Something that has been of concern to me for some time is the growing problem of Second Life transmitted diseases. It is estimated that 1 in 3 Second Life residents* are now afflicted with one of the many diseases transmitted on the grid. However, despite the fact that there is every possibility that someone YOU know if afflicted by a STD, there is little by way of awareness.

I am dedicating a series of posts to raising awareness of these heinous diseases by informing you, my fellow residents, of the causes, symptoms and cures. I’ll start today with DRAMATITIS.

Dramatitis

Dramatitis, a curable disease, spread through unprotected pixel intimacy on poseballs, is transmitted from a carrier to sexual partners. Carriers cannot be cured, though do not exhibit symptoms all of the time and can live relatively normal lives. Sort of.

Primary Stage Dramatitis

If a non-carrier comes into intimate pixel contact with a Dramatitis carrier, he or she is likely to notice no immediate symptoms. However, infection is instant.

There is a small possibility at this stage that, providing you have no further intimate contact with the carrier, you may never see symptoms and the infection may indeed rectify itself.

Secondary Stage Dramatitis

Secondary stage Dramatitis occurs, in most cases, after the second or third encounter with the carrier. This stage of the disease is the first at which you would ordinarily see visible symptoms.

• Irritation – often in the form of persistent and consistent four, five, six or even seven times hourly IMs from the carrier.

• Ear ache – caused by the screeching of the carrier upon your failure to respond to their many, many, many, many IMs instantly.

• Headaches – as above.

 

Tertiary Stage Dramatitis

Tertiary stage Dramatitis is potentially fatal for your avatar. The carrier becomes particularly furious as you try to withdraw your intimacy in a bid to cure the Dramatitis. The Secondary stage symptoms become chronic. However, the symptoms at this stage have the potential to transfer from your avatar to your RL body. Immediately upon login to Second Life you may encounter the above symptoms, previously associated purely with your avatar, as the carrier ups their efforts to lure you into repeated acts of intimacy.

Dramatitis can ultimately lead to the permanent logging off of your avatar if not cured.

Prevention

The only absolute certain prevention for Dramatitis is to avoid intimacy with carriers. While it is not always possible to spot carriers of Dramatitis, indicators of a carrier may include:-

• He or she has at least 15 alts dating back to 2004, many of which he or she refuses to use these days.

• He or she has been partnered in excess of 8 times and all of the former partners cry out in terror when you even mention the carrier’s name.

• He or she has ‘drama free zone,’ written in their profile.

If you’ve suffered from a SecondLife Transmitted Disease and you’d like to share your story, get in touch with Josue Habana in world.

*Research by the Bullshit Institute of Virtual World Statistics That I Just Made Up. Survey took a cross section residents amounting to three.

Categories: Second Life

This entry was posted on Monday, September 19th, 2011 at 9:35 pm and is filed under Second Life. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.