Do Virtual Worlds Cause Psychological Disorders Like Depression And Addiction?

A post at http://metaversetribune.com/2010/09/13/is-it-fair-to-blame-virtual-worlds/ prompts me to comment...

People with addictive personalities often find something to become addicted to, if not the Internet, a football team, if not a football team, a square of cloth. Addictive personalities are not the problem and nor are virtual worlds, society is the root cause of this addiction. Addictive brains have been scanned and it has been found that part of the brain are differently wired to that of a 'normal' person (if there is such a thing).

Lack of variety of tasks on offer in life, education imbalance that fails to engage the many parts of a person that are needed for a healthy psyche. In fact, I would go as far as to say that virtual worlds are a safety net up to a point. The addictive behaviour that separates part of oneself from everything else could be an alternative to medication. In fact, it could prevent medication totally when a support system is found inside the refuge of virtual worlds.

Also, people are there who can offer comfort, friendship and advice, some even who have gone through the same trials and tribulations. Virtual worlds can also provide an escape from socially restrictive circumstances, a 'hide way' from the harsh realities of life.

I am not saying we all should escape life, but depressives often sleep a lot and live in their dreams, awakening only to find the reality they cannot deal with in the first place. They are then treated with medication and either 'get better' or stay that way. What a better option to have an alternative 'fantasy world' with 'real people' that can help.

I agree with Catriona M. Morrison, DPhil, Institute of Psychological sciences from the University of Leeds Great Britain that “over-engaging in Web sites that serve to replace normal social function might be linked to psychological disorders like depression and addiction.”

However a link does not mean one causes the other. As Skylar Smythe points out, an 'association' does not suggest cause and effect. Many things are associated, yet one does not necessarily cause the one another and the cause / effect may even be reversed. No connection can be assumed until proven.

As a compulsion disorder, Internet Addiction is treated very much as other compulsion disorders, by replacing the addicts' source of 'addiction' with something else. It is not certain that the person may not form a similar addiction to the replacement, as that too may offer the succor that the 'Internet Addiction' provided in the first place.

What I would like to see is the people who treat these issues use virtual worlds to treat their patients with. After all, virtual worlds and virtual reality have been used to help patients with many other psychiatric disorders and phobias. http://vrlab.epfl.ch/~bhbn/psy/index-VR-Psychology.html

Are Super-brands using Social Media?

From recent research, it appears that globally recognized brands hardly use social media. For example, in fashion, you seldom see the appearance of a big brand such as Prada or Gucci in social media campaigns. They are more likely to stick with Vogue magazine in spite of their huge aspirational following on social sites like Facebook.

Gucci and Mercedes Benz stand out as isolated cases. Gucci did try a lukewarm campaign, EyeWeb, where it invited people to upload photos that were shown on a pair of Gucci sunglasses as a reflection. To borrow a term 'less is less' may still be applicable to this industry.


However, 'less being less' is not isolated to the fashion industry and lack of social media use is repeated throughout industries. Super-brands appear to be turning a blind eye to social media, or are waiting until they are forced into it as it becomes increasingly mainstream.

Meanwhile, agile organizations are implementing social media strategies and making the most of this lead on their competitors in the hope that they will be further along in the race when the giants decide to enter.


Good luck to these people and brands that are early adopters, those who are making the most of this opportunity while the more ponderous giants lag behind. You will need it, because they will throw billions at their campaigns. The law of increasing returns applies here. As with all information based industries, the more you invest and sell... the more you sell.


http://mashable.com/2010/09/06/brand-spending-google/

 

To cast an eye over Google ads for a moment, a recently leaked Google document shows that AT&T Mobility, Expedia, Amazon, eBay, Hotels.com, JP Penny, Living Social, and ADT Security were the top spenders on search ads in June 2010, spending a total of $41.04 million. This is inflated by the BP spend of $3.59 on adverts after the gulf oil spill - presumably as damage limitation? 


This may seem like a lot of money, but to these organizations it is a fraction of their marketing budget. 
The truth of the matter is, although the giants are not yet taking social media seriously - they will do. And when they do, they will throw billions of dollars at it and make a huge impact, dwarfing efforts of existing aspiring brands. 


