Future of mental health in the metaverse
The metaverse and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) were some of the hottest tech terms in 2021, according to a Google Trends search. Our review aims to describe the metaverse and NFTs in the context of their potential application in the treatment of mental health disorders. Advancements in technology have...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMJ Publishing Group
2022-09-01
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| Series: | General Psychiatry |
| Online Access: | https://gpsych.bmj.com/content/35/4/e100825.full |
| _version_ | 1817983780738039808 |
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| author | Sadia Suhail Usmani Medha Sharath Meghana Mehendale |
| author_facet | Sadia Suhail Usmani Medha Sharath Meghana Mehendale |
| author_sort | Sadia Suhail Usmani |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The metaverse and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) were some of the hottest tech terms in 2021, according to a Google Trends search. Our review aims to describe the metaverse and NFTs in the context of their potential application in the treatment of mental health disorders. Advancements in technology have been changing human lives at an ever-increasing pace. Metaverse, also known as the three-dimensional (3D) internet, is the convergence of virtual reality (VR) and physical reality in a digital space. It could potentially change the internet as we know it, with NFTs as the key building blocks in the new expansive virtual ecosystem. This immersive 3D virtual world boasts the features of the real world with the added ability to change the surrounding environment according to individual needs and requirements. VR, augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR) have been employed as tools in the treatment of various mental health disorders for the past decade. Studies have reported positive results on their effectiveness in the diagnosis and treatment of mental health disorders. VR/AR/MR have been hailed as a solution to the acute shortage of mental health professionals and the lack of access to mental healthcare. But, on the flip side, young adults tend to spend a significant amount of time playing 3D immersive games and using social media, which can lead to insecurity, anxiety, depression, and behavioural addiction. Additionally, endless scrolling through social media platforms negatively affects individuals' attention span as well as aggravating the symptoms of adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.We aimed to explore the ramifications of expanding applications of the metaverse on mental health. So far, no other review has explored the future of mental health in the context of the metaverse. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T23:36:53Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-355b02d9e72c48f992917a839d353221 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2517-729X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T23:36:53Z |
| publishDate | 2022-09-01 |
| publisher | BMJ Publishing Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | General Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-355b02d9e72c48f992917a839d3532212022-12-22T02:24:41ZengBMJ Publishing GroupGeneral Psychiatry2517-729X2022-09-0135410.1136/gpsych-2022-100825Future of mental health in the metaverseSadia Suhail Usmani0Medha Sharath1Meghana Mehendale21 Department of Psychiatry, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan3 Department of Psychiatry, Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, Bangalore, Karnataka, India4 Department of Psychiatry, Smolensk State Medical University, Smolensk, Russian FederationThe metaverse and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) were some of the hottest tech terms in 2021, according to a Google Trends search. Our review aims to describe the metaverse and NFTs in the context of their potential application in the treatment of mental health disorders. Advancements in technology have been changing human lives at an ever-increasing pace. Metaverse, also known as the three-dimensional (3D) internet, is the convergence of virtual reality (VR) and physical reality in a digital space. It could potentially change the internet as we know it, with NFTs as the key building blocks in the new expansive virtual ecosystem. This immersive 3D virtual world boasts the features of the real world with the added ability to change the surrounding environment according to individual needs and requirements. VR, augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR) have been employed as tools in the treatment of various mental health disorders for the past decade. Studies have reported positive results on their effectiveness in the diagnosis and treatment of mental health disorders. VR/AR/MR have been hailed as a solution to the acute shortage of mental health professionals and the lack of access to mental healthcare. But, on the flip side, young adults tend to spend a significant amount of time playing 3D immersive games and using social media, which can lead to insecurity, anxiety, depression, and behavioural addiction. Additionally, endless scrolling through social media platforms negatively affects individuals' attention span as well as aggravating the symptoms of adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.We aimed to explore the ramifications of expanding applications of the metaverse on mental health. So far, no other review has explored the future of mental health in the context of the metaverse.https://gpsych.bmj.com/content/35/4/e100825.full |
| spellingShingle | Sadia Suhail Usmani Medha Sharath Meghana Mehendale Future of mental health in the metaverse General Psychiatry |
| title | Future of mental health in the metaverse |
| title_full | Future of mental health in the metaverse |
| title_fullStr | Future of mental health in the metaverse |
| title_full_unstemmed | Future of mental health in the metaverse |
| title_short | Future of mental health in the metaverse |
| title_sort | future of mental health in the metaverse |
| url | https://gpsych.bmj.com/content/35/4/e100825.full |
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