VR for mental health treatment?? Wait…. Does that really work? Researchers have examined virtual reality (VR) for treating mental health difficulties since the 1990s. Many of these studies focused on using VR for treatment of phobias, other anxiety, and PTSD. This research actually showed promising results in effectively reducing symptoms.
Treatments using VR have yet to gain widespread traction, despite continuing to show promising results. These have mainly been used in research, in a few university clinics, and with some pain patients. However, there have been recent efforts by both tech entrepreneurs and clinical researchers to bring VR mental health treatment into the mainstream. These increased efforts may be due to rapidly improved VR technology, its improved access to care, and increased use of remote treatment methods.
Tested VR treatments so far have required the presence of a therapist to facilitate treatment. However, researchers at the University of Oxford have recently developed a VR program for that may only require occasional presence of a therapist to help guide clients. This program is shown to be highly effective for reducing agoraphobia in psychosis.
Pros: These programs are shown to be highly effective. Some have even edged out treatment as usual. It also seems to break some barriers to care (e.g., helping those with agoraphobia who could be less willing to conduct in-person exposure therapy). These VR treatments could break down logistical barriers to care by addressing concerns of condition and of location. The treatments can be done in any location, with the right technology and equipment.
Limits: Treatment requires the right technology and equipment. Cost could therefore pose a new barrier for many. Also, VR treatment for mental health is difficult to disseminate. Many steps required to establish it in treatment settings creates a barrier in itself (which is likely why we have not seen more of it around yet). VR treatment programs also require the presence of a therapist, whether a continuous presence or occasionally guided. Additionally, VR environments in the program are usually digitally animated and not real-life environments (even the earliest research suggests this may not matter, however).
VR for mental health treatment is a promising avenue for bringing research-based treatment to more people who need it. This could be especially helpful for clients who may not otherwise come to therapy. It is possible we will see VR helping more people soon!
