Could advances virtual reality and first person shooter video games in the future cause PTSD?

Absolutely. Sensitive people can already get PTSD from watching movies with strong content before they're ready - it's why we don't allow kids to watch unrated graphic rape scenes.

Unfortunately, some people regard sensitive people as a challenge.

One of my friends was a phone sex operator. For the most part, it was just a steady job that allowed her to make some use of her creativity and people skills, but there were a very few people who'd call, and pay good money just to try to break her - break anyone. They were the kind who'd demand detailed child rape scenarios, complete with a detailed breakdown of all the emotions, all the shame, disgust, fear, guilt, and tears, and if they didn't get it, they'd describe it themselves.

They knew the operators weren't allowed to hang up. I imagine most of the women developed a pretty thick skin.

But all?

Now, add 3d space to that instinct, and what the worst kind of people are going to try to do to any sensitive people inside of that space. 1st person shooters are as good a place as any - imagine if someone makes the mistake of revealing they've been thinking about suicide to the wrong person? What is it like, to actually see everyone in a crowd who wants you to die, urges you to die, as if it were face to face? Especially if you're already holding a virtual gun in your virtual hand...

What happens to the loved ones, who discover the first corpse, weeks later, shot by a real bullet from their own real gun?

But, and this is an important but, it's just going to be the same kinds of things we already need to watch out for. And with any luck - the ability to simply shut off the experience is a pretty powerful defense against PTSD. It's why some rape survivors can find comfort in rape fantasies - they have control over it all. They control when it begins, and when it ends.

They have the power.

If we use this technology wisely, if we reach out to those at risk, and teach them how to be protect themselves, instead of shaming them for their weaknesses...

It's probably be just one more way to express ourselves that we'll all take for granted for one day.

And that's not even covering the potential uses for treating PTSD.

/r/AskReddit Thread