Nearly 40% Say “No” to Metaverse as Mental Health Cure

With a staggering statistic of one in four people experiencing mental illness at some point in their lives and a lack of treatment reaching over 70% of those affected, innovative solutions are desperately needed. Enter the metaverse, a proposed next-generation internet built on immersive virtual spaces.

But what does the public think?  Real Research conducted a survey to gauge awareness and public sentiment on this intriguing proposition of the metaverse’s impact on mental health.

Key Findings:

• 84.98% were aware of the WEF’s stance that metaverse may reverse mental health crises.
• Metaverse’s impact on mental health – 40% were not convinced that metaverse can address mental health crises.
• Two-thirds were unsure about the effectiveness of video games in treating mental health conditions.

Worldwide Mental Health Crisis

The surge in demand for mental health services and the escalating mental health crisis have led the World Economic Forum (WEF) to explore unconventional solutions. Their recent report suggests that the metaverse could be a game-changer. The survey found that 84.98% were aware of the WEF’s stance on the metaverse’s potential to improve mental health.

Furthermore, the survey results suggest a positive reception towards the idea of a tech-based mental health infrastructure. A combined 90.48% either “strongly agreed” or “somewhat agreed” that such a system could be crucial for prevention, diagnosis, therapy, education, and research.

Metaverse as a Cure-All

Despite the openness to tech solutions, opinions regarding the metaverse’s impact on mental health were divided. Nearly 40% were not convinced, while a combined 53.78% (37.66% slightly, 16.12% somewhat) expressed varying degrees of cautious optimism. Only a small percentage (6.57%) believed the metaverse’s impact on mental health could be significant or extremely significant.

Video Games for Mental Health

The WEF report revealed that gaming platforms can help treat mental health, increase patient engagement, and reduce the stigma surrounding it. Regarding this, two-thirds (66.67%) were unsure of their effectiveness, with 34.34% believing them to be not effective at all. Only 13.39% viewed them as very or extremely effective.

Virtual Reality for Mindfulness

Meanwhile, the interest in virtual reality (VR) for mindfulness and meditation practices was moderate. While 72.86% expressed some level of interest, 27.14% were not interested at all.

Lastly, the survey revealed that a majority (59.3%) have already used VR or the metaverse, albeit not necessarily for mental health purposes.