Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist.
The arrival of the metaverse has opened up vast opportunities for the development of technology to improve mental health
Facebook’s rebranding as Meta and the development announcements by Microsoft, AMD, Nvidia, and Epic Games have caused a tremor in the tech industry’s understanding of the metaverse. The real opportunity for it lies beyond the realms of entertainment, social media, and consumer electronics. To begin, it’s possible that this type of therapy will replace traditional approaches to mental health care as the norm.
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Although we live in a globally linked digital world, many feel more alone than ever before. According to recent studies, “severe loneliness” is a significant risk factor for mental health issues, and it affects 36% of all Americans, including 61% of young people.
A lot of individuals are seeking help from the internet these days because of the epidemic. Virtual reality (VR) headsets are becoming more common, and this technology may eventually play a crucial role in therapeutic sessions that are more interesting than those conducted through conventional telemedicine or smartphone apps.
A large majority of patients still choose receiving treatment in a face-to-face setting, as evidenced by surveys. Unlike internet therapy, in-person meetings may give a welcome break from everyday life and promote better levels of trust between therapist and patient.
However, a recent BetterHelp poll found that 35% of respondents said that their impression of how a treatment session went relied on the day of the week the appointment took place, the weather outside (31%), or recent current events (30%).
As a result, the metaverse care paradigm may drastically change how digital treatment is administered. It’s the next best thing to actually being there in person.
It’s true that telemedicine has made it easier to get medical help from the comfort of home regardless of where you live, but the metaverse takes things to a whole new level.
When compared to existing digital therapeutic methods, this new degree of immersion may provide higher levels of engagement, attentiveness, and connection. In addition to improving communication between doctors and patients, the natural settings and user-friendly layouts of these facilities may bring about a more trusting connection between the two groups. Although these advantages may improve treatment results, additional study is needed to discover the most efficient method of providing therapy in a VR setting.
Virtual reality (VR) headsets are costly, and while their usage is on the rise, it is expected that only 12.5 million will be sold in 2021 despite all the buzz around Facebook and the Web3 metaverse. Most current metaverses are utilized for play, whereas the medical field is notoriously sluggish to accept new technologies.
The first step is for healthcare practitioners to guarantee the highest standards of mental healthcare data management and security are met.
Also, more studies are needed to prove that VR therapy works and to convince insurers to support this innovative approach to patient care.
The first virtual reality (VR) software has been certified by the FDA as a medical device for pain treatment, building on the promising findings of previous research. Meanwhile, insurance firms have begun to cover telemedicine using VR technology.
Last but not least, the most attractive therapeutic options will supply headsets directly to patients. This ensures that patients have immediate access to the most cutting-edge therapies, regardless of whether or not they own a personal VR headset.
Excitingly, a growing number of academics, engineers, and financiers have started working to overcome these challenges. The metaverse will grow in importance in the next years, and if it’s given the right kind of care, it might have positive effects on people’s mental health.
It wasn’t until the year 2020 that healthcare providers were forced to adopt new methods of providing care to large numbers of people, despite the fact that some patients had already begun to experience the benefits of using virtual reality headsets to deal with physical injury, chronic pain, and stress.
The quick spread of COVID-19 placed an additional strain on medical facilities and staff, who must now contend with the need of preserving social distance. Since then, thanks to the proliferation of digital health platforms and improvements in technology, a growing number of individuals have elected to use teleconsultation and remote monitoring services.
Governments and international organizations are actively supporting teleconsultation efforts due to the positive financial and logistical effects on patient care.
An aging population and a rise in the incidence of chronic illnesses drive up healthcare expenses, making it imperative to use tech-driven platforms. Due to the fact that telehealth meets all the criteria, the industry is predicted to expand steadily.
Virtual Reality in the Treatment of Mental Illness
Until recently, VR and AR therapies were mainly tested out in hospital settings. Now that virtual reality (VR) headsets and game consoles are more widely accessible to the public, however, treatment may take place outside of a hospital or clinic setting, in the comfort of a patient’s own home.
The use of virtual reality (VR) in the treatment of mental health problems has been attempted and shown to be effective for a variety of conditions, including stress and anxiety, problems with cognitive function, neurological illnesses, and spinal cord injuries.
It has been shown that virtual reality-based counseling is more beneficial than Skype or Zoom therapy, although face-to-face therapy is still the gold standard for treatment. Virtual reality, however, can provide a multi-sensory immersive and engaging world, unlike phone or video conversations.
