I see you: AVATAR therapy for auditory hallucinations

Authors

Abstract

A recent Nature Medicine article1 delves into AVATAR therapy, a relatively novel concept that inspired a deeper investigation into avatars, their origins, evolving meanings, and therapeutic applications. This exploration reveals how the concept of an avatar has transformed from its historical and cultural roots to its contemporary use as a therapeutic tool and symbolic representation. Currently, the meaning of avatar is an embodiment of something else.2 The term is derived from avatara which signified a divine descent into physical form, as seen in ancient Hinduism. When gods appeared in our world as human sages for instance, that human served as their avatar. Avatars thus represented the earthly incarnation of a powerful deity or spirit. The term later expanded to mean any manifestation in human form and, more broadly, any embodiment of an idea or philosophy, regardless of whether or not it took a human shape. Rapid advances in computer technology have facilitated the widespread use of these virtual characters. The digital entities, often with human-like features, but not necessarily, are operated either by people or through software programs.3 Thus, an avatar may refer to the digital image or character that a person selects to represent themselves in an electronic setting.

Author Biography

Kim Outhoff, University of Pretoria

Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, South Africa

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Published

2024-12-09

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Section

Editorial