According to a report by Grand View Research, Inc. the global augmented reality & virtual reality in healthcare market is expected to reach USD 5.1 billion by 2025.
It is apparent that there are already a large number of medical professionals who are taking advantage of the benefits of virtual reality in medicine.
In this article I will explore two amazing benefits of virtual reality in medicine: phobia treatment and psychological trauma treatment.
Phobia treatment is one of the amazing benefits of virtual reality in medicine.
There's an endless list of phobias out there, from pogonophobia (fear of the Pope!) and koumpounophobia (fear of buttons!) to more common phobias such as arachnophobia (fear of spiders) and aviophobia (fear of flying). In some cases, phobias can have a hugely negative impact on people's lives, restricting them from doing the things they enjoy, such as travelling or even leaving the house.
There are number of methods that have been used to help treat those suffering from phobias, however I believe VR to be one of the most effective techniques. According to The Center for Treatment of Anxiety and Mood Disorders, 83 percent of people who have tried virtual reality therapy have managed to put their fears behind them.
"83 percent of people who have tried virtual reality therapy have managed to put their fears behind them'"
In order for the subject to overcome his/her phobia, he/she must go through both cognitive behaviour therapy and in-vivo exposure.
Cognitive behaviour therapy involves the patient learning to recognise the thoughts causing the negative emotions that surround their fears. Once the patient identifies these thoughts, he/she learns how to replace these negative thoughts with positive ones.
In-vivo exposure is where the patient comes face-to-face with his/her fears in a controlled manner and in small doses.
When cognitive behaviour therapy and in-vivo exposure are combined effectively the subject can, bit by bit, overcome his/her phobia.
"Alex Woods overcame his fear of blood and needles thanks to VR exposure therapy"
VR exposure therapy has the ability to speed up this process by creating incredibly realistic scenarios that provoke a sufficient emotional response to the phobia. Patients are able to face their fears in a controlled environment knowing that all they have to do is remove the VR headset if anxiety levels become too much.
For example, according to news.com.au, a London-based tech journalist called Alex Woods overcame his fear of blood and needles thanks to VR exposure therapy. For Alex, the sight of a needle made him feel overwhelmingly anxious, so much so that he would do all he could to avoid injections. However, when Alex was at university he contracted pre-diabetes where blood tests were necessary for him to stay alive. It was at that moment he turned to VR exposure therapy in order to kick his phobia.
"Alex described the VR exposure therapy as "astounding" and "game-changing""
Each time Alex had a VR exposure therapy session, his phobia would be revealed to him more severely. To start with, he was immersed in a doctor's waiting room, and finally, he received virtual injections and blood tests. During these sessions his psychologist would teach him relaxation techniques and his heart rate would be monitored. Alex described the VR exposure therapy as "astounding" and "game-changing".
Watch the short Vice documentary about how therapists are using VR headsets to cure phobias below.
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Having mentioned two incredible benefits of virtual reality in medicine, this leads me onto the third, psychological trauma treatment. Psychological trauma and phobias share many similar characteristics therefore share similar treatment methods. Psychological trauma is a type of damage to the mind that happens as a result of a severely distressing event.
There has been an increased number of medical professionals prescribing virtual reality to patients who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD is a serious anxiety disorder caused by extremely stressful and frightening events. An ex-soldier for example, might relive a traumatic war scenario, such as a violent near death experience, through nightmares or flashbacks. As a result, they may feel isolated, guilty and extremely irritable.
Fortunately, thanks to the benefits of virtual reality in medicine, psychological trauma patients don't need to be prescribed medication. Much like VR phobia treatment, PTSD patients can undergo VR exposure therapy where they are repeatedly re-introduced to a similar memory of their trauma in a virtual reality environment.
"Before the [VR exposure] treatment, 80-90 percent of my dreams were Iraq related. Now I can’t remember the last time I had one. I live in a completely different way now"
The sounds of explosions, bullets whistling past, and the rumbling of tank engines while being immersed in a 360 degree VR environment are enough to trick the patient's brain into thinking that he/she is really there in mind and body. After repeat exposure the benefits of virtual reality in medicine really come into play.
According to NBC News, a PTSD patient and ex-marine named Jimmy Castellanos, who underwent VR exposure therapy, said that "I don’t remember having the physiological reaction… In 13 weeks I’d completely changed who I had been for the previous ten years. Before the treatment, 80-90 percent of my dreams were Iraq related. Now I can’t remember the last time I had one. I live in a completely different way now". This demonstrates the amazing benefits of virtual reality in medicine and the sheer effectiveness of VR exposure therapy aiding patients who suffer with psychological trauma.
Watch the short documentary about treating PTSD with VR exposure therapy by ABC News.