| | JUNE 20209UTLOOKHealthcare Tech A virtual exposure to an elevator can, therefore, involve the sights from the elevator, especially if it is a glass elevator, the sounds that an elevator makes (now and then a scraping or knocking), and even the smells that you might get on an elevator, such as perfume or coffee. You could be alone in there or have other avatars with you, who could be controlled to look happy, neutral, or totally afraid. In the virtual world, a therapist is in total control of what is experienced in the environment, so if it is just staring into an open elevator, that can happen for 45 minutes without a problem. There are no time constraints in the VR world, and the therapist is typically in control of what happens and when it happens in the environment. VR can also be beneficial to recreate environments that just cannot be recreated ethically in the real world. While a therapist cannot take a veteran back to Iraq, that can happen in a VR setting. The Veteran can be exposed to all of the intrusive thoughts and images they have bounding around in their head and learn that they no longer need to be afraid of their memories. Though the memories may forever be uncomfortable, they need not always be bothersome. So, they can be exposed to a loud noise that triggers a memory of an IED, but no longer react to it as if it were an IED. As technology continues to improve, VR experiences will just become more and more life-like. Socially anxious individuals can practice giving speeches to virtual crowds, individuals with fear of flying can be seated on a virtual plane, and those who have addictions can be in a home alone setting with a bottle of alcohol in front of them and practice not picking it up and pouring themselves a drink. Virtual Reality will continue to move into the therapy realm, and, if done right and according to evidence-based practices, will continue to make a positive impact on the therapeutic community. Whatever can help our anxious patients better adapt to their everyday life is OK in this therapist's book. HTPatrick McGrathVirtual Reality will continue to move into the therapy realm, and, if done right and according to evidence-based practices, will continue to make a positive impact on the therapeutic community. Whatever can help our anxious patients better adapt to their everyday life is OK in this therapist's book
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