Professional paper

MIND IN THE GAP BETWEEN NEURAL AND SOCIAL NETWORKS – CYBERSPACE AND VIRTUAL REALITY IN PSYCHIATRY AND HEALTHCARE

Vesna Šendula-Jengić ; Psychiatric Hospital Rab, Rab, Croatia; Faculty of Health Studies, University of Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
Martina Šendula-Pavelić ; Faculty of Health Studies, University of Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
Jelena Hodak ; Psychiatric Hospital Rab, Rab, Croatia

Abstract

In terms of health and healthcare cyberspace and virtual reality can be used differently and for different purposes and
consequently create different outcomes. The three main areas which we shall discuss here are: 1) cyberspace as provider of health
information and self-help resources, since the anonymity cyberspace provides is particularly important in the highly stigmatized field
of psychiatry where a large number of people never seek professional help, which in turn negatively affects not only the person in
question, but the family and ultimately the society (work efficiency, disability-adjusted life year - DALY, etc.), 2) cyberspace and
virtual reality (VR) as cause of psychopathology, starting from violent behaviour, to addictive behaviour and other, 3) and finally
cyberspace and VR as providers of efficient professional therapy in the field of psychiatry.

Keywords

psychiatry; psychopathology; cyberspace; social networks; virtual reality

Hrčak ID:

175250

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/175250

Publication date:

7.6.2016.

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