Virtual Reality
How does Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy help patients?
VR Therapy is a high-tech method that helps people learn effective ways to cope with situations they dread. During a VRET session, the person wears a virtual reality headset similar to the kind used in video games or to watch movies on the phone. A simulation program plays and one or more avatars are displayed. The person engages with these avatars in a variety of common social situations in order to become better prepared for interactions in real-life situations.
Virtual reality exposure therapy allows you to feel as if you are in a setting, but the therapist can stop the program if you become truly upset. Even if a person knows the virtual reality program isn’t real, what they experience is enough to trigger an emotional response to their phobia. By working through their reactions, nearly 83 percent of people who have tried virtual reality therapy have managed to put their fears behind them.