The use of VR in mental health care (2-min read)

Recent advances in technology have facilitated considerable change in the way healthcare services are delivered. Interestingly, the development of gaming technology has seen some of the most promising advancements in mental healthcare treatment.  Virtual Reality (VR) is now being developed to treat social disorders, phobias and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) using simulated environments that clients can manipulate, interact with, and feel immersed in.

Used in psychotherapy, VR can evoke a virtual presence in the current moment, while simulating an active involvement with the environment. Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (VRET) allows virtual exposure to stimuli that evokes a fear response in clients, and has therefore been particularly effective in treating phobias. For instance, if a person is fearful of being on trains or in enclosed spaces, VRET allows them to experience the scenario while incorporating basic relaxation techniques, such as breathing or muscle relaxation, to associate a more positive experience with it.  Similarly, therapists have used VRET to treat PTSD by exposing returned servicemen and women to past experiences that continue to evoke trauma, and help them to overcome the perception of threat. In the future, psychologists hope to take advantage of advanced VR technology that engages not only cognitive resources, but also bodily senses (such as touch and sound) to induce mood and hopefully increase the efficacy of treatment.  

Gamers will be familiar with the use of avatars (alternate selves) to engage with a virtual environment, which affords them the opportunity to interact with others in a VR landscape.  Interestingly, research has shown that people infer their expected behaviours and attitudes in accordance with the appearance of their created avatars, a phenomenon known as the Proteus Effect.  For example, more attractive avatars will walk closer to, and engage with others more than unattractive avatars, and taller avatars will be more assertive and dominating than shorter ones. Height and attractiveness was even found to correlate positively with performance in online games.  Psychologists are now interested as to whether the Proteus Effect could be incorporated into VRET to enhance a person’s self-image, thereby improving self-efficacy and facilitating the treatment of social anxiety and phobias.