Alternate Reality Therapy And Why We Need It.
Updated: Aug 30, 2021
"Let's surround this beast from these spots and we catch it with our usual surprise move", the leader of the tribe pointing to the ambush points while speaking with the prehistoric tribe-people's tongue. The group affirmed the plan and started moving towards their spots.
They sneak in quietly with their highly coordinated limbs, moving slowly, blending naturally into their surrounding. Their breathing and heartbeat were all in sync, then, the battle began! "Whooosh!" "Huhahahuhaa" "Arghhh...." slap stab stab slash... "Pow!" "Aaaa!" smash smash stab stab!! The enormous animal lying breathless, defeated and claimed by the group of perfectly coordinated homo sapiens. It was a victorious day with minimal injuries.
Tribe members a.k.a. villagers were cheering, dancing and singing when the hunters return. EVERYONE was happy. During dinner (or it doesn't matter, people were hungry and the time of a meal is just a perspective given by modernized homo sapiens), the hunters were sharing their stories about the new wound that they have earned while the chefs are busy preparing the meal, there were a lot of chit chat, gossip and catching up going on in the tribe.
The feast lasted for a few days before the tribe's leader gathers the hunter for the next hunt. This was a the life of hunter-gatherers 50 thousand years ago.
What can we learn from the "Reality" of the "Cave-people"?
Homo Sapiens are weak and insignificant animals, but what kept us going? How did we survived the stress of a harsh world full of predators much stronger than us?
Homo Sapien's happiness and fulfillment are fueled by:
Incentive (Food, nutrition) - Dopamine
Respect (Feeling good about oneself) - Serotonin
Bonding (Sense of belonging, warm fuzzy feeling) - Oxytocin
Most importantly, Homo Sapiens spent a lot of time socializing and worked short hours!
Fast-forward, what is our "Modern-Reality"?
Wake Up - Eat - Commute - Work - Eat (while working) - Work (while browsing social media) - Eat - Work - Commute - Eating in front of a screen - TV or Work - Sleep - Repeat
You know the drill. We have minimal happiness and fulfillment in this reality.
What is an Alternative Reality? Why is it therapeutic?
Lets be really really honest to ourselves, the Homo Sapiens are not built for the modern-reality, we eat junk, turning to social media for recognition and staying in cities filled with strangers. We get minimal doses of Dopamine, Serotonin and Oxytocin for our well-being.
And to make it worse, capitalism had turned us all into irrational shoppers with made-up festive seasons, so that we can get our doses of Dopamine. Competition in workplace or marketplace had turned us into horrible people because we needed the Serotonin dosage...
But, without a balanced and consistent dose of all 3, we do not feel fulfilled or happy.
Alternative Reality: Do something crazy
An alternate reality is considered as a disorder in mainstream psychology, as if things don't make sense in this defined reality, they will say that you are crazy.
Spend crazy amount of hours doing something that makes your heart sing! You know, those YouTube videos that you have spent hours watching in between meals and work, it's time to do them now! Restoring a classic car, landscaping, calligraphy, pouring art, scuba diving, learn a musical instrument, coloring mandalas, woodworking, robotics, creating an app, becoming a YouTuber, photography, training animals, build something, make something!
You will definitely feel uncomfortable as you are not making "good" use of your time because of them judgy-fuckers, and it's not the usual routine, it doesn't feel like the "right" reality.
Here's a vacation metaphor:
Imagine the excitement when you are travelling to a dream holiday
Imagine returning from that holiday back to work (or reality as it's normally interrelated)
What if you can consistently feel the excitement of leaving the "right" reality behind and traveling to an alternate reality anytime that you want (based on rational planning)?
Alternate reality therapy for social animals
When crazy amount of time is spent on the crafts you love, guess what will happen?
Mastering the skills that you have longed for.
Getting to know people that share your passion, joining communities that bond, appreciate and FUN (for you)
Acquiring the sense of satisfaction with the product of your crafts while investing on tools that will up the game!
Less conversations on weather, politics, markets, etc the boring stuff.
Your social media feed will be more interesting and appreciated by "your" people.
Have less friends, so that you don't need to worry about them inviting you to parties.
Ultimately, happier, fulfilled and a better human being!