The creation of Holodecks brings a new type of an addiction. This addiction can be very serious, causing a person to disconnect himself from reality on the long run.
This is a guide that anyone should read before trying a standard issue Starfleet holodeck for the first time. This will help you not become yet another fresh Holo-addict.
- Avoid having sex on the holodeck at all cost.
After the first time you do it, you will find it is very hard to stop because you know that you can program the holodeck to make all your sex fantasies seem real. The worst thing is to lose your virginity to a hologram. Think about it. The holodeck is not meant to be a hooker house. People who love you and care about you wouldn't like to know that you waste your time in the holodeck fucking holograms. Unfortunately, this isn't enforced right now, and until someone installs sperm emission detectors, we'll just have to trust you.
Treatment: Create a program with a bunch of ugly naked people running after you in order to rape you. Make sure the program wins and you get raped. This will make you disgusted with sex on the holodeck for some time.
- Don't create holograms of your dead loved ones.
I know you are hurt, I know it is hard to lose someone. It happened to me once. Back then I thought about to run to a holodeck and create a fully AI copy of my best friend. The reason I didn't do this is not because holodecks are not invented yet, it's because I knew a hologram will never be a replacement for that person, and the happiness I'll experience from being with the hologram will just disappear into more sadness when I'll leave the holodeck.
Treatment: Create a program which recreates the moment you have last been with the person when he/she was alive, allowing you to properly say an eternal goodbye to him/her.
- Try not to make best friends with holograms.
If you ever get to do this, make sure you don't hang out with them too much and forget you have real friends. If you don't have real friends, I advise you to run a shrink meeting program on your next trip to a holodeck.
- Restrict your time on the holodeck
Make sure that you consult with your parent, commanding officer, employer, or anyone who has command privileges, to enforce a time quota on your presence in the holodeck. I recommend no more than 30 minutes a day for an healthy person.
- Avoid going alone to the holodeck
Holodeck addictions sometimes can be prevented entirely if you enjoy the holodeck with more than one person. This way it is easier not to lose touch with the real world, having real people with you.
In case all what is written above didn't help, you can contact the Holodeck Addiction Support Group using subspace (not available until the 24th century, sorry).