I’m sure you’re already aware of the nooks and crannies where memes flow freely. We’re also sure you won’t mind getting a new venue to virtually peruse too. @EpicFunnyPage on Instagram is one such venue, currently on its way to 13,000 posts uploaded since late 2013 (averaging at 1,300 posts per year). Plenty of mileage there.

It goes without saying that memes as an internet phenomenon don’t really get old. By that, we don’t mean that memes themselves don’t age—they do. New ones are created as others die and fade into obscurity. Thus is the cycle of internet life.

No, we mean that people just don’t stop consuming memes. And there’s a lot of reasoning behind it. Some of which is inevitable and the other is unavoidable. Embrace it.

The inevitable and unavoidable comes from the fact that memes are by nature viral. They spread across the internet and just never go away. Why? Because they are relatable and funny—they provide a sense of comfort by showing just how universal some human experiences are, all the while throwing out some gags and goofs about it.

Another factor of their inevitability is how ingrained they have become in our lives as a form of communication. They say that a picture is worth a thousand words. Well, sometimes a meme is worth just as much, and it actually uses words. Just that there aren’t that many of them. But match that up with an appropriate image and you got yourself volumes at this point.

But the one thing which is more seldom considered is the idea of memes as a form of escapism. Considering that everything has been seemingly going down the drain since, maybe, 2015, with things like the pandemic, economic crises, war, and that’s on top of the already problematic world we live in, it’s no wonder why people need to find some room to breathe.

Addiction and mental health help venue Fort Behavioral Health discusses escapism as a form of coping with real life challenges and struggles. Among the more conventional methods of escapism, like reading, music, and exercise, things like video games and scrolling through memes have become viable options through which to escape a stressful reality.

Escapism, while sweet and juicy at times, can be taken to an extreme and, seriously, nobody wants that. Drugs and alcohol are the more traditional modes of escapism and that in and of itself doesn’t lead to good things. So, if you get addicted to memes, the results might be quite similar—both you and your ability to face reality might start to change in ways where you wouldn’t be able to cope, creating a vicious circle of sorts.

And if you think you can’t ever get addicted to memes, don’t forget what empowers that: dopamine.

Because memes are predominantly found on social media and relevant websites, and we often gravitate there as a reward for a job well done (or nothing done at all, still applies), we get that sweet dopamine release making us feel good. Memes have the same effect.

In such a case, just remember that everything should be taken in moderation. Pace yourself, take breaks from memes and keep yourself busy with other things. If it does get out of hand, seek help. Ain’t no shame in that.

But if you’re more than fine, continue scrolling and keep another article open in a new tab for an encore.