All About Avatar Syndrome, a Type of Post-screening Depression Some Fans Experience

Last Updated: December 24, 2022, 10:12 ISTTo combat post-Avatar depression syndrome, some internet users advise reconnecting with nature. (Credits: AFP)The discrepancy between the

current situation of our planet, namely the climatic crisis and resulting issues, and the blue humanoids' healthy, holistic relationship with nature, can provoke a feeling of

despair in viewers. A mysterious malaise gnaws at some viewers after watching James Cameron's latest film, largely referred to as "post-Avatar depression syndrome." This feeling of

despair or being down in the dumps was first observed in some viewers when the first part of the blockbuster saga was released in 2009. As the newly released sequel draws in huge

audiences, this syndrome is making headlines again.After a sense of wonder, a dive into depression? "Avatar" has been back on the big screen with its second part "Avatar: The Way

of the Water" for a week now. Just four days after its official release, James Cameron's blockbuster was estimated to have already scored half a billion dollars at the worldwide

box office. And the saga is evoking a huge range of emotions from viewers. For more than three hours, they are immersed in an imaginary world called "Pandora," where the Na'vis, an

indigenous population, live in harmony with nature. issues, and the blue humanoids' healthy, holistic relationship with nature, can provoke a feeling of despair in viewers. Back

when the first opus hit screens in 2009, a slew of testimonies describing this experience were already being published on various forums dedicated to "Avatar" fans. of Pandora and

all the Na'vi made me want to be one of them," wrote a user in a message cited by The Guardian. “I even contemplate suicide thinking that if I do it, I'll be reborn in a world

similar to Pandora and the everything is the same as in Avatar.” Very quickly, this feeling felt by viewers around the world was labeled “Post Avatar Depression Syndrome," or

"PADS" for short.In order to provide some context about the phenomenon, American psychiatrist Dr. Stephan Quentzel, explained to CNN at the time of the release of the first film:

“virtual life is not real life and it never will be, but this is the pinnacle of what we can build in a virtual presentation so far. It has taken the best of our technology to

create this virtual world and real life will never be as utopian as it seems onscreen. It makes real life seem more imperfect."To work through their experience of PADS, many

viewers have turned to forums to share their sadness and depression with other sufferers. According to Nick Paavo, a 30-year-old member of one of these forums (although he doesn't