Virtual Reality for PTSD

      PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) is a condition that causes emotional stress after an extreme injury or a big psychological shock. Often times people who go to war experience trauma and later go through PSTD. People who obtain this disorder will experience symptoms like severe anxiety, flashbacks, fear and mistrust. Many people also experience insomnia and nightmares at night, alongside feeling lonely and agitated. PTSD is a serious condition, and although there is medication  and therapy to help patients relieve their symptoms, there are also many other ways for patience to relieve their symptoms. In a recent study it was discovered that Virtual Reality can actually improve the lives of those suffering through PTSD. 

How Can Virtual Reality Help? 

       Virtual Reality is a 3D simulation that is used in video games, the VR can make a 3D environment into something seemingly real. This counsel is worn on your head over your eyes like a helmet with a screen inside. According to PsychologyToday.com, VRs are known to be able to assist with many things including pilot training, spinal chord injury rehab, as well as PTSD. It works as "exposure therapy," which can aide treatment for the PTSD condition. To treat patients for this condition, often times doctors use the technique of exposing the patient to their traumatic experience to confront them. They ask their patients to tap into the memory or image, and via imagination confront the trauma. It is known to be an effective form of treatment, which can only get better with the help of 3D imagery to help it. The virtual reality counsel can give the patient more sensory details making their "confrontation" with their trauma more realistic. If a soldier who is suffering from PTSD after he experienced his friend passing away in front of him. The VR would be able to bring back the visuals of that moment, the noises going on and potentially even the smell. The patient will be able to feel like they are experiencing it over and over again until they have confronted it. 

Final Thoughts 

            It is amazing to watch something go from the entertainment industry, or more importantly the video game industry to the medical world. As many would see video games to be at the opposite side of the spectrum of physical and mental health, yet they can be cohesive. This goes to show that it is important to explore and be open minded when looking for forms of treatment because you never know where the next successful treatment will be.

Link: 

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-camouflage-couch/201005/video-game-or-treatment-ptsd