EQ as a tool for therapy shows high promise.EQ as a tool for therapy shows high promise.
There are already VR tools to help people get over certain fears, and I think, unknowingly EQ is also a very good tool.
During your life, and exploration of different zones, situations, and environments, you will have your fears lessened.
Death
Though not as helpful as the other fears EQ will help you with, your fear of death is reduced. This is really the only one which does not translate to your 'real' life. Eventually you will not fear death in EQ, however you still will in 'real' life. However, learning to control this fear will help you cope with dangerous situations better.
Drowning
By swimming, and especially if you make a trip to Kedge Keep, you will have a lessened fear of swimming and drowning. The panic reflex is all in your mind. Your not really breathing air in the first place, therefore when your underwater your not really having any less air than before. You can drown, however if you stay calm you can learn to survive underwater battles just as easily as any other.
Kedge Keep brought one of the greatest battles for me personally to overcome. Being entirely underwater it's very dangerous. But, after a short time and having at least 2 different ways to continue breathing, I beat the fear and did just as well as any other combat.
Special note: When under water you can not move backwards.
Falling / Height
Kelethen and the winding path that is the East Karana ramp, bring on a fear of heights / falling. Simple enough fear to defeat don't fall. Walk slowly and carefully and your fine.
Other situations such as levitation, or traveling in the plane of Sky (which I have yet to do), are based around your fear of falling.
One of the easier EQ fears to beat, your fears can still be lessened here in EQ.
Lava
Similar to drowning are the dangers of lava (and maybe someday acid?). Not only do you have the danger of no air, but also damage hitting you. How deep does that lava go? What if I fall in? You will not instantly die (as I thought) but instead take slow damage, and you can swim in it. I've even seen some swimming and exploring the lava paths of Sol B.
Spiders
Spiders and other creatures can be a source of fear in EQ. Repeated exposure (yes at nearly 50 th I'm still fighting spiders) has reduced my fear of these little creatures. While it's true I'd probably run screaming if I saw one the size they are in EQ in 'real' life, but I can now put one outside instead of squealing and squashing them with a shoe. There is still a high chance I will, but I'd say spiders now have 3x as much chance of survival as pre-EQ.
Unknown
As you learn to defeat these other fears your fear of the unknown in general will lessen. You become familiar with navigation in the 3-d world that is EQ, and become more bold as your knowledge of the world and lessened fears allow you to explore that which is Norrath.
Summary / Solution / Truth
There are already tools to beat phobias in the real world, and I think, without trying, EQ is also one of these tools. There are phobias and problems you can overcome in EQ either alone, or with the support of friends.
As I always say. Play is the basis of all learning, and EQ has made a very fine tool for refining your mind and overcoming fears.
With each progression of world and technology to come we will be better able to control and master our fears and emotions. I for one expect within 10 years to have the graphics reach very near realistic standards and to be sitting at a desk playing an EQ like game with virtual glasses.
(For those of you not current with Virtual technology, there are already glasses which can reproduce SVGA quality, and other technologies emerging. Such as 'glasses' which project the image directly onto your eye, and need no lens at all. Just the other day the first set of man made eyes was connected directly to a blind person to allow them to see. True this is a very crude device, but it's one step closer to direct brain input.)