Treatment Of Phobia Of Flying Through Virtual Reality
The phobia of flying or aerophobia belongs to the category of specific situational type phobia which in its different degrees afflicts approximately a quarter of the population, where 10% meets the necessary criteria to be diagnosed as a specific phobia.
In this article we will see what are the possible therapeutic proposals that can be used to treat this disorder, and we will focus on one of them that is especially effective: the treatment of aerophobia through Virtual Reality
Aerophobia is a psychological disorder in which situations that are interpreted as linked to the experience of flying on an airplane produce symptoms of extreme anxiety , such as sweating, tremors, dizziness or panic attacks. As a consequence, everything possible is done to avoid these situations, even if one is aware that there is a real or significant danger when taking a plane.
Beyond beliefs, the phobia of flying is not an individualized fear, but is the reflection of different underlying components. It can be caused either by direct aversive experiences, by vicarious learning (the fact of having seen others do things or experience certain events) or by transmission of information (about the danger of airplanes, etc.).
Aerophobia is mainly composed of very specific concerns , such as the fear of flight accidents, although we also find other apprehensions that reflect the heterogeneity of the different manifestations of the disorder, and that may come from other phobias. For example, fear of closed spaces, fear of losing control of the situation, fear of heights, phobia of experiencing undesirable physical sensations or fear of instability.
The psychological treatment techniques and procedures used in the therapeutic approach to aerophobia are very different from each other. The most used treatment, in any case, is multicomponent programs With different individual characteristics, most of these are made up of the following elements.
Aeronautical information about anxiety responses
This helps contextualize the experience and to reject certain myths about the danger of flying.
Activation control strategies
For example, controlled breathing, muscle relaxation and applied relaxation.
Cognitive strategies
For example, self-instructions, rational emotive therapy, detection of phobic cognitions and generation of alternative thoughts. They are suitable for controlling dysfunctional thoughts
Live Exhibition
It is carried out as part of the treatment itself or as a flight schedule at the end of training.
Virtual Reality in the treatment of flying phobia
The inherent difficulties in carrying out the Live Exposure in the specific case of fear of flying are due to both economic inconveniences and the lack of practicality of the treatment. This has led to the development of other favorable procedures for confronting feared stimuli, as is the case of computer-created treatments and, especially, Virtual Reality
Exposure through Virtual Reality has the same effectiveness as live exposure, with the improvement that It works avoiding all those inconveniences that we would have with live treatment previously mentioned.
But… what exactly is Virtual Reality? It is an application that includes a series of computer-generated environments through 3D graphics or 360º filming, totally immersive and interactive with the patient. This method is safe, non-invasive and creates a sense of situational presence. On the other hand, the technology used has more than 20 years of scientific studies behind it, based on the fact that the first article on Virtual Reality in the field of clinical psychology was published in 1985.
When we talk about virtual reality in the healthcare field, we have as a reference the Psious platform, which is designed by and for psychologists This company works with equipment consisting of specific glasses for Virtual Reality, a smart mobile phone, a computer with which the therapist configures the variables, and a biofeedback sensor to control the patient’s physiological response.
The Virtual Reality on which Psious is based allows you to increase immersion, commitment and patient satisfaction , in addition to offering faster and more effective therapy. It is a tool that not only intervenes in cases of aerophobia, but also other phobias and disorders linked to anxiety, such as PTSD, OCD, ADHD, panic attacks or eating disorders. .
