According to research by the World Health Organisation(WHO), a 13% rise was seen in mental health conditions and substance-related disorders in the last decade. The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) reported a rise in the number of deaths due to suicide by 7.2% in comparison to the previous year with a surprising figure of 164,033 suicides in 2021. 

A study by the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) found that 150 million individuals require help out of which less than 30 seek help. 

A variety of factors like the stigma and myths surrounding mental health, fear of being judged, lack of awareness among people and the paucity of mental health professionals have prevented people from receiving the required help.

The Indian Journal of Psychiatry estimated that “India has 0.75 psychiatrists per 100,000 people, while the desirable number is anything above three psychiatrists per 100,000 population.”

Conventional therapeutic methods like yoga, meditation, psychoanalysis and hypnosis have been used extensively all over the world. However, the concept of virtual reality therapy is a relatively new immersive treatment method which is now being tried by therapists across the world including India. 

What is VR therapy? 

You are standing on the top of a beautiful mountain. You feel anxious the minute you look down, your hands are trembling, you feel dizzy and you regret going to that place. You desire to escape and run away. That’s when your therapist removes your VR headset and helps you ground yourself.  

Imagine your acrophobia (fear of heights) being treated in the mountains itself. Sounds fascinating, isn’t it? 

Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (VRET) has made it all possible. Virtual reality, which was confined within the walls of education and entertainment initially has now made its way to mental health. 

In their research on VRET and the treatment of anxiety and other disorders, Maples-Keller, Bunnell, & Rothbaum, say that virtual reality “aims to parallel reality and create a world that is both immersive and interactive.”

VRET uses a 3-D environment with the help of virtual reality technology creating a place which feels very real. It allows the therapist to expose the client to the anxiety-causing situation or stimuli in a controlled and safe manner. 

According to a 2022 research paper from JMIR Serious Games, virtual reality therapy helps in pain relief. In another study, burn victims reported a reduction of 35-50% in their pain when exposed to VR therapy.

VR therapy when used to alleviate pain gives a sense of calmness and comfort to the patient. Worries, stress, and anxiety can be considered as contributing factors to your pain. VR therapy helps in decreasing the levels of stress and depression thereby reducing the intensity of pain. VR therapy methods for pain reduction include serene and calming environments and a voice which guides the wearer to perform exercises like deep breathing, guided imagery, and meditation, mindfulness. 

Although an emerging concept in therapy, it’s currently being used in the treatment of 

• Anxiety
• PTSD
• Pain relief
• Grief management
• Depression
• Addiction
• Phobias, and others.

So how does VR therapy work? VR therapy makes use of VR technology and exposure therapy to mimic the stressors or fears of the client through a VR headset. Elements like sight, sounds, vibration, smell are included thereby creating an environment as per the client’s requirements which feels extremely real. The virtual exposure of fears in the presence of a therapist allows them to safely experience situations which they might find stressful otherwise. The client is shown very few references of the negative stimuli at first thereby increasing the intensity of the stressors gradually as the sessions proceed. 

The therapist shares a variety of strategies like anxiety management techniques, relaxation techniques or deep breathing exercises with the client after they are exposed to the virtual trigger so that they can use better coping mechanisms in similar circumstances without getting stressed or anxious. Also the regular exposure to such fears and stressors leaves their mind and body used to it and therefore provokes very little or no anxiety when exposed to the trigger in real life scenarios. 

Advantages of VR therapy

• VRET allows the therapist to recreate traumatic environments in a gradual, immersive, and controlled form and in a safe environment.
• VR has panoramic videos instead of animated graphics allowing patients to experience the real world and is best suited for exposures which are difficult to set up. For example, environments that cause social anxiety such as facing a large audience and VR can easily set that up. 
• The software is easy to use and can be customized according to the needs of the client. Finer details like relatable objects and sounds, and even smell, can be added. 
• VR software is designed to allow the therapist to control everything right from the elements of the environment to the intensity of exposure. 
• VR therapy works well with clients who cannot imagine the situation. 
• Virtual therapy can be done even at home with certain apps and software and a VR headset.
• Sessions are recorded which helps therapists analyze and move forward with more accuracy. 

Places offering VR therapy in India

1. Sahayata Clinic

Sahayata Clinic in Kolkata offers VR therapy modules to treat a variety of mental conditions like depression, anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, addiction, insomnia, agoraphobia, and schizophrenia. The clinic uses VRET to treat phobias like acrophobia, agoraphobia, anxiety, etc. and the modules used have panoramic videos rather than animated graphics making the environment extremely real for the clients. 

2. Udayan mental health care

This health care centre, run by Dr Anandi Lal and Nitin Anandi Lal, uses virtual reality to treat a range of phobias and avoidance behaviours.  “Virtual reality therapy is easier and more effective than the conventional therapeutic techniques used,” says Dr Anandi Lal. The patients also get personalized reports helping them track their progress.

 3.  National Institute of physical medicine and rehabilitation- NIPMR

Known for its use in VR- augmented rehabilitation, this healthcare unit in Thrissur, Kerala, has been using virtual reality as a therapeutic model to treat conditions like autism, cerebral palsy, phobias, and learning disabilities. VR therapy was introduced in NIPMR two years ago and since then it is used extensively for individuals of every age range. 

4. CogniHab

CogniHab, based in Jaipur, uses VR extensively and offers a broad spectrum of therapies across age groups. They have different modules for children with special needs, and individuals living with issues like stress, anxiety, insomnia and depression. They offer personalized reports, progress charts, and other details to help patients keep track of progress.

5. Manasvi Specialists

Manasvi Specialists, located in Bangalore, offers VRET for phobias and anxiety. A trained therapist accompanies patients at all times to help them cope with symptoms prompted by the exposure. 

VR therapy has its advantages and holds a lot of potential. However, there are drawbacks, as well. There are very few therapists who are trained in VR therapy. VR, being an emerging technology, it’s difficult to arrange for all the gear required.

VR therapy is being used by therapists in various countries and has now made its way to India to treat mental illnesses. However, VR therapy is still in a nascent stage and the lack of experienced experts in VRET is still a matter of concern. 

VRET has a long way to go but it does show much promise.