Will Second Life style virtual worlds serve as the addiction treatment locales of the near future?

The possibilities of virtual treatment were recently and formally discussed (June 2008) by a panel of addiction experts familiar with experimental treatment methods online. These addiction experts say that there is great potential for virtual treatment locales, and that treatment offered via an online platform, although fraught with some limitations, also boasts some real advantages (access, lower cost etc.)

What is Second Life?

Second life is a virtual world, where real world players create “in world” avatars, and where these in world avatars participate in an alternate fantasy online life. Second Life is similar in many respects to MMRPG’s such as World of Warcraft, but unlike MMPRG’s, there is no winning or losing involved in Second Life role playing – the point is just to “be”.

There are several million active users of the branded Second Life platform

What applications for virtual addiction treatment have already been tested?

Dr. Zachary Rosenthal, of Duke University, has explored the use of online role playing for the treatment of crack addiction. In his studies, crack addicts in recovery navigated virtual worlds where they were confronted with environments designed to trigger cravings, such as crack houses. The purpose of this virtual exposure was to allow these recovering addicts a safe space to practice alternative cognitive strategies of avoidance.

In this exposure therapy, alternate behaviors are practiced, and new strategies against relapse are developed and tested.

Early trials indicate that the virtual exposure therapy has merit. Subjects participating in a 6 month study of virtual exposure showed lower rates of cocaine use than a control group.

What are some possible applications/(advantages of) the future delivery of virtual treatment?

As follows are some ideas for virtual treatment as developed by addiction professionals participating in a recent focus group on virtual treatment.

1. A less threatening atmosphere - Many addicts who would feel great reluctance to participate in a real world treatment session might be less apprehensive online, due to the ease and anonymity of virtual participation.
2. The real world separation and increased anonymity allows clients participating in virtual therapy more freedom towards honest confession.

3. Second life type interactions were touted as a very effective method for role playing, such as the type practiced by Dr. Rosenthal’s exposure therapy participants.
4. Virtual worlds offer increased feelings of safety to certain groups that may sometimes feel marginalized in more conventional real world locales, such as gays and lesbians, visible minorities or people with disabilities.

At present

The virtual world environment of Second Life evolves quickly and independently of academic initiative, and at present the Virtual Space is already home to several addiction support groups, such as AA and NA, as well as certain private groups who have been offering for fee therapy sessions within the virtual world for the past many months.