ReviewGeneral psychiatry2022
Future of mental health in the metaverse.
Review in General psychiatry, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 42 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
42 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Analyzing metaverse-based digital therapies, their effectiveness, and potential risks in mental healthcare.Scientific reports · 2025Pooled it
- Topical Cellular/Tissue and Molecular Aspects Regarding Nonpharmacological Interventions in Alzheimer's Disease-A Systematic Review.International journal of molecular sciences · 2023Pooled it
- Digital intervention in improving the outcomes of mental health among LGBTQ+ youth: a systematic review.Frontiers in psychology · 2023Pooled it
- Metaverse Clinic for Pregnant Women With Subclinical Hypothyroidism: Prospective Randomized Study.Journal of medical Internet research · 2025Trial
- Effectiveness of Metaverse Space-Based Exercise Video Distribution in Young Adults: Randomized Controlled Trial.JMIR mHealth and uHealth · 2024Trial
- Avatar-Mediated Telepsychotherapy in a Metaverse-Informed Virtual Environment: Qualitative Study of User Experiences and Design Requirements.Journal of medical Internet research · 2026Article
- An Experimental Exploration of Cognitive Workload and Situational Awareness in Virtual Reality: Implications for Non-Clinical Emotional Support.International journal of methods in psychiatric research · 2026Article
- Is your phone ruining your well-being? Exploring the role of phubbing and mobile phone usage addiction on the well-being of users.BMC psychology · 2026Article
- Integrating the Metaverse Into Medical Practice: A Systematic Review of Its Potential and Applications.International journal of telemedicine and applications · 2026Review
- Are they looking for support? Mental health and trauma awareness as predictors of mental health help-seeking behaviour among young adults and adolescents in Bangladesh, Egypt, Ghana and the United Arab Emirates.BMC public health · 2025Article
- Exploring the Application of AI and Extended Reality Technologies in Metaverse-Driven Mental Health Solutions: Scoping Review.Journal of medical Internet research · 2025Article
- Health and Behavioral Characteristics of Metaverse Users in Japan: Metaverse Health Survey 2025.Cureus · 2025Article
- Review
- Indirect Interventions: Lifestyle Options to Treat Mental Disorders.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Review
- Metaverse for mental health disorders: Opportunities and challenges.World journal of clinical cases · 2025Article
- Initial Recommendations for Virtual Reality in Mental Health Care from the American Medical Extended Reality Association.Journal of medical extended reality · 2025Article
- Evaluating the Potential of Metaverse to Elicit Therapy-Related Emotions Among Individuals With Depression: Controlled Pilot Study of Cognitive and Emotional Responses.JMIR XR and spatial computing · 2025Article
- Article
- Multimodal emotion recognition in the metaverse era: New needs and transformation in mental health work.World journal of clinical cases · 2024Article
- Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
The metaverse and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) were some of the hottest tech terms in 2021, according to a Google Trends search. Our review aims to describe the metaverse and NFTs in the context of their potential application in the treatment of mental health disorders. Advancements in technology have been changing human lives at an ever-increasing pace. Metaverse, also known as the three-dimensional (3D) internet, is the convergence of virtual reality (VR) and physical reality in a digital space. It could potentially change the internet as we know it, with NFTs as the key building blocks in the new expansive virtual ecosystem. This immersive 3D virtual world boasts the features of the real world with the added ability to change the surrounding environment according to individual needs and requirements. VR, augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR) have been employed as tools in the treatment of various mental health disorders for the past decade. Studies have reported positive results on their effectiveness in the diagnosis and treatment of mental health disorders. VR/AR/MR have been hailed as a solution to the acute shortage of mental health professionals and the lack of access to mental healthcare. But, on the flip side, young adults tend to spend a significant amount of time playing 3D immersive games and using social media, which can lead to insecurity, anxiety, depression, and behavioural addiction. Additionally, endless scrolling through social media platforms negatively affects individuals' attention span as well as aggravating the symptoms of adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. We aimed to explore the ramifications of expanding applications of the metaverse on mental health. So far, no other review has explored the future of mental health in the context of the metaverse.
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.