By African American Books Writer Denise Turney

Are the lines between virtual worlds and real life starting to blur? For some that could be exactly what’s happening. Years ago, computer simulated environments were relatively unknown to the masses. Now there are virtual world games and popular virtual realities like The Sandbox, Second Life and Active Worlds.

Users take on personas, some strikingly different from their real-life personality in virtual worlds. In some cases, it goes so far that strangers, only familiar to each other’s virtual persona, start dating, going on to actually meet in person.

Instead of letters or email, now there are images, sounds and facial expressions to power fantasy. It’s a combination that can make what happens in a virtual world seem and feel real. Even more, should you not visit virtual worlds, does that mean you’re completely free of blurring the lines between virtual worlds and real life?

Will You Stay Free of Blurring the Lines Between Virtual Worlds and Real Life?

And if you’re free now, will you stay that way?

After all, interest in the online world is growing. In fact, nearly four billion people have visited a social media platform, with the average time spent on social media at 95 minutes each day, according to Sprout Social. The numbers are staggering, especially considering how so many swore they wouldn’t spend a lot of time online or make online purchases.

Added to social media, go online and you have immediate access to chat rooms, discussion forums, podcasts, videos, avatars, virtual concerts, email, virtual relationships – the list goes on. It’s as if, as humans, we’ve moved our lives online. Life as we know it seems to have permanently changed. Have we reached a point where online environments now feel like an extension of the real world?

Why Researchers Are Paying Attention

And what’s the cost of blurring the lines, if any?

For starters, you don’t have access to as much natural light while you’re indoors plugged into technology, perhaps on social media or a virtual world, as you do when you’re outside walking, jogging or bike riding. Researchers are paying attention. During a drive home while I was listening to the radio, I heard about “nature deprivation”, a term I hadn’t heard before.

A University of Minnesota article refers to nature deprivation as, “a lack of time in the natural world”. SCAN of Northern Virginia has this to say about nature deprivation, “nature deprivation happens when children (and adults, too!) aren’t spending enough time outside and face negative physical, mental and behavioral health consequences because of it.”

If you were born in the 1990s or earlier, you might find this statistic shocking. Today, children spend less than 10 minutes a day outside. That’s one statistic. Another statistic shares that children spend about 30 minutes a week outside.

About Virtual World and Real Life Relationships

Lack of in-person relationship building and nurturing, outdoor playing, physical fitness and being in natural sunlight can come at a high cost. Millions of people experienced this firsthand during the COVID-19 lockdowns. One would think that being indoors during COVDI19 lockdowns would propel children and adults to start spending more time in natural outdoor environments.

Yet, that may not be the case. In fact, some people may have found more ways to try to feel deep human connections, as well as connections with nature, without having to go outdoors. Growing indoor plants, subscribing to grocery home delivery services, ordering food for front door delivery and starting friendships and romantic relationships 100% online are a few ways that people are bringing more of their life online.

Admittedly, home deliveries help you to avoid crowds, long checkout lines and driving in traffic. Those are benefits, for sure. Howbeit, if you opt for more and more online living, you could miss out on the opportunity to develop and nurture human relationships in-person, one-on-one. You could also put yourself at risk of developing depression.

Aim for Less Technology

Studies have shown that spending too much time accessing technology online or in front of a television or computer screen could lower your empathy. These habits could also make you more self-focused, causing you to think that what you do or say has little impact on others.

Furthermore, when you try to make the virtual world “real”, you might feel a sense of isolation; you might feel disconnected from other people. Here’s what came from a study shared at the University of Minnesota, “When participants viewed nature scenes, the parts of the brain associated with empathy and love lit up, but when they viewed urban scenes, the parts of the brain associated with fear and anxiety were activated. It appears as though nature inspires feelings that connect us to each other and our environment.”

This could be why it feels soothing to walk through nature in safe areas. It could also be why people who love to garden or sit on the porch enjoy being outside so much. Being in nature, in the real world, is a mental health boost.

Support Your Mental Health

Regarding mental health, whether or not you spend a lot of time online, you could feel an improvement in your mood after you’ve been outside for just 40 minutes. On the other hand, start staying indoors, spending hours on social media and in virtual worlds, and you might feel stressed, anxious and less connected to others in as little as two weeks.

So, get outside and explore your environment in safe ways. Spend time talking and laughing with friends – in person. Go to a live stage play instead of streaming a movie at home. Encourage your kids to get outside and play, being active and getting in plenty of physical activity. See if you don’t feel better.