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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To worry about DD ‘reality shifting’?

49 replies

divadiya · 04/07/2022 19:37

Hi.
Last week DD told me she was trying to reality shift, which, summed up is where she moves to different universes?! I thought she was joking and brushed it off. But then today she told me that last night she successfully went to a different universe, told me she went to hogwarts for a few hours. She told me she writes down where she wants to be and uses a reality shifting method. Now I’m a bit concerned about the possibility of mental health problems as she does believe this. She’s under CAMHS. Advice? Ta.

OP posts:
Harridance · 04/07/2022 19:39

I think that sounds like shes got a great and robust imagination, but then I am no expert on mental health

divadiya · 04/07/2022 19:39

Forgot to mention she is 16.

OP posts:
Cstring · 04/07/2022 19:42

If she’s under CAMHS already, can you email or leave a message for a practitioner? I’d be worried too.

Icecreamsodaloda · 04/07/2022 19:45

I was on Tik Tok for a while and saw lots of young people posting about this, I personally think it's bollocks and this whole manifest something trend is just a way for teens/YA to think they have some control in a frightening world. I think people who claim they have done it are wishful thinking/lying because they don't want to be the one who hasn't done it and so you have all these people claiming to have shifted when they haven't.

She might have had an intense daydream, she may have fallen asleep while thinking about it and actually dreamt but there is no way to shift your self to another "reality" unless your a yogi meditation master and even then it be a feeling of inner peace/euphoria not an actual place.

What are you concerned may happen OP? It sounds like fantasy, day dreaming, I'm not sure how CAHMS work but maybe you can speak to them if you are really concerned.

chiffchaffchiff · 04/07/2022 19:45

Is there a history of delusions in your family? If so, I'd be more worried and send a message to CAHMS. If not, I'd wonder if it's her coping mechanism for what's going on already.

Ginfilledcats · 04/07/2022 19:46

It’s a thing on TikTok.
essentially just forcing a dream like state. Have you ever gone to bed and specifically thought about something and ended up dreaming about it, it’s essentially that. But day dreaming.

harmless just imagination stuff. Waste of time if you ask me, a lot of people do it for an “escape” but I wouldn’t worry. Other than it is a TikTok fad called shifting.

MumInBrussels · 04/07/2022 19:48

I think this is something to seek specialist advice on. Given her age, if she actually believes she went to Hogwarts, that doesn't sound good from the mental health side of things. This sounds like something that could need treatment, so I'd suggest talking to a professional as soon as you can.

PeekabooAtTheZoo · 04/07/2022 19:49

It's just pathworking/self-guided meditation, it's nothing new, it's a way to relax at the end of a stressful day usually interspersed with a bit of self-discovery. It was very extensively outlined in A Witch Alone by Marian Green and that's at least 20 years old now. The fact you've jumped to all sorts of conclusions suggests she needs to decompress. Are you a very anxious person in general?
FWIW, delusions rarely take people to where they wanted to go.

OhMrDarcy · 04/07/2022 19:50

My DD (15) was talking about this the other day. Its a Tik Tok fad, nothing more. I wouldn't worry about it

PeekabooAtTheZoo · 04/07/2022 19:57

Another name for it is lucid dreaming. They're all in the same basket.

Tabitha005 · 04/07/2022 20:00

Every generation thinks they've invented something new because it's called by a different name to the version experienced by the generations before them.

legalseagull · 04/07/2022 20:06

"That's nice sweetheart"

Youcansaythatagainandagain · 04/07/2022 20:09

Maybe she's reading about Metaverse/the? metaverse? I haven't a clue what it involves but it sounds similar?

Lostlostlost3 · 04/07/2022 20:13

Has she been watching Stranger Things?

Icecreamsodaloda · 04/07/2022 20:16

Youcansaythatagainandagain · 04/07/2022 20:09

Maybe she's reading about Metaverse/the? metaverse? I haven't a clue what it involves but it sounds similar?

Metaverse is to do with Facebook isn't it? Virtual Reality created by VR headgear etc, Shifting is something you do yourself (or don't really do but say you did). I'm not making light of your dd situation OP, but I do wonder as well if many teens/YA use the label of Shifting as it sounds like something more serious/meaningful than admitting you just imagined what it be like to find yourself in a broom cupboard with Draco Malfoy.

Wolfiefan · 04/07/2022 20:17

If she’s under CAMHS I woukd contact them for advice.

rodham · 04/07/2022 20:19

It's a tik tok fad. It's basically lucid dreaming but they don't want to admit that! Nothing to worry about imo

whenwillthemadnessend · 04/07/2022 20:22

I've been to hogwarts in my dreams too This a random dreams that I have naturally every six months or a year apart tho.

Not forced dreams but it sounds fun.

I'd mention it to her doc but not make a deal out of it if it's a tiktok fad.

wellyelliebee · 04/07/2022 20:32

I think you say "but you know hogwarts isn't actually real?" And if she says something along the lines of "of course I do, you don't understand anything" or gives some explanation that acknowledgs hogwarts is not a real place to visit, then you don't worry, but if she maintains hogwarts is an actual place then that's more delusional and more of a worry.

Rinatinabina · 04/07/2022 20:39

I remember the first time lucid dreaming came around it sounds similar. Tbf when I tried it (I was a kid) I found it really helped me fall sleep, never ever actually managed a lucid dream though. I wouldn’t worry.

StaplesCorner · 04/07/2022 20:39

Why is she under CAMHS - I don’t see how we can comment if we don’t know what her underlying condition is? (Won’t stop people though 🤔) what you are describing can be an extreme form of OCD. My DD is 19 she has extreme OCD often thinks we’ve been replaced by aliens, different reality and universe. It’s only when she’s feeling very unwell though.

FAQs · 04/07/2022 20:44

There are lots if articles on it, it’s a sort of deep meditation, visualisation, it’s also been around for years.

neverbeenskiing · 04/07/2022 20:48

This is all over Tik Tok. I really don't think it's anything to worry about but if you're concerned no harm in mentioning it your DD's CAMHS worker.

BlueWhippets · 04/07/2022 20:50

Have a look at shifting on tiktok. Loads of teens are doing it and seem to genuinely believe it or are posting as if they genuinely believe it. It might give you more of an idea of what she's looking at and getting ideas from. Is your daughter autistic? I've noticed that a lot of these kids are autistic and wonder if there's more of a link

Gigglebiscuit · 04/07/2022 20:58

I asked my teenage DC, and they said it's a thing amongst teens and very young adults. And yes, those doing it often seem to believe it's real, or at least they say so. Thankfully my DC thinks it's rubbish. I think I wouldn't worry about it in my teen, I would write it off as vivid dreaming and imagination. But then my teen has no mental health issues - no more than your average teen, anyway!