Dobong Addiction Management Integrated Support Center Operates 'Metaverse Counseling' for Youth Addiction Prevention...Started Last Year, Conducted 60 Sessions for About 400 Youth...Free Service Continues This Year...Available to Any Dobong-gu Youth Needing Consultation on Alcohol, Drug, and Other Addictions
As the number of young people experiencing mental health difficulties due to severe employment challenges caused by the economic downturn increases, the ‘Metaverse Counseling’ service provided by Dobong-gu Dobong Addiction Management Integrated Support Center is becoming a hot topic among youth.
Participants shared their feedback, saying, “It was convenient to receive counseling without having to visit the center in person,” “It was interesting to set up my avatar online and receive counseling that way,” “I realized the risks of internet and smartphone addiction, which I had previously underestimated,” and “Through counseling, I was able to reflect on how problematic my drinking habits were.”
A metaverse platform expert commented, “There are few addiction-related institutions nationwide that conduct counseling using metaverse platforms, and Dobong Addiction Management Integrated Support Center is the only institution to have completed group counseling using a metaverse platform. Targeting the youth demographic was very effective.”
Dobong-gu (Mayor Oh Eon-seok) Dobong Addiction Management Integrated Support Center (hereafter the Center) has been conducting addiction counseling for young people without time and space constraints through ‘Metaverse Counseling’ since 2023.
In April of the same year, the Center recruited participants for metaverse counseling from local high school and university students and conducted screening tests for the four major addictions (alcohol, internet, gambling, drugs). Full-scale counseling began in May, with 60 sessions conducted for about 400 participants last year alone.
Counseling was conducted in a virtual space called the metaverse, where counselors and clients met and conversed through avatars. This approach sparked the interest of young people familiar with online media and increased accessibility to counseling.
The metaverse space was designed as a caf?, campsite, counseling room, and other settings to encourage honest conversations among participants. In these spaces, clients shared their concerns while expressing their emotions in real time through facial expressions and other means, and counselors led sincere dialogues by comprehensively assessing various situations.
Counseling continues to be offered free of charge this year on an ongoing basis and is available to any young person in Dobong-gu who needs consultation regarding alcohol, internet, gambling, or drug addiction. Counseling appointments can be made through the Dobong Addiction Management Integrated Support Center.
Oh Eon-seok, Mayor of Dobong-gu, stated, “The risk of young people being exposed to addiction problems, such as the recently highlighted drug addiction issue, is increasing. The district will continue to operate customized counseling by life cycle and addiction type using platforms like the metaverse to resolve youth addiction problems and will do its best to prevent and manage youth addiction.”
Alongside ‘Metaverse Counseling,’ the Center is the only institution in Seoul conducting campaigns, mobile counseling, and education aimed at raising awareness and preventing the four major addictions (alcohol, internet, gambling, drugs) among young people. It also operates counseling and programs for treatment and rehabilitation of high-risk youth with addictions.
A program in collaboration with Duksung Women’s University received positive feedback from the school, which said, “It was a very positive approach to addiction issues for students, and we feel the need to continue the collaboration,” and the program earned a satisfaction rating of 4.9 out of 5.
Recently, all professional staff at the Center completed the ‘Specialist Training Course for Prevention Education on Narcotics and Drug Abuse’ hosted by the Korea Anti-Drug Movement Headquarters.
They received education on drug addiction and brain mechanisms, understanding narcotics and addictive substances, narcotics-related laws and policies, and guidelines and teaching methods for addiction prevention education. Going forward, they will be officially appointed as prevention education instructors by the Korea Anti-Drug Movement Headquarters and will conduct group recovery programs and relapse prevention education for drug offenders.
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