Treatment for anxiety disorders has gone virtual

Studies show that virtual reality (VR) technology could revolutionize how certain types of anxiety disorders are treated.

Anxiety disorders are the most common group of mental illnesses in the United States. According to latest statistics from the National Institute of Mental Health, nearly 40 million people in the U.S. have anxiety disorders such as generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and phobias. Traditional treatment for anxiety disorders often includes medication, therapy, or a combination of the two.

Now there’s a new tool that could revolutionize current treatment methods. According to the latest research conducted by the Harvard Review of Psychiatry, virtual reality (VR) technology could enhance the effectiveness of exposure-based therapy, a common treatment method for anxiety disorders like PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) and phobias.

VR technology gives the psychiatric community a new way to treat patients with certain types of phobias that would otherwise be difficult or impractical to treat.

For instance, patients who have a fear of flying can experience “take-offs” and “landings” without having to board an actual plane. Additional studies have evaluated the use of VR for treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder in combat veterans and other conditions such as chronic pain, additions, and schizophrenia.

Lead research author, Jessica L. Maples-Keller, PhD of the University of Georgia comments, “Virtual reality is potentially a powerful tool for the psychiatric community. It allows providers to create computer-generated environments in a controlled setting, which can be used to create a sense of presence and immersion in the feared environment for individuals suffering from anxiety disorders.”

Patients who have been treated using VR technology report an overall satisfaction and even a preference for VR therapy over traditional methods.

Dr. Maples-Keller, PhD and her colleagues caution that more training is needed before VR technology can be incorporated into clinical practice. Although the results of the study are promising, it was limited to just a small test group of patients. More in-depth research and comparison groups are needed before virtual reality technology can be adopted.

However, as the cost of virtual technology goes down over time, it is likely that the use of VR in traditional therapy methods will become more commonplace. Dr. Maples-Keller predicts, “With the cost of head-mounted displays coming down and smaller smartphone applications being developed, it is likely that virtual reality applications will proliferate.”

According to the latest research published by the Harvard Review of Psychiatry, incorporating virtual reality (VR) technology into traditional treatment for anxiety disorders shows promising results.