The reason we all try to escape

Hi, Gopi here.

I used to play a lot of video games. Like, a lot.

During Covid, it became my entire life. It was the perfect excuse, everyone was on discord, so playing 6, 8, or even 10 hours a day felt normal.

The game was Minecraft, specifically a server called Hypixel Skyblock. I'm sometimes afraid to admit this, but I have well over 3,500 hours logged.

Now, the thought of sitting down to play alone for even one hour is unthinkable.

For a long time, I told myself it was because I learned to hate wasting time. But that’s the clean, simple answer. The real reason is much messier.

The real reason I played so much was to escape.

I was drowning in school. Every assignment felt difficult, socializing was a struggle, and exams were a constant source of dread. The game was my hiding place. It was a perfect, predictable world where I could feel in control when my real life was spiraling.

I was stuck in a doom loop: the more I escaped, the more I had to escape from.

And that’s the pattern I see everywhere. It's the same reason I lose several hours to a YouTube rabbit hole. It’s not just about killing time; it’s about a momentary retreat from the challenge right in front of me. It's giving up my focus just to hide for a little bit.

But here’s the thing I’ve learned: escaping isn't the enemy. We all need to escape. The brain needs a break from the hard stuff.

The real enemy wasn't the escape. It was the quality of the escape.

I was using junk food to refuel. An hour of mindless gaming or scrolling left me feeling foggy, guilty, and even less prepared to face my real problems. It was an escape that cost me more energy than it gave.

So I didn't stop escaping. I just started “upgrading” my escape routes.

Instead of Minecraft, I go for a run.
Instead of YouTube, I meet up with a friend.

These are still escapes. They still provide a break from the challenging work. But they don't leave me feeling empty. Running clears my head. Talking to a friend gives me perspective. They are escapes that actually recharge me.

The more I invest in beneficial escapes, the stronger I feel when I return to the hard work. I'm no longer hiding from the challenges like before; I'm strategically refueling to face them.

So the question isn't whether you're escaping. It's what you're escaping to.

Are you running to a place that drains you, or a place that builds you back up?