Virtual Reality And Psychotherapy: These Are Its Qualities
In recent years we have experienced great advances in new technologies. This development has seen its influence in all the areas we know: communication, leisure, marketing, commerce… So, without a doubt, it has implied a modification of all areas of our daily life, from the way we communicate with the rest of the world, to the way we have fun, work or study.
Thus, it is evident that this type of development could reach other areas, such as medicine or psychology. And so it has been. This way, Technology has been gradually introduced into psychotherapy
From the use of new technologies to help the patient carry out tasks (such as sending useful multimedia files) or carrying out the psychotherapy itself online.
However, technology can contribute much more. Current psychotherapy is already using innovative methodologies such as Virtual Reality Therapy This consists of the use of helmet-shaped glasses with lenses that allow the visualization of images. These glasses incorporate position trackers that allow head movements to be detected and, thus, present different images based on these.
All of this is complemented by the use of headphones, which creates a greater sense of immersion and, therefore, presence. In this way, the user replaces the present physical reality with a virtual environment.
Thus, thanks to this sense of presence and interaction, this technology is capable of creating a virtual experience (computer-created environment) that induces cognitive and emotional responses in people similar to those that would occur in the real world in that same environment. . For this reason, Virtual reality is already being used to treat various problems , mainly: phobias, anxiety, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Eating Disorders, depression and addictions. In addition, it is useful for training some techniques, such as relaxation or meditation.
Benefits of using Virtual Reality in Psychotherapy
The use of Virtual Reality in psychotherapy can present many advantages that, until now, were difficult to achieve from traditional psychotherapy. Some of them are:
1. Increase accessibility
In some cases, such as phobias, live exposure was difficult to obtain or unavailable. Traditional psychotherapy reduced this problem with the use of exposure in imagination.
However, on some occasions it was really difficult for the patient to achieve a high imaginative level of the desired situation. Thanks to the creation of virtual environments, it is possible to immerse yourself in the specific situations that are needed
2. Possibility of repetition
Thanks to the fact that these environments are generated virtually, it is possible to revive them as many times as necessary, as well as introduce different events or variables depending on the time of treatment.
3. Facilitates personalization of treatment
Beyond accessibility, It is important that the presentation is adapted to each particular problem The use of 360º videos of a real patient situation can be useful for exposure.
That is to say, the psychologist has the advantage of having controlled each of the possible virtual events that can be introduced during the moment of the exhibition, unlike the exhibition in imagination, where it is almost impossible to have control of each imagined detail.
5. Promotes an active role in the patient regarding their health
This advantage can be enhanced thanks to the recording of 360º videos that the user himself can do in his daily environment.
Is about a safe environment where nothing dangerous related to the problem actually happens (such as the plane crashing into a building) and maintains confidentiality by not requiring any other real person, except the professional, to be present at the time of the presentation or training.
6. Reduces treatment costs
It is just as it happens in the psychotherapist’s accompaniment to the real situation.
7. Improves treatment acceptance
In some cases, traditional psychotherapy may be rejected by the patient However, computer-directed treatment makes it easier to start treatment as it is a simulated environment.
