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lupeandstripes t1_j9uwb3v wrote

Another fictional work with a new mental illness is the videogame Cyberpunk 2077 & related media (the anime, Edgerunners does a good job touching on it also), the illness is called cyberpsychosis. Summary here: https://cyberpunk.fandom.com/wiki/Cyberpsychosis

I think the idea that new mental illnesses could come into existence makes sense, and I also think cyberpunk does a good job of justifying it - of course no one could get cyberpsychosis before implants existed, so it being a new condition makes sense.

I'm at work so gotta hop off for now but I might expand my post later, or maybe not if I get busy. I will say this is definitely a cool topic to think about, thanks for bringing it up OP!

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CloudAndSea OP t1_j9uziu0 wrote

Yes, I know about Cyberpunk 2077's cyberpsychosis, but it is purely fictional and related to a world that could emerge far away in the future. The premise of the new major mental illness in "Piaget's Last Fear" is extremely plausible right now, in the world we're currently living in.

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SlackerNinja717 t1_j9v9206 wrote

I think AI Chatbot delusions and misplaced empathy and attachment will become prevalent.

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AlienRobotTrex t1_j9vb4nn wrote

Maybe it would be something we currently dismiss or take for granted. A phenomenon people are told to “get over” or that it’s a fact of life, before scientists study it and find a treatment.

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No-Wallaby-5568 t1_j9vypot wrote

Currently all forms of mental illness are diagnosed based on symptoms. There is no biological test to confirm any DSM-V diagnosis. That will change. There have been large genetic studies done that show that what we think of as different disorders actually share genetic material. For example bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. So in the future, I predict there won't be new disorders but the way we think of existing ones will change. I think it highly likely that the biochemistry of psychosis is the same regardless of what disorder it results from. There is compelling evidence that psychosis happens when dopamine receptors get overstimulated. The future is not in refining our classification systems. It's making the leap from mental illness to neuroscience.

 

Also, addiction is known to be a brain disorder and probably the disorder that causes the most suffering out of all of them. Unfortunately very few good treatments exist. The best treatment is abstinence but getting there is problematic.

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Jjetsk1_blows t1_j9w14b7 wrote

Had to tack on the “Bleeding effect” from assassins creed too. When the brain can’t tell the difference between simulated life and real life and starts to take a physical toll.

Making the same point here though. The tech’s just not there for weird mental illnesses like this

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SerbiousVery t1_j9w3pdn wrote

I don't want to spoil the plot of the book, but as far as I can remember, the psychological condition that was believed to be the most common was actually found to be the rarest one, and it turns out to be the major new mental illness. It's an interesting idea indeed.

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Jjetsk1_blows t1_j9w5yzw wrote

Nope. This is a real physical manifestation of a simulated reality. Like actual organs shutting down when getting shot or stabbed in a simulated reality. The game’s fictional, but I could see something similar happening somewhere down the line.

Similar to psychosis for sure, but far more extreme (makes for a fun video game).

I get what you’re saying though, just a nuanced difference.

Source: play lots of AC and am psychologist

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kompootor t1_j9w6mgz wrote

The premises, the part that you put in bold, are complete fantasy -- I just want to make sure everyone is aware of this in case they might think it's based on any kind of real literature. It's like when a sci-fi book opens with something like "The accepted phases of matter have been unchanged since Aristotle: solid, liquid, gas, and plasma, aka quintessence. But what would if we discovered a fifth phase? What new future would it usher in for humanity?" or perhaps "The Maya warned us. Nostradamus warned us. Now, it's December 31, 2011 -- did anyone listen?" I'm serious -- it's pretty much at that level of sci-fi.

The most important thing to note is that from what you wrote there's complete misconception of all understanding of what mental illness is, even from as little as Freud understood. So bearing all that in mind, you basically have license to construct whatever model of psychology you want. Just remember that it'll be roughly the equivalent of the humours theory.

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SerbiousVery t1_j9w7zxm wrote

How do you know that I am not psychologist too? :)

There is no evidence that any reality is "real reality", hence every reality can be considered simulated reality.

The bottom line is, I am kinda right. :)

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Ididntbreakanyrules t1_j9wbncq wrote

Hypothetical Diseases: Chronic Dopamine Exposure Syndrome or Systemic Domapine Desensitization.

Perpetual neurostimulation resulting in placques forming in the brain similar to those found in the brains of chronic cocaine abusers. Plaques develop as a defence to the extended presence of excess nuerotransmitter dopamine due to various causes antidepresents, ADHD drugs, and excessive, chronic overstimulation and dopamine release via use of electronic devices.

Symptoms: Depression. Excelerated Cognatives decline. Memory loss. Inablity to retrieve longterm memories.

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Jjetsk1_blows t1_ja4946g wrote

I love it! And I do see what you’re saying. I think the main difference is a man-made reality vs the reality we’re in now.

I am a simulation theorist though, so that sends my argument out the window!

I think it’ll be really interesting to see how VR, AR, and neural implants effect psychological states. I could definitely see VR induced psychosis being really rampant

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