Everything you need to know about PAD, this Post-Avatar syndrome from which some fans of the film suffer

Since its release in cinemas on December 14, Avatar 2 hits the headlines. On his meter? 12 million tickets sold, 2 billion dollars in revenue and hundreds of theaters that are always full. A cinematographic phenomenon that makes millions of spectators dream. But after having admired the virtual beauty of the world of the Na’vis, the return to reality (and to banality) is sometimes more difficult than expected. The universe created by james cameron even causes some to be depressed about the future of the planet. We then speak of the “PAD” syndrome, the Post-Avatar Depression. According to the Urban Dictionary, it occurs when a person eventually realizes that the world in which they live is less extraordinary than in fiction and that they will therefore never be able to fly, jump, or live like the Na’vis on the planet Pandora.

According to The Guardianif the syndrome affects many fans of the film, however, it has not been recognized by medicine. “Ever since I went to see Avatar, I’ve been depressed. I even plan to kill myself thinking that if I do, I will be reborn in a world similar to Pandora”, confides a spectator to the British media. And there is no remedy to get out of it, if not mutual aid between fans. The English daily encourages the victims to share their feelings with other spectators who would present the same symptoms. A Canadian association, which defends the protection of forests, ensures that being in contact with the nature would make it possible to overcome the Post-Avatar depression.

This syndrome is not new, and had already been observed in the first opus of the science fiction film. In 2010, it is an article of CNN who shed light on this phenomenon. Hundreds of testimonies had also been identified by the British media. “Watching the wonderful world of Pandora and all the Na’vi made me want to be one of them. I can’t stop thinking about everything that happened in the movie and all the tears and shivers I felt”, explained Mike, a spectator, to CNN. At the time, a New York psychiatrist tried to explain these feelings to British daily life. “It took the best of our technology to create this virtual world, and real life will never be as utopian as it looks on screen. It makes real life more imperfect”, explained Doctor Stephan Quentzel. Hoping the blues fansAvatar does not resurface when the third installment is released, scheduled for December 2024.