Virtual Reality Therapy

Virtual reality technology is becoming more and more integrated into our everyday lives, it is used for gaming, social media and training sessions. Virtual reality for therapy has been a topic widely discussed in the industry for decades and is commonly used to treat anxiety disorders and phobias. Studies have concluded that VR is a viable tool to support the treatment of a number of different anxiety disorders and is shown to have long-lasting effects in the real world.*

What is virtual reality therapy?

At Hampshire Hypnotherapy & Counselling Centre, we utilise virtual reality technology to deliver effective exposure therapy to our patients with anxiety disorders and phobias. Virtual reality enables you to gradually expose yourself to the object of your fear in a safe and calm environment where you are completely in control. Your therapist will be right beside you to guide you through the feelings caused and support you in overcoming your fear. This unique situation in which you are being exposed to your fear virtually whilst physically being in a safe environment, retrains your brain to feel safe in a situation that would have previously caused anxiety.

You will wear a headset, earphones and biofeedback sensors to fully immerse yourself into a virtual world enabling you to interact with and overcome your fear. The simulation will be tailored to you, mirroring a real-life situation allowing you to explore your fear at your own pace, in a safe and comfortable environment.

Although your conscious mind will know the situation is not real, your subconscious mind will believe it is actually experiencing the simulation. The subconscious cannot distinguish between virtual reality and reality, meaning when you calmly respond to the trigger, your brain is being retrained to react calmly instead of in fear next time you are in a similar situation in real life. 

What is exposure therapy?

Exposure therapy is the treatment implemented through the channel of virtual reality. The success rate of exposure therapy through virtual reality technology is high because of the unique circumstance that simulates the supposed ‘danger’ without putting ourselves in the actual situation. Exposure therapy is the most effective treatment for overcoming phobias and anxiety disorders because it works by gradually retraining your brains’ reaction to the trigger. 

Fears and anxieties commonly treated using VR therapy

• Fear of spiders

• Fear of needles

• Fear of darkness

• Fear of driving

• Fear of flying

• Fear of heights

• Fear of public transport

• Fear of the tube

• Fear of lifts & elevators

• Fear of small spaces

• Fear of open spaces

• Fear of public speaking

• Fear of dogs

• Fear of addiction

• Fear of animals

• Fear of darkness

• Social anxiety

• General anxiety

STUDIES ON VIRTUAL REALITY THERAPY 

Oxford VR, part of the University of Oxford, conducted one of the largest trials using virtual reality therapy in 2018. The study took 100 people affected by a fear of heights for an average of 30 years. Half of them were randomly selected to receive VR therapy and the other half had no treatment. All of the people who received VR therapy saw an average of a 68% reduction in their fear of heights. Half of the participants in the VR therapy saw a reduction in their fear of over 75%. Overall the study concluded that VR therapy is an effective method of therapy for fears and phobias that delivers a long-lasting improvement.**

In 2017, Daniel Freeman conducted a review of every study completed on VR therapy over the last 25 years. Of the 285 studies carried out, he found that the results consistently proved that virtual reality treatment delivers quick and effective improvements.**

*Source: NCBI study on VR Therapy

**Source: Oxford VR.