How visiting alternative universes through ‘reality shifting’ is exploding in popularity… and why a top psychotherapist now says it can revolutionise your life in the real world too

If you could exist in another reality, what would you choose? Would you move to a world where you spent your days sunning yourself on an exotic island? Could you be married to a little royalty? Or would you wake up as a wizard at Hogwarts?

It may sound crazy, but thousands of people online claim to be able to create and visit alternate realities at will. So-called “reality shifting” has become hugely popular in recent years, with TikTok videos about the phenomenon racking up billions of views.

Adherents claim that it harnesses all the benefits of meditation and visualization, helping them achieve a positive mindset that improves their daily lives.

Many of these social media shifters are “gaining access” to worlds they already know through popular culture, such as the Marvel comic universe. Others are creating their own, brand new reality.

But while it may seem fanciful or even ridiculous, the craze for reality shifting is so great that the practice has aroused the interest of the scientific community.

How can you ‘change’ reality, what are the supposed benefits? And is it just a rebranding of the age-old Gen Z behaviour, daydreaming?

A 2021 study published in the journal Current Psychology defines shifting as a “trendy mental activity,” practiced primarily by the post-millennial generation, that “enables you to transcend your physical boundaries and visit alternate, usually fictional, universes… The experience of shifting is reportedly facilitated by specific induction methods involving relaxation, concentration of attention, and autosuggestion.”

You may roll your eyes, but hypnotherapist and psychotherapist Dipti Tait says shifting can be powerful when practiced not as a way to escape reality, but as a concrete method to change your reality, in the same way that many believe in the power of ‘manifesting’. Dipti has even developed her own method of guided reality shifting, which she calls ‘free-flow transformation therapy’.

“While reality shifting shares some similarities with daydreaming, such as imagining future scenarios, when combined with psychotherapy it is much more structured and goal-oriented,” she says. “Daydreaming is often a passive activity, whereas reality shifting involves active, intentional mental exercises designed to create real change.

“By changing the way we think, we can change the way we feel, which in turn changes our behavior. This shift is what ultimately changes our reality.”

‘Reality shifting in this way is absolutely essential for maintaining a positive state of mental health and balanced emotional well-being. Daydreaming in this imaginative way empties our brain’s stress bucket and refreshes the mind.’

Reality shifting isn’t just about adopting a more optimistic perspective, she says—it’s about completely rewiring the brain. “Studies have shown that the brain can change and adapt throughout our adult lives. MRI scans have shown changes in brain activity patterns associated with positive thinking, as well as reduced anxiety and fear,” Dipti says.

‘One client who had previously been paralyzed by fear and constant worry about future failure, began visualizing successful outcomes after a few sessions and found that he had incrementally changed his life so much that eight weeks later he was literally living a different life.’

How can we practice this kind of shift? Ideally with the guidance of a hypnotherapist, rather than the dubious wisdom of a teenager posting on TikTok.

Dipti advises a program of positive visualization (vividly imagining the desired outcome), deep relaxation and REM inductions (also known as entering a hypnotic trance) and turning off the ‘critical mind’ – the protective part of the brain that rejects ideas, stifles creativity and is generally negative.

The ‘Alice in Wonderland’ method of shifting involves visualizing yourself chasing someone from your desired reality and then jumping down a rabbit hole after him or her

When done right, Dipti says the benefits of these kinds of reality shifts are enormous. They can lead to better mental health, better problem-solving skills, better interpersonal relationships, and higher motivation and productivity.

“When we feel clearer in our thoughts, we can shift our perspective,” says Dipti. “This shift in perspective helps my clients remove doubts, mental blocks, and limiting beliefs, and helps us release our grip on old patterns that have kept us stuck.”

While changing reality can be powerful, it’s important not to make it too intoxicating.

According to some TikTokers, reality shifting can be addictive — and some even report feeling out of control when they shift, which is the opposite of the intended effect. Of course, many of those drawn to the practice are more mentally suggestible, so it’s essential to stay grounded in reality — even when you’re trying to shift it.

Dipti says anyone attempting a reality shift should be careful to avoid “toxic positivity” — the belief that we should stay positive no matter the situation and avoid all negative thoughts — and have realistic expectations. “It’s crucial to acknowledge and process negative emotions rather than ignore them,” she says. “True positive thinking involves approaching challenges realistically, rather than dismissing them as nonsense. Change takes time and effort.”

Home Methods Recommended by Social Media Shifters

The Raven Method: Lie on your stomach, with your arms and legs in a starfish position, and count backwards from 100 to zero while visualizing the desired reality.

The elevator method: Imagine that you are in an elevator and that your desired reality is on the top floor of a tall building. Focus harder and more intensely on your desired reality as you visualize your elevator rising past each floor. When your energy is high enough, the elevator doors will open and you can enter your desired reality.

The Alice in Wonderland Method: This would be best suited for a visit to a fictional universe and is a little more frantic. Visualize yourself chasing someone from your desired reality and then jump down a “rabbit hole” after them, like Alice does to reach Wonderland.