Researchers rely on Virtual Reality as a complementary therapy for eating disorders
The inventive virtual reality tool known as Awaken Emerse aims to address eating disorders and hinder any potential relapses.
Every 52 minutes, an individual loses their life to an eating disorder, as reported by The National Eating Disorder Association. These disorders, which affect nearly 30 million people, significantly alter individuals’ eating behaviors and their perceptions of both food and their bodies.
Researchers at the University of Louisville are using virtual reality to develop a new approach to treating eating disorders. Research Professor Christina Ralph-Nearman explains that traditional therapies are often ineffective for many sufferers.
Even when treatment is successful, 50 percent relapse within two to six months. VR offers a more realistic and personalized alternative to previous exposure exercises.
The university has developed a therapy tool called Awaken Emerse, which enables individuals to confront and conquer their specific fears, including the fear of gaining weight. Through this tool, users can customize their avatar and observe their virtual body undergoing the process of weight gain. Initially, the fear intensifies, but eventually diminishes, helping users learn how to cope with it.
Ralph-Nearman believes that tools like this can help treat people more effectively and support therapists.
Virtual Reality as a complementary therapy tool
VR is also used in the treatment of depression, chronic pain, and phobias such as the fear of spiders and wasps. Psychotherapist Felix Eschenburg reports positive results of VR therapies. VR offers an easy introduction because the fear triggers are not real. This facilitates further confrontation in the course of therapy.
A study analyzing multiple sources of evidence has indicated that the combination of cognitive behavioral therapy with virtual reality (VR) shows promising results in the treatment of anxiety disorders. VR proves to be a valuable supplement to conventional approaches. However, it is important to note that VR has yet to gain widespread adoption in therapy practices and remains primarily a subject of research.
