For the longest time, people have used movies and television shows as a form of escapism. It’s understandable, of course. I have a bad day and immediately want to immerse myself in my favourite show.

But how far is too far? In the early 2000s, a forum was created for fans of the hit movie Avatar (2009) to connect, post, and share about the movie and its fictional setting of Pandora. However, Pandora was almost too perfect.

This led to a phenomenon known to be ‘Post-Avatar Depression Syndrome’. Whilst it is not an official diagnosable condition, it has its own concerns and very real symptoms. Surely, this is a cry for help.

Whilst we all have our comfort shows and consume media that makes us feel better in times of distress, these forums went so far as people threatening to take their own lives. Nothing could satisfy them in the way that living in these fictional environments could. This concept isn’t entirely unique to Avatar.

During the pandemic, when everyone’s only source of entertainment was Disney or Netflix, similar sentiments arose. Posts across platforms such as Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), and TikTok saw its users attempting to immerse themselves in these fictional worlds. During Covid-19, we saw the emergence of concepts such as ‘reality shifting’ and ‘desired realities’.

These were attempts at immersing oneself into the mindset they were in a fictional world until it felt real. This idea was popular amongst teenagers. Franchises like Harry Potter and the Marvel Cinematic Universe were ‘desired realities’ people would attempt to shift to.

Is this inherently harmful? No. Many people saw it as another form of daydreaming.

Others who claim to have done it describe it like a lucid - or more ‘planned out’- dream. Whilst the acts of shifting or desiring to be in a fictional world are not necessarily harmful or dangerous, the root issue as to why these feelings may exist are definitely cause for concern. Overdependence on television and movies stem from people wanting to escape reality.

This is understandable, given the state of the modern world. For the same reason, many people are turning to AIpowered versions of fictional characters and immersing themselves in a different world. Sadly, such as in the case of 14-year-old Sewell Garcia, this can lead to suicide.

Today, an unstable relationship between media and its consumers has developed. Whilst there is nothing wrong in seeing the beauty Pandora offers, overindulging in escapism can have a dangerous impact on people’s mental health - and should not be taken lightly.