As with Caxton’s printing press, mass adoption is slow initially with the gain of momentum for the first few sales taking the most effort and resources. After that, the old ‘80/20’ rule applies.

Superbrands are leaving 80% effort to the early adopter to establish the market space. Then will only need 20% effort to achieve the same results in an already rolling market. they will be able to gain traction because of existing brand awareness and mop up 80% potential sales in the market as well as other benefits., while the early adopter who created the market has to satisfy himself with 20% of market share for 80% effort to get it.


Also notable in this leaked Google document is that many Internet savvy companies are on this list. They have been birthed inside this environment so understand it well. Social media is a natural extension of their playpen. The Internet being their home base and their movement in is as fluid as dolphins in the sea.


Social media at present is more hype than fact, although organisations are positioning themselves for the social media battles of the future, by acquiring internal and external social media teams. Take a look at social media hires – this job was not in existence a few years ago, now someone who is purported to be a great social mediaist can command a salary on 6 figures.


Let’s see some movement from the super-brands and see if they ‘can’ compete and beat the smaller organisations already out there doing social media. Will this be a turnaround where the playing field is level, or does money buy everything in social media as it does anywhere else?

Why Choose To Stay Using Second Life?

People arrive at Second Life for a variety of reasons. However there is usually a single prime reason for sticking to it - for many this is engaging in social activities.

While people finding Second Life do so mainly through friends, they stay because of more friends. They can connect with people from around the world, make new friends, have new relationships and discover new things about themselves. For many what matters is simply chatting.

Contact

Meeting people was the top reason for being in Second Life. People love to chat. Second Life is a 3D chat room, with added extras of being able to create your own content and express your creativity in many many ways. It also offers an opportunity to enjoy others' creativity too.

Findings from our recent survey show that people love to socialise, no matter what the virtual environment around them is. 35% people do prefer real 'mirrored' locations that they have either visited or want to visit. After that 15% enjoy the tranquility of a beach or nature environment. 

It is all in the perception. When you are sitting at your keyboard, the beach can have a calming effect. When you feel isolated this platform offers you a means for communication. To feel secure, you choose somewhere you know or have heard of.

Communication

Over a third of people who use Second Life, use it mainly as a communication tool with other people. An eighth use it to have adventures and discover new places as well as new personalities inside themselves (including gender change). They use it as a way to learn about what is possible in their own lives.

It truly is augmented reality if it can help enhance lives of those who use it. There is also a warning that people are people and sometimes people get hurt. All tales have their morality story.

 

Creativity

It was encouraging to see that ten percent of those surveyed wanted to create and to share their creativity. Second Life is a virtual world that supports and encourages this.

In Albert Einstein's words:

"Everything that is really great and inspiring is created by the individual who can labor in freedom." 'Out of My Later Years', 1950. 

 

As children who either have or are at high risk for bipolar disorder score higher on the creativity index, this would indicate that these people are offered an outlet for their creative expression. People with bipolar are amongst the best content creators in second life.

Entertainment

As people enjoy taking the limelight and entertaining, we also love to be entertained. 11% wanted to visit clubs, pubs and bars (I notice this is significantly lower than in real life) and 9% like to engage in entertainment activities.

Shopping

Of course shopping was on the list! 8% love to shop and visit shopping locations. For many this is a way to express the lifestyle they aspire to in their real life, but that they can attain within Second Life for a fraction of the cost.

Role Play

Finally I will touch on Role Play. I thought Role Play would be one of the 'biggies' here. It wasn't. Although people enjoy role-play, I was told that there are better platforms out there. World Of Warcraft was cited as the best one and Second Life was seen as a totally different beast.

10% liked to go to role-play locations while 7% liked to engage in role-play and fantasy activities, I assume 3% simply watch? I was shocked at these figures because I believed that Vampire and Gorean roleplay was huge in Second Life.

They may be there, but role-play is not as big as the desire to engage with others at a social level and interact with them. 

Second Life is more than a game, it is social engagement and augmented reality.