Can you resort to the virtual reality to overcome phobias? New technologies have been of great help in the treatment of these anxiety problems, which are one of the most common psychological disorders.
We understand an intense and irrational fear of stimuli that, objectively, pose little or no danger.
Virtual reality is a resource that has proven effective in the treatment of phobias, in combination with other techniques.
What is exposure therapy?
The exposure technique It has been one of the most used resources to get the subject to submit to the phobic stimulus that causes the anxious condition. This exposure is carried out in a controlled and gradual manner. It is one of the characteristic techniques of the.
But exposure may not be viable when it comes to certain phobias, such as the irrational fear of needles (trypanophobia), spiders (arachnophobia) or the phobia of air travel (aerophobia).
For this reason, today virtual reality is used to overcome phobias within exposure therapies. This tool has been of great help and is very effective. To some extent, it has revolutionized phobia treatments.
Studies on virtual reality to overcome phobias
Different studies have been carried out to analyze the effectiveness of virtual reality in the treatment of phobias.
One of the best known took place in Australia. In 2021, a trial was carried out among 129 people who suffered from fear of flying, spiders, dogs, needles and heights.
Through an application designed by an Australian company, the subjects were exposed to the stimulus for short periods of time. The goal was to develop tolerance to the phobia in a clinically controlled manner.
After a six-week treatment, results demonstrated a 75% reduction in phobia symptoms. As published in the magazine Australia & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatrythe participants began to feel more comfortable with real stimuli after this treatment.
In addition to the exposure technique through virtual reality, the treatment was completed with relaxation techniques, psychoeducation and other cognitive techniques.
Advantages of applying virtual reality to overcome phobias
- It allows each case to be treated in a personalized way and greater control of the stimulus, as well as adaptation to the patient’s needs.
- It is possible to repeat the situations as many times as necessary. For example, we can recreate the situation of a plane taking off as many times in a row as we want. Let’s imagine the difficulties and cost that this could entail in real conditions.
- It allows you to act against any phobia, even the most difficult ones, without having to go to the real environment, since with a set of glasses and headphones you can recreate any stimulus.
- It is a technique supported by more than ten years of scientific studies that have validated its effectiveness.
- It allows its combination with other techniques aimed at controlling the physiological symptoms of anxiety and modifying negative thoughts.
- Offers greater privacy than actual exposure.
- The treatment is more affordable.
- It greatly speeds up the treatment.