Starseeds: There is a rise in people believing they're aliens. Here's why

There are a surprising amount of people on Earth who believe they are "starseeds," or aliens living on Earth, as per a report by The Conversation.

The hashtag #starseed has been growing in popularity across the internet in recent months, with many discussing their belief that they are, in fact, extraterrestrials. Psychologists have taken a shot at explaining the bizarre phenomenon.

"Starseeds" claim they are not from Earth

The rise of #starseed has been particularly impressive on TikTok in recent weeks, with over 1 billion views on the platform currently linked to the hashtag.

The report by The Conversation explains that starseeds believe they have "reawakened from another planet to be born here." The Great Filter Theory might put that belief to rest, as a group of NASA scientists recently claimed we may be alone in the universe due to the overwhelming challenge civilizations face when they get to a certain stage in their evolution.

Still, that isn't stopping starseed believers from stating they are capable of transporting between galaxies or communicating in "light languages." They also believe they have come here from other dimensions to help heal Earth and guide humanity into the "golden age." If only.

Where does the idea of "starseeds" come from?

The idea of a starseed comes from the 1976 book Gods of Aquarius by Brad Steiger. Today's starseed believers latched onto the concept from Steiger's novel that some people originated in other dimensions.

Believers claim there are several criteria that help know if you are a starseed. These include searching for meaning in life as well as feeling a lack of belonging. You must also be spiritual and possess a strong sense of intuition.

As per The Conversation, psychologists have explained that the belief in starseeds, despite the lack of any strong scientific evidence for alien life, can be partially attributed to the Forer effect. This was named after Bertram Forer, the psychologist who first determined that people who are depressed or disenfranchised will latch onto descriptions and belief systems that vaguely describe themselves.

There are many examples of this phenomenon, including horoscopes, as well as the plethora of New Age beliefs and treatments doing the rounds, often with an incredibly loose connection to the scientific method, despite the fact they often claim to outperform so-called "Western medicine."

So, in other words, starseeds are likely the result of a heady cocktail of disenfranchised youth, distrust in scientific institutions, and social media culture. And they're here to save the world.