Duke University has started offering a novel treatment for phobias: virtual reality (VR) exposure therapy. Patients are interviewed and offered therapist-guided virtual reality treatments in an immersive, computer-generated environment that correspond to their particular source of anxiety. This isnt for just any phobia, as the Duke Faculty Practice only offers environments for those with fear of heights, thunderstorms, elevators, flying, and public speaking.Its touted as offering substantial advantages over traditional exposure therapy: greater patient privacy (no need to go out in public for the therapy), a more controlled environment, more repetitions of feared situations, and potentially more efficient treatments (much easier to arrange a session within a therapists office rather than outside). Much of the design behind the scenarios is based on publications in various psychology journals over the last 10 years, and a recent systematic review on the topic noted while methodologic quality of many such studies is low, VR-based exposure therapy could reduce anxiety disorders. Each session is typically 45-50 minutes, and they utilize VR environments designed by Virtually Better, a Georgia-based VR design team. Interestingly, Virtual Better also participated in the design of the much-discussed Virtual IraqBraveMind experience utilized by the University of Southern California and the Department of Defense in PTSD treatment.

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