Are you an escapist?

[Ando85]

No, not a member of the site which you probably are if you are reading this. But, someone who uses entertainment (games in particular) as a means to escape the stress and rigors of daily life. I know I do. If I have something negative on my mind or a sense of dread of something coming up I completely forget my troubles for awhile while playing a good engaging game.

I have a second question that ties into this. Do you feel this sort of escapism is healthy? You might see it as a way to avoid problems or deny reality. But, you might see it was a great way to improve one's mental health.

 

[Scrustle]

It's the main reason I play games, as escapism from life. I find myself pretty dissatisfies with the world in general, and I play games to get away from that.

Is that healthy? Probably not. But at this point I don't really give a damn any more.

 

[Padwolf]

Yes I use video games to escape my life. They do more than that, they fuel my imagination and things. I doubt it is healthy, but I'm beyond the point where I care. It's kept me sane. I would like to stay sane. But sometimes the problem is too stressful that I just can't find it in me to play a game. That's when I go into pit of despair mode

 

[Fappy]

Yeah I do. I love the feeling of getting home after a long day of work and plopping down in a recliner and playing some video games to relieve some stress and forget about my responsibilities. I think it's healthy and only gets unhealthy once you start skirting on your responsibilities because of it.

 

[Phasmal]

Yeah, I think I do, but it's no less healthy than watching TV in my mind.
I don't really think it's a denial of reality, just a way to unwind from it for a while.
I'd argue that having no escapism is probably more unhealthy.

 

[RipRoaringWaterfowl]

Yup. That is the basic purpose for almost all games, entertainment value. I get that entertainment value, sometimes the games are artistic in some way, I get enjoyment and sometimes enrichment. Worth it.

 

[TehCookie]

Yup, that's also why I don't like realistic games. If I'm going to escape, I want to go to a completely different reality. I think it is healthy, everyone likes to escape reality from time to time but have different ways for doing so. Some read a book, others play games and some even turn to alcohol and drugs. I think videogames are a pretty healthy escapism compared to the latter.

 

[krazykidd]

Yes . My real life sucks . Playing video games in the only thing motivating me to get up in the morning .

 

[Judgement101]

I play games because I get bored really easily, I used to use them as an escape but recently my life has been going extremely well, so now they are more of a hobby.

 

[kickassfrog]

It's the main reason I play games, as escapism from life. I find myself pretty dissatisfies with the world in general, and I play games to get away from that.

Is that healthy? Probably not. But at this point I don't really give a damn any more.

I'm going to save myself some time typing out a wordy response and go with "Pretty much this".
I don't just play games to escape from reality. I have films and books for that too. Basically an hour I spend engaged in fiction is an hour I can pretend my life is much more interesting and enjoyable than it actually is.

 

[Dandark]

Yes. Escapisim is the main reason I like most of my hobbies such as gaming or reading. Whenever I play games I escape from reality and enjoy my time in a fantasy world, it's one of my favorite things to do.

 

[Aerosteam]

I seem to forget a lot of things when I'm playing a video game. Important things.

 

[Nietz]

I'd say that this question is rather hard, since the term "escapist" has a kind of negative ring to it.

As for my answer: Yes, I am an escapist in the way that I like to escape to another world and experience things I can't in real life. I don't have a problem with real life though. I have a job and a family and I'm a pretty happy camper most days. Sure, sometimes life sucks, but that is the exception, not the rule.

 

[ultrachicken]

Not really. If I have a problem, such as a looming deadline, it will manage to linger in the front of my mind while playing a video game. I can't really do escapism all that well. I just think games are a fun hobby.

 

[Palademon]

I'm not particularly an escapist. I play games because they're fun.
Rarely do I play them to escape something, and I wouldn't call it escapism so much as "cheering myself up".

 

[Fiz_The_Toaster]

Oh yeah, I totally am and I will fully admit it to anyone that asks me that.

My escapisms tend to shift around a bit form reading, to listening to music, and video games. The latter being the most prevalent since I can be tired and whatnot and still forget stuff when I'm gaming.

 

[rokkolpo]

Some use Alcohol,
Some use drugs,
Some use women,
Some of us game.

I say gaming is the healthy one.

Me, I prefer to escape reality by being with my girlfriend and other friends.
I don't game as much as I used to.

 

[Charli]

Of course I do...

I don't do alot of OTHER bad things people do to 'escape realism'.
So I figure I'm not harming anyone but myself (sleep patterns, maybe could lay off the quick snacks)