The Metaverse, already foreseen as a connected network of virtual environments, is expected to change the way we preserve communication, work and have fun. However, the same way it comes with promising opportunities as well are the worrying issues for mental health too. As we head deeper into the relatively new digital realm, it is very vital to understand the rapport between the engaging process of metaverse and our wellness.
Metaverse: the two-sided character
Potential benefits:
Improving social connections: The Metaverse is a platform which service the social insecurities and geographical limitations by connecting between the members face-to-face. Virtual rooms being a secured place can serve as a training ground for social skills and create strongest of the communities.
Exposure Therapy: Immersing virtual environments in a way that it mimics real life environment, it can be a competent tool in exposure therapy, which will enable individuals to confront anxiety in a safe environment. Just think of a difficult situation for someone suffering from fear of heights. Virtual mountain will be there to help the phobic person overcoming the fear in a safe place.
Pain management: VR experiences distract from chronic pain and they give an opportunity for the distract and relax. Beside this virtual realms can be designed that would result in the impression of being an owner or to have control over the pain management and the potential for user empowerment.
Mental Health Resources: Metaverse is well furnished with all the mental health resources. Picture a virtual support network in which a group of people that experience similar barrier can come together and, in the process, mutually encourage each other and lessen the stigma attached to the issue.
Potential risks:
Addiction and escapism: Metaspace aside, one can become addicted without keeping in touch with real-world duties and people. Escape into a virtual reality which puts you in a completely protected domain can cause you to get disconnected with the nagging difficulties in the real world.
Body image issues: The avatars as the means of Metaverse power the ability to customize the appearance absolutely. On the one hand, this might be a liberation, but on the other hand, surrounded by conceivably unreachable virtual beauty norms that an individual is exposed, his or her self-image might worsen.
Cyberbullying and Cyberbullying: However the anonymity of the Metaverse can rear online harassment and cyberbullying quite easily. The multi-sensory components of the presented methods can have deeply arousing effect for the survivors.
Blurring the lines between reality: An overloading on the metaverse can cause the real experience to be missed as more things are virtual. It fosters this separation from “real world”, which in turn makes the virtual communication so hard.
Make folks happy in the metaverse
As the Metaverse gets complicated, hence we need to act more critically and make sure the mental health of our users is the top priority. The below elements are critical factors.
Balanced Use: The responsible use of the metaverse system should be encouraged and they should be balanced on both the virtual and physical worlds. Shifting from VR device to living in a real world is a must, if you want to keep a balance.
Content Moderation: Being suspiciously protective of the content is the surest way to put the users away from the cyberbullying and ensure a safe virtual environment. There has to be defined rules which will determine the modalities of reporting activity and norms of conduct.
Real-world connections: The advantage of the metaverse should always be that it should supplement, not replace, the real-world interactions. Promote users to take a step towards having personalized social interactions outside the virtual world and let them take a back seat when they come to face-to-face interactions.
Mental Health Resources: Integrate into your metavers the mental health resources that are easy to get to. This may include virtual groups build on a will of the people, step-by-step mindfulness exercises, or mental health service information that is readily available.
Avatar identity: The development of a healthy avatar identity need to be coming to the fore. Let us tell you, our customers must come up with avatars, including their personality, distinct from their ideally beautiful features only.
Socially responsible businesses having regard for the difficulties workers of various levels typically experience should be conscientious and have the key moral commitments that reflect their values.
Users should clarify that they are careful with regard to the way they use the Metaverse. It’s vital to take breaks, keep some contact with the outside world, and ask for help if any is required. On the other hand, developers need to incorporate responsible use that promotes interaction between people, and integrates pipelines for seeking help in a mental health concern into the framework of the game as well.
Conclusion: Using Mindfulness on the Metaverse
A big potential of Metaverse will be to make our life easier, but we should answer it with the voice of reason. By pointing out risks of these online technologies and bringing mental health into consideration, we will have environments that not only provide immersion but also supports humans.