Fly on an airplane
Sit atop a skyscraper
Relax at the beach
Give a speech
Dine at a restaurant
Ride in a cab
Walk in a forest
from the therapist's chair.
Explore how VR can help with different disorders.
Social Anxiety Disorders
The most applicable feature of VR to treat social anxiety disorders is the very fact that it creates virtual setting with like crowded places, auditoriums etc. This allows the patient to voice their fears in front of large audiences. Additionally, the patient is taken to a virtual setting in the safety of the therapists clinic.
Phobias
Empirical evidence shows that treating phobias with VRET has proved to have significant benefits. VRET allows the client to face their phobias in the therapists clinic. As a result, it is especially encouraging for individuals that may deem the situations as unsafe, expensive or unrealistic. Additionally, data suggests that the results are long lasting.
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
The use of VR with PTSD is a thoroughly researched field. Studies conducted with patients with PTSD has shown that VR has shown promising results showing significant improvement. VR allows an almost life like replication of the situation that triggered the trauma. As a result, the patient is completely immersed in the environment which may not be possible using traditional techniques.
Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
While it is hard to create an environment that replicate reality. The use of VR to treat disorders like OCD may be helpful in situations that are hard to find in real life. Increasingly, VR ensures the client feels safe as they are aware that it can be switched off.
Panic Disorders
Due to its healthier treatment action, lesser number of sessions and long term effects, VR is suitable over traditional techniques for treatment panic disorders.
Addictions
To treat addictions, VR creates an environment exposing the patient to their cravings without letting them get indulged. These environments are almost replicable to reality allowing the patients to face their addictions in the long run.
Eating disorders
Virtual Reality has been used across various studies to treat eating disorders. Prior studies that have been conducted target two aspects of eating disorders in their treatment. First, work on body image and second, exposure to virtual food stimuli.
With the use of VR patients can become confront and achieve a more realistic perception of their own body. In treating disorders like anorexia nervosa and bulimia, the patient can come in close contact with high calorie foods through exposure to different environments. This, in turn, can be translated into real world scenarios outside of the therapy sessions.