Exposure Therapy: VR Technology that makes fear disappear?

Many people are familiar with the term "phobia," which is a severe anxiety disorder where individuals experience excessive and irrational fears of specific objects or situations. These fears can greatly affect their daily lives, both physically and mentally, leading to issues like fear of needles, heights, spiders, or various other phobias.

Recent research from New Zealand introduces a novel approach to address these phobias using Virtual Reality (VR) technology through an application called 'oVRcome.' This method employs exposure therapy, where participants wear VR headsets and are gradually exposed to their fears through a series of video scenarios.

The results of the experiments have been promising. Participants with moderate to severe phobias experienced a reduction in their fear levels. This innovative technology not only shows potential in treating phobias but also opens doors to treating other conditions.

Source: Blockdit