Introduction
Slowly but surely, we are witnessing love dolls gradually making their way from merely being toys for entertainment onto taking on companionship roles with therapeutic effects. This is not just a speculative assertion but rather a definitive observation backed by clinical case studies.
Mainstream Usage
Undoubtedly, this transformation has a lot to do with mainstream usage of love dolls. From a time when we would typically only witness these dolls being used sporadically, today they have practically become a regular, everyday affair for diverse individuals across the world.
Clinical case studies have well documented such a trend. Roboticist David Levy predicted that by 2050, it would be perfectly normal for both men and women to experience sex and love with robots (Levy, 2007). As things stand today, there is in fact no need to wait so much into the future to witness such a trend since we are seeing it already. This is clearly an indication of the extent to which love dolls have quickly taken off among everyday folks.
Realism
While examining the therapeutic uses and effects of love dolls in clinical case studies, an aspect that is highlighted repeatedly is the realistic look, design, and feel of these dolls. Thanks to advanced technology and the use of materials such as TPE and silicone, we find contemporary love dolls to be perfect replicas of real world (or imaginary/fictitious) characters we love fantasizing about.
With this realism has come a strong urge and inclination towards love dolls serving as companions with therapeutic effects.
Addressing loneliness
An aspect cited frequently in clinical case studies is the extent to which love dolls address loneliness. The statistics for Americans living alone, for example, are staggering. We are witnessing similar trends globally. Love dolls serve as a perfect panacea to such loneliness by taking on the role of ideal companions.
Childlike love dolls
Opinion is divided about the therapeutic (or otherwise) impact of childlike love dolls. On one hand, they are considered preventive measures for potential child sexual abuse. On the other hand, some studies point towards the risk of these dolls encouraging such predatory behavior. Legislation on this front is largely moving towards discouraging love doll designs with excessively childlike appearances.
Dealing with trauma
Multiple clinical studies point towards the ease of dealing with trauma with love dolls in tow. This, in many ways, complements the aspect of addressing loneliness we referred to above. At the same time, despite the presence of others, trauma is dealt with better with a love doll companion. Therefore, this assertion goes beyond simply addressing loneliness onto offering emotional strength and courage.
Conclusion
As this write-up indicates, love dolls proffer multiple therapeutic uses and effects. By and large, it would be safe to conclude that the beneficial impacts of love dolls undeniably outweigh any potential negative behavior, such as encouraging child sexual abuse in case of childlike love dolls.
Bibliography
Levy, D. (2007). Love and Sex with Robots: The Evolution of Human-Robot Relationships.