• by Steven Rosenbaum , Featured Contributor, February 24, 2025

Gen Z’s experiences on the web are taking them into places that I’ve never experienced. So, I decided to dive deep into a Gen Z phenomenon that would have seemed impossible just a few years ago. They call it "shifting" -- and no, we're not talking about TikTok dance moves or fashion trends. We're talking about teenagers and young adults who believe they can transport their consciousness into alternate realities, including fictional worlds like Harry Potter's Hogwarts or Marvel's multiverse.

If your first instinct is to roll your eyes, hold that thought. Because what's happening here isn't just another social media fad. It's a window into how an entire generation is grappling with reality itself.

Visit r/shiftingrealities and you'll find an entire cosmos of belief systems that would make quantum physicists' heads spin. These aren't just kids playing pretend; they've developed intricate theories about consciousness and reality that rival philosophical treatises. "The most basic thing about shifting is that everything exists and the universe will act the way you believe it will," writes one prominent community member, who goes on to explain their theory of "contextual time": the idea that reality exists as information until it's observed, much like chunks in the game Minecraft.

The methodology is surprisingly structured. On TikTok, the #shiftingreality hashtag has garnered billions of views, with practitioners sharing detailed methods for achieving the shift. The most popular, the "Raven Method," has shifters lie in a starfish position, counting backward while visualizing their desired reality. Others use the "Julia Method," with affirmations, or the "Alice in Wonderland Method." Each comes with its own elaborate set of protocols, documented and debated across social platforms.

But what's most striking is how these Gen Z shifters conceptualize the metaphysics of their practice. They discuss concepts like "clones" (versions of themselves left behind in this reality), "DR" (desired reality), and the manipulation of time itself, with the casual confidence of quantum theorists. "You're shifting realities every second," they say, treating consciousness as a surfer riding waves of infinite possibility.

Dr. Mark Travers, a psychologist who's studied this phenomenon, describes it as "primarily a subjective and personal experience of imaginative play rather than a literal alteration of reality."

But here's where it gets interesting -- and frankly, a little unsettling. While the old guard of psychology sees this as fantasy, the lines between reality and imagination are becoming increasingly blurred for a generation raised on social media and AI.

Speaking of AI, this is where our story takes a darker turn. While thousands of teens are trying to shift their consciousness to Hogwarts, others are forming deep emotional bonds with AI chatbots. The tragic case of Sewell Setzer III, who developed a profound relationship with an AI named "Dany" (modeled after "Game of Thrones" character Daenerys Targaryen) and then committed suicide, shows us just how thin the line between reality and digital escape has become.

French hypnotherapist Dr. Jean-Marc Benhaiem sees parallels between reality shifting techniques and hypnosis, since both involve deep concentration, relaxation, and visualization. But there's a crucial difference: traditional hypnotherapy maintains clear boundaries between fantasy and reality. In today's digital world, those boundaries are increasingly porous.

What makes this moment unique isn't just the technology, but the context. We're watching a generation come of age during a time of unprecedented global uncertainty. Climate anxiety, political polarization, economic instability -- is it any wonder this group is looking for escape hatches to other realities?

Dr. Elizabeth Loftus's research on false memories adds another layer to this story. Her work shows how suggestion and imagination can create memories that feel real but never happened. Sound familiar? It should, because that's essentially what successful "shifters" report experiencing.

But here's the thing: while experts debate whether reality shifting is meditation, maladaptive daydreaming, or something else entirely, they're missing the bigger picture. Whether through elaborate shifting rituals or deep AI relationships, Gen Z is pioneering new ways of experiencing consciousness and connection.

Is this healthy? That's complicated. Dr. Travers points out that this kind of "imaginative play" can be a natural part of identity formation — something teens have always done. But when that play involves AI systems designed to create addictive emotional bonds, or communities that blur the line between fantasy and reality, we're in uncharted territory.

I've spent hours in shifting forums, watching teens share their experiences. What strikes me isn't their belief in alternate realities -- it's their desperate need for agency in this one. They're not just escaping; they're searching for control in a world that often feels out of control.

As I write this, thousands of teenagers are preparing for their nightly shifting attempts. Thousands more are having heart-to-hearts with AI companions. And while the older generations might dismiss this as teenage fantasy or digital delusion, I'm not so sure. Maybe, just maybe, they're the pioneers of something we don't yet understand -- a new way of relating to consciousness, reality, and each other.

The question isn't whether they can literally transport themselves to Hogwarts or find true love with an AI. The question is: What does it mean that so many of them want to? And more importantly, what does it say about the reality they're trying to shift away from?