Utah Parents: You Need to Know About Reality Shifting

Online Trend is Growing in Popularity 

The trend of kids trying to alter their reality started in 2020 during the pandemic. It is called reality shifting in which a person tries to move their consciousness to another reality or realm. They use meditation or intense focus to shift their awareness somewhere else. 

This alternate reality may be something they envision as a multi-verse, or a fantasy world of their own creation, or a fictional place they have read about like Harry Potter. It is basically an intense form of daydreaming that provides an escape from your current reality. 

Social media has many videos showing people experimenting with reality shifting and detailed descriptions of how to do it. Some describe falling down a hole like Alice in Wonderland while others picture themselves in an elevator. 

Is Reality Shifting Dangerous 

Whether this trend is harmful is debatable. Young people have always used their imaginations to dream up a world where they are a hero or a story where they find amazing love. This is nothing new. What parents should be aware of is why their child is attracted to the trend. 

It can be an indication they are feeling overwhelmed by their life. A parent can help a child put their problems in perspective and teach them how to navigate social situations. With the constant flow of information they get from the internet, you can help them sift through all of it. 

Read More: Understanding Gaslighting Trend Among Utah Kids

Too much time spent in a daydream can unbalance your life. Opportunities are missed and it can distract from schoolwork and real social opportunities. Read the poem “Miniver Cheevy” written over a century ago to see this isn’t a new problem, but it can have real consequences.