#07 Immersion Therapy – Part 3. – desres23.designandcommunication.net

This is part 3 of my research into the topic of immersion therapy. In this blog post, I want to explore specific use cases for this type of digital therapy.

Use cases for immersion therapy

Uses cases for VR therapy are varied. In general, a distinction between physical and psychological health problems may be considered, as these may require distinctly different treatment methods. However, it should also be noted, that physical and mental problems are often interlinked (i.e. one may develop mental health problems because of existing physical problems) and overlap frequently.
Until now, I have talked a lot about exposure therapy, which is used to treat mental health issues. However, physical problems, or the mental health problems which may arise from said health issues, may also be treated using CBT based methods. In an interview with Liana Fraenkel (MD, MPH), it was stated that Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is as effective as other non-pharmacologic approaches such as exercise. CBT can be used to address many mental health problems, which often occur due to physical problems. Therefore, its value in physical therapy must not be understated. CBT can help treat depression, insomnia, fatigue management, and self-management, which are all symptoms of physical problems. Additionally, the techniques learned during therapy sessions can be utilized at any time, making them useful beyond the therapy sessions.

In the following section, I want to give an overview over possible uses cases. The list is roughly based from mental health problems to physical health problems:

Depression
Anxiety disorders
e.g. social anxiety
Borderline personality disorder
Eating disorders
Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
Panic disorder
Various different kinds of phobias
e.g. fear of flying, animals, insects, heights, …
Patients can be gradually exposed to stronger, more realistic depictions of their phobia
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
It is commonly used for the treatment of war veterans who suffer from PTSD. VR therapy allows them to immerse themselves in their memories and experiences in a controlled way. This can help them cope with their emotions and memories. The treatment of PTSD is an important way of helping people and preventing suicides.
Psychosis
Schizophrenia
Sleep problems such as insomnia
Alcoholism
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)
Fibromyalgia
(Partial) paralysis
This one I know of from personal experience. As previously mentioned, my brother is partly paralyzed in his left side, especially when it comes to vision.
One exercise was a car driving simulator using a VR headset. He had to simultaneously perform the driving actions, keep an overview over the traffic, and also deal with his trauma from his car accident.
In another exercise, the goal was to find certain objects which were hidden in a virtual room and connect two objects with a wire.
The goal of another training exercise was to dodge and block incoming balls which were coming toward the player.
Pain relief therapy / Chronic pain (such as arthritis)
One example I came across described using VR to deal with phantom pains after the patient had lost a limb. Through the sensory information and the (movement) input, the brain is triggered and sends and receives signals to/from the still existing extremities. The setup may look like as follows:
The patient see a virtual avatar of themselves with all limbs still attached. Over certain signals/impulses, the patients can move their amputated limbs again. This can be a highly emotional experience, but it helps over 50 % of patients to reduce pains in their daily lives.
Stroke
Cerebral Palsy
Parkinson’s disease
Multiple Sclerosis
Especially for children, it can help them deal with ADHD, autism or developmental delays by supporting them in a fun and gamified way.
and many more…

Summary & conclusion

In this blog post, we took a look at specific use cases for both mental and physical health problems and how the treatment may look like. Physical and mental health problems/conditions are often interlinked and occur together – therefore, a holistic approach should be considered to increase the effectiveness of the treatment method.