Virtual reality supporting psychological health

Abstract

For a country to continue its' viable existence, it must be healthy. That is, it must not only maintain physical health but also psychological health. In fact, psychological health has a direct impact on the physiological health of people. The open