The Effect of Virtual and Augmented Reality on Well-Being: Perspectives in Mental Health Education

Abstract

The paper is an analysis of the impact of metareality on the human mind and its adverse and therapeutic effects on psychological well-being thereof. Metaverse is marked by a blurring of boundaries between the actual physical world and the virtual digital world—a metareality reflected in a three-dimensional, multisensory experience. Based on research evidence, the paper discusses how applications within virtual and augmented reality, such as, the gaming platforms present potential risks and significant safety challenges. There are ethical risks in the metaverse that are related to identity crisis, uninhibited behaviour, and unleashing of sexual and aggressive impulses. At the macro level, the real-time robust mechanisms of this simulated parallel universe impact various societal domains, such as, home, family, religion, and spirituality. The literature review presented highlights the need for digital safety and the prevention of online abuse by launching safe zones and safety tools. However, studies highlight that there are dialectical mechanisms inbuilt in metaverse and these are manifest in its innate therapeutic capacity. Researchers have reported that the imaginal, embodied, and connectivity aspects of this digital reality form the basis for treatment of psychological ailments. The conceptual framework developed will serve as a foundation for researchers interested in studying the link between augmented reality and its effect on the psyche of the human user. The paper has implications for mental health awareness and education which include debunking of associated myths, inculcating of active interest in designing interventions for patient recovery, and for individual growth at the societal level in a digitally transformed world.