VR treatment has been investigated for a range of substance disorders, such as nicotine dependence, alcohol dependence, gambling disorder, and Internet gaming disorder. VR interventions use virtual environments for cue exposure for smoking and methamphetamine addiction, as well as approach and avoidance exercises for alcohol dependence 

Syracuse University

-	Anxiety disorders 
-	Psychotic disorders 
-	Substance-related disorders 
-	Eating disorders 
-	Depression

VR applications for mental health



Geraets, C. N. W. (2021). Advances in immersive virtual reality interventions for mental disorders: A new reality? Current Opinion in Psychology, 41, 40. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2021.02.004

Advances in immersive virtual reality interventions for mental disorders: A new reality?

 VR exposure therapy is the predominant method for treatment of anxiety conditions. Specifically phobias such as agoraphobia and fear of flying and heights, but continues to expand to more diverse anxiety-related disorders including social anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and panic disorder. In addition, more complex VR-based cognitive behavioral therapies (VR-CBTs) have emerged. 

Application of VR interventions: Anxiety disorders


VR has been used as a tool for cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), cognitive remediation, improving job interview skills and social skills. VR-CBT has proven to be effective in reducing paranoia and anxiety in daily life. Furthermore, a social cognition training has been developed with different VR modules on emotion recognition, theory of mind using preprogrammed dialogs, and a social interaction module in which patients interact with avatars (controlled by the therapist by using a speech scrambler). This training is linked with improved emotion recognition. 



Application of VR interventions: Psychotic disorders

Sessions of psychoeducation combined with VR-based relaxation, for which VR can be of added value as it requires less effort than traditional relaxation exercises and removes distractions. VR self-compassion exercises using the relatively novel technique of changing perspective is also utilized to alleviate depressive symptoms and facilitate empathy for oneself and others. 

Application of VR interventions: Depression

A systematic review on eating disorders showed that VR interventions mainly concern exposure to food and work on body image such as exposure to body shapes and embodiment of a healthy body. VR techniques may add to standard CBT as they decrease negative emotional responses to food stimuli and enable exposure to body shape. 

Application of VR interventions: Eating disorders

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