Introduction. Technological transformations and the expanding processes of digitalisation, which have encompassed the space of an individual and social life, have given a new meaning to escapism as a form of existence and behavioural strategy. Virtual practices have become the most important component of life and activity of an individual and have created conditions that have strengthened escapist tendencies and moods. Theoretical analysis. The social phenomenon of escapism, including digital escapism, is the subject of interdisciplinary research due to the complexity and ambivalence of this phenomenon. In the centre of research interest there is the essence of escapism, the processes of formation of escapist consciousness and worldview, the influence of historical and social contexts on the evolution and demand for escapist practices. Conclusion. Escapism is a specific means of escape from the everyday life into the world of other-reality. The existing differences in assessments of the ideology of escapism allow us to reveal its contradictory nature, which consists in the presence of negative aspects that form the space of dependence (including digital), and positive components that contribute to the development of the sphere of imagination, thanks to which there is a deeper understanding of the true reality, awareness of its dominant role for the existence of an individual.