen in our environment and our physiological bodies keep balanced and steady by responding in real time accordingly.
Using escapism as an effective tool, we try to keep our thoughts and emotions in a psychological homeostasis. Life is always changing. It is a challenge keeping balance, hence having as many tools as possible in our mental health tool belt is beneficial.
When escapism is used to suppress challenging emotions instead of processing them, there is a serious cause for concern. A study following 729 people for 12 years linked suppressed emotions to a 35 per cent increase in a shorter life span and a 70 per cent increase of risk of death by cancer. Many more studies would be needed for a solid scientific understanding of the link. Still, it is self-evident that too much detachment in life during tough times can be a negative to mental and physical health.
These days, we don’t have to go farther than monitoring Netflix usage to gauge if the escapism needle in is the red. Perhaps, for younger generation, time spent playing video games might be a sound marker to determine the balance of real life and deep fantasy. Today’s technology is immersive and interfaces with life seamlessly to the point that there can be a dangerously line as to where fantasy stops and human life starts.
All we can do for the positivity of mental health is to strive to get the balance right.
Robert Skender is a qathet region freelance writer and health commentator.
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