Escapism

I’ve always been a fan of this form of coping method.
My earliest memory is when I was about 3 and I had gone done the alley about a block or so from home and was between the bush and a neighboring house and I remember thinking to myself that that would be my home. I guess in hindsight it was more of imaginary play.
I was just listening to one of my playlists on YouTube and one of my classic favorites came on and it occurred to me that the song, “The Way” by Fastball was the source of my runaway fantasies that really started when I was a teenager. I was thinking about how I’ve always had a fantasy of runaway or just taking off on the open road and never coming back. I was contemplating where that all started when the “The Way’ song came on. Granted I sorta had that imaginary play even when I was 3, but I think that song really solidified that fantasy in my head. I believe the song came out when I was a freshmen in high school. Since that time I would look forward to graduation, imagining hitting the open road, taking off down the highway to broader horizons. Sadly, I never had the chutzpah to do so. Perhaps I still will someday. If only I had the means to support myself doing so- I definitely wouldn’t mind a nomadic lifestyle, living a perpetual road trip of sorts.
Of course it’s no surprise I got into partying and drugs in my college years. And still now I miss the nights of my restless wandering throughout the city that I used to do. I’ve sobered up and wised up a bit and know the dangers of doing so and I’ve since stopped. But most nights I still feel the pull to do so and I try to distract myself as much as I can. Surfing the web usually suffices.

I've always done this a bit myself. Also, never really had the means to follow thru. I have recurring dreams in which I'm traveling, finding shelter, constructing shelter, etc.
At this point in my life, I've managed to let go of my addictions, am free of negative relationships, and recently retired. I could, conceivably, be free to now do some exploring, traveling. I use the responsibility of my pets to keep me tied down. I think it's a mental thing, in that I don't really want to ramble, don't know how I'd do it, and would rather just resort to the "escapist" thinking rather than actual doing it.!?

I do so many things to escape. I like reading this and knowing that I am not alone. thank you.

I totally get where you're coming from- the idea of wandering is more exciting than actually doing. I read something on Wikipedia about wandering and how it connects to Buddhism and how it's like a spirit journey of sorts. Maybe it's best to explore this in a written form, let your mind wander and see what ideas come to you.

Yes, I've always been an avid bookworm as well, I am getting back into it again, it's so nice to get absorbed in a story and just let all your worries dissolve as you get caught up in the plot.

I've used "escapism" to cope as well. Also had that fantasy of just packing up the car and leaving everything and everyone behind. Wonder what my life would have been like somewhere else. Maybe meet better people. Ah, ....but it's just a fantasy....

Love that song! I escape either through books or sleep. The sleep hasn't been going very well lately, though.

I really liked that song when it came out, I was in my 40's but then I heard about the story behind it: The Way by Fastball Songfacts

I still remember when I got my first job out of college, working at Sears for nothing a week. I was still living at home, had no prospects and was hating life and had the fantasy of not getting off the freeway at my exit to go to work in the morning but to keep driving.

It took me until my 50's to quit with the automatic escapism and live my life more, getting the real rewards instead of the imagined ones. I do wish I had learned my lessons a bit earlier.