VR Technology

Virtual Reality Technology caught my attention lately in a few of my different classes so I found an article discussing it. This particular technology is not new, however, it proves very useful and I previously did not know about it. Basically, VR technology is a web-based interactive simulation that is currently used in many ways. These simulations are used to train military personnel, first responders, and even medical personnel. Those going through training interact with the simulation that demonstrates real-life situations designated to the profession in order to habituate, you could say, the trainee to the environment in which they will be immersed. For example, military personnel train in combat simulations, police officers interact with a virtual crime scene, and medical personnel perform surgery on a virtual patient.

 A different use for VR technology is that for treatment of psychological disorders such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, anxiety disorders, and/or phobic disorders. Many psychologists utilize this technology to desensitize a patient to the stimulus which provokes the symptoms of his/her disorder. I watched a video in my Abnormal Psychology class in which an individual suffering from a phobia of spiders underwent treatment via VR technology. The individual was slowly introduced to more and more anxiety producing stimuli involving spiders in order to overcome the phobia. You will be glad to know, the patient can now happily hold a tarantula and no longer suffers from the phobia.

I think that Virtual Reality technology has really come a long way and proves itself very useful. I, personally, believe there are more pros than cons (probably because I cannot think of any cons without more research being done). If you are interested the site is here: Virtual Reality

I have also included a video in which an individual has a panic disorder and the treatment is exposure therapy via, you guessed it, Virtual Reality technology: