# Time To Think “Meta”: Critical Viewpoint on the Risks and Benefits of Virtual Worlds Mental Health ## Overview **Authors:** Vincent Paquin, Manuela Ferrari, Harmehr Sekhon, Soham Rej **Publication Date:** 2 July 2023 **Link:** **Keywords:** metaverse; digital media; virtual reality; mental health addiction; social functioning; virtual technology; augmented reality; gaming; social media; cognitive; physical activity; behavior; psychological; development; patient; policy **Type:** Peer-Reviewed Journals/White Papers ## Summary The metaverse is gaining traction in the general population and has become a priority of the technological industry. Defined as persistent virtual worlds that exist in virtual or augmented reality, the metaverse proposes to afford a range of activities of daily life, from socializing and relaxing to gaming, shopping, and working. Because of its scope, its projected popularity, and its immersivity, the metaverse may pose unique opportunities and risks for mental health. In this viewpoint article, we integrate existing evidence on the mental health impacts of video games, social media, and virtual reality to anticipate how the metaverse could influence mental health. We outline categories of mechanisms related to mental health: experiences or behaviors afforded by the metaverse and experiences or behaviors displaced by it. --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://library.xrguild.org/physiological-and-psychological-effects-of-xr/time-to-think-meta-critical-viewpoint-on-the-risks-and-benefits-of-virtual-worlds-mental-health.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.