Help For Mental Wellness in Second Life.

By Kimiko Kanagowa (FoxytheJamie Resident)

All across the web, these days, you don't have to go very far in, to find anything about depression, suicide, or mental health. I for one suffer from it as well. However, what most people don't realize, is that a good, and free, way to help them out, even slightly, is staring them in the face.

Nearly 350 million people suffer from depression all across the world. Depression can be anywhere from minor, to severe. The textbook definition of depression is, feelings of severe despondency and dejection. However, the condition can be far worse than just some definition, bed-ridding some of its sufferers. However, this reporter is one of many, who have found ways to combat it. Some of these ways include hanging out with friends, others include traveling. But what if you don't really have friends in the real world? What if you don't have enough money to travel? What happens then? Do you just sit and despair? Well worry not, for Second Life could be your treatment.

Second life has nearly 37 million players. There are nearly 25000 sims all around the grid. These sims range from arts to music, to roleplay, to shopping. Second Life has been described as the largest online virtual world. Being that, it can easily be seen how there is literally anything for anyone, and everyone. A lot of people have used this to their advantage, and have even made progress, in combating their own mental disorders. And even if you're just looking for support, you can find that nearly everywhere you go. There are even hundreds of groups, simply designed, for the sole purpose of giving people support for anything they have.

FoxytheJamie

Editor's Note: Besides the Survivors of Suicide, which the Newser wrote about a few months ago, there are other places which say they offer mental health services. The only 0ther one I've talked to is Tranquility Health Care in Sorens (87/120/21), which has only recently come about.