*Escapism Escalates*

Up to a while ago, I used to have the privilege of plugging in my earphones and kinda blocking out everything in my life that went wrong when it did. for reasons we won't discuss I don't have that anymore. Whenever I have an actual problem, it turns out I'd rather rip my hair out than deal with it without almost going deaf.

I'd rather close myself off to reality than dealing with these emotions ('coz we know that those are a wild ride). It's easier than feeling. It's definitely easier than letting all of the neurotransmitters in my head go bonkers while I sit here not knowing how to deal with it. It's easier to analyse the Herondale family going back seven generations even though they don't exist.

Ya........... That's escapism.

And weirdly, up until this second, I didn't even realize it was an issue I had. The dictionary definition is "the tendency to seek distraction and relief from unpleasant realities, especially by seeking entertainment or engaging in fantasy." Yup, it's most definitely an issue about 300% of Gen Z has.

I think a part of it is the ease, you know? It's really too simple for me to drown myself in someone else's lives when I'm exhausted with my own; especially when everyone is shouting their own lives out of megaphones on the Internet. My friends are a phone call away (btw, hi. I love you guys.). And of course, the aforementioned metaphorical and literal drowning of myself in music and my own tears. 

Hold up, does that mean this is linked with procrastination? Yes, yes it does.

You know that thing you do when the math assignment is due tomorrow and you're still clicking 'play' on the next episode of Sugar Rush? Or the thing where you've met Taylor Swift in your daydream when you really should have seen your physics textbook at least once today. no I am most definitely not speaking from experience.

And as if all this wasn't calling you out enough already, you're writing this article to escape from something too. (ouch, too real.)

It's weird to think that all these things you escape into were created by someone seeking to escape from their own reality, from their own demons. It's an endless cycle of slamming the door on the rest of the world and, well, escaping. It's this third space that everyone on this planet comes and goes from. Everyone leaves their own contributions. It's like some hellish library of twisted allegories and unnecessary poetry. oh no that definitely doesn't sound familiar.

Back to the point, what I really mean to say is, just don't do it. Your issues are your own at the end of the day. There's only so long you can ignore something for. There's only so long you can keep yourself locked in your bedroom. At some point you need to open the windows and let reality back in. All I say is, better sooner than later.

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[Yes, I recognize that there's two sides to every coin and sometimes escapism can be good, but in my experience, it's always been an inconvenience.]

[yes i know half of this article is me belittling myself sometimes i need it.]