March 19, 2007

What it's Like to Have Schizophrenia

We've talked in the past with Dr. Peter Yellowlees at the University of California, Davis and think that he and his team are doing an excellent job of creating new tools that allow people to better understand the experience of having schizophrenia. (Note: he's seeking funding, so if any groups like NAMI are interested in donating money for his research and educational efforts please contact him).

Today the BBC news reports on Dr. Yellowlees efforts:

Using the experiences of people with the condition, Dr Peter Yellowlees, professor of psychiatry at the University of California, Davis, has harnessed the popular simulation world of Second Life to give an insight into living with the condition. ...now, on a password protected section of the world, invited guests get the chance to experience the frightening world of schizophrenia.

"I do feel that the general public's worst misconception about schizophrenia is that it somehow remains in their minds an intractable degenerative condition that we can't treat - and this is so far from the truth."

Read the full story: What it's like to have schizophrenia

visit the Virtual Hallucinations website to learn more about how to view them yourself (it requires Second Life software and a Second Life account, address: secondlife://sedig/26/45/

Related Reading: Schizophrenia in Computer Game

More information on the game at Lindon Lab.

and here at "Second Life" - the game web site.


Comments

I haven't used the system, but it sounds like it only shows positive symptoms. Is this true? Because, negative and cognitive symptoms are going to be harder to simulate I would think, but they are very important to address in treatment. I just don't want people to think that schizophrenia = hallucinations.

Posted by: Fred at March 27, 2007 01:29 PM

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