ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the dreams of video game players who have played approximately 10,000 hours since childhood. It explains the impact of virtual worlds on dreams by examining virtual reality. Virtual reality (VR) technology is a computer-simulated environment that replicates the experience of being present in another location. The chapter explores social media users as it has become increasingly apparent that immersion in virtual worlds is no longer exclusively occurring in gaming. Although nightmare protection is strongest for high-end male gamers, it still offers some potential for imagery rehearsal type techniques via virtual reality immersion when dealing with clinically distressing dreams. The chapter explains that lucid dreaming has the potential to enhance treatment options for depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), physical pain, and attention deficits. Although nightmare protection is strongest for high-end male gamers, it still offers some potential for imagery rehearsal type techniques via virtual reality immersion when dealing with clinically distressing dreams.
