VIRTUAL REALITY FOR MEDICAL AND HOSPITAL ENVIRONMENTS

Treatment of phobias:

Virtual reality offers the possibility of creating immersive scenarios that allow the administration of appropriate expository therapies depending on the phobia presented by each patient. Therapy can be administered in levels by creating other environments in which the phobic stimulus increases gradually. Since these are virtual environments, the patient’s safety is not at risk. If a patient suffers from vertigo, he or she will first be asked to stand on a chair. After a series of tests of progressive difficulty, the patient will be asked to stand on the edge of a cliff, obviously without any risk to the patient’s physical integrity.

Digital simulations are very efficient for the treatment of certain attention disorders. When examining a patient’s vision, the immersive experience will make it possible to identify the directions in which the patient’s gaze is directed; in this way, appropriate experiences can be built for each patient, with programmed distractions that will serve to control their attention and act according to the data collected.

Virtual reality makes it possible to simulate the avatars of those people with whom a patient has or has had difficulties in relating to throughout his or her life. In this way, the patient will be able to interact with these people artificially and face his or her relational problems at different levels. Virtual reality contributes, among other things, to partially overcome the fear of judgment: if a patient does not feel comfortable dealing with a therapist, he or she could be encouraged to deal with a computer. It should be noted that no patient can undergo therapy, whether face-to-face or remote, without the supervision of a psychologist or psychiatrist.

Virtual reality allows people with physical disabilities or reduced mobility to live experiences to which they would not otherwise have access, such as the exploration of natural environments, sports activities, etc. In addition, it is an educational and innovative plus thanks to which many disabled people can learn how certain daily activities are carried out.

The ability to virtually recreate any type of environment is very useful for applications in the field of guided meditation and stress management. In a noisy waiting room or in a busy office, a virtual reality device with meditation applications can be ideal for relaxation. In addition, such applications can improve the management of anxiety attacks or panic attacks.

The great immersion capacity of virtual reality is very useful in pain therapy or during particularly invasive treatments or operations, and can contribute to reducing the amount of anesthesia required. Thanks to virtual reality, a patient whose mind is in another place will be abstracted from what is happening to him or her during an operation.

The patient undergoes a series of tests that will lead to interaction in everyday situations. This method facilitates an accurate assessment of the severity of the injuries sustained and, consequently, allows for care that is better adapted to the rehabilitation needs of each patient.