According to a study conducted by researchers at Australia’s University of Wollongong, virtual reality (VR) patients reported feeling more “presence” (being there), “co-presence” (being together with the therapist), and “social presence” (engaging in each other) than those who used video or phone calls. Users were able to feel less self-conscious about sharing their true selves when they created an online persona.
The field of mental health treatment may benefit from the creative applications of virtual and augmented reality. Examples include the fact that studies have shown that individuals are more likely to remember what they’ve learnt in VR than in written or conversational form. VR may aid a therapist in imparting knowledge regarding a diagnosis, teaching coping mechanisms for dealing with symptoms, and instructing clients in effective mental health coping mechanisms.
Submerging oneself in an immersive event is a great way to avoid dwelling on worries and unpleasant feelings by diverting one’s attention and activating one’s senses. By introducing new delightful activities, sensory stimulation may also stimulate individuals who have become introverted as a result of depression, helping them overcome stress and the poor energy and mood it creates.
Virtual reality (VR) may also be used to recreate experiences in a controlled way, desensitizing patients to potentially triggering circumstances and locations. Anxiety disorders (such as social anxiety, public speaking anxiety, agoraphobia, fear of flying, and fear of spiders), addiction, pain, PTSD, eating disorders, autism, and schizophrenia are among the most often reported applications of VR.
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Despite being a mainstay of science fiction for decades, virtual reality now looks to be on the verge of mainstream adoption. Attempts like the metaverse have caused a mix of enthusiasm, perplexity, and even fear. The technology to allow us to inhabit a virtual world is now being developed, yet we have never done it before. One of the most fascinating features of VR is that it allows us to assume control of an avatar, a holographic or projected image of ourselves. The avatars of other users might even be interacted with.
But have you ever thought of having therapy sessions with an avatar instead of a real person? Using a webcam to facilitate therapy between patients and doctors, or telehealth, has been shown to be both a successful and practical option. And it may help some people feel more comfortable opening up during treatment sessions. Recent studies suggest that VR treatment might be the wave of the future in the realm of telemedicine. For what reasons do some people find interacting with an avatar more satisfying than with a real person?
According to a study released in January 2022, researchers were able to generate semi-realistic human avatars by using virtual reality technology to motion-capture the movements and facial expressions of actual individuals. Surprisingly positive outcomes were seen while using these avatars in VR treatment sessions. Thirty percent of participants in the study said they would rather have their treatment sessions with an avatar than a human therapist.
The study authors postulated that VR treatment might be more attractive to those who are unfamiliar with mental health services and may be reluctant to open up about their experiences. Moreover, VR treatment has the potential to drastically change how telehealth is delivered. According to the report’s speculations, patients may soon be able to bring their therapist or psychiatrist into their homes using projection technology, or at the very least, have their own avatars present in the exam rooms of their providers. Given that 45 percent of consumers in the age range of 18 to 44 currently favor telehealth services, this is an interesting option.
As long as they don’t try to seem too human, avatars seem like a great option. Fear, revulsion, and bewilderment are common responses to lifelike avatars and animated caricatures. The Uncanny Valley describes this mental state. It’s unnerving to see human-like features on a robot or the computer-animated “Cats” figures since we know they aren’t real. The human brain has an innate tendency to look for human features in everything from landscapes to inanimate things. This is known as “humanizing” anything.
We rely heavily on eye contact and the interpretation of facial movements to convey our complicated emotions as social creatures. This suggests that some people may prefer virtual reality treatment with an avatar because it lessens the emotional intensity of connecting with a real person. A conversation with an avatar on a personal computer may seem more secure and confidential than with a real person.
What Prospects Exist for VR Treatment?
At this moment, avatars will not be used in telehealth applications. Virtual or augmented (partially virtual) worlds that stimulate all five of our senses will be available to the public, say some experts, by the year 2030. Though its widespread adoption as a treatment method remains to be seen, virtual reality is already being employed to provide clients with calming environs. The fact that VRET (virtual reality exposure therapy) is being utilized to forge a new path in treatment is fascinating in and of itself.
Clinicians have found that VRET helps individuals with particular phobias and situational anxiety feel less fearful in everyday situations and experience less phantom limb discomfort. If you have a phobia of public speaking, you may practice in front of a virtual audience of avatars and learn to conquer your anxiety.
Therefore, maybe we should embrace the augmented age, as it looks to have already here, despite the fact that virtual reality treatment uses cutting-edge technology that may drive us out of our comfort zones.
What is the Metaverse and how does it relate to mental health?
How does VR therapy differ from traditional therapy methods?
What are the challenges and opportunities in adopting VR therapy for mental health care?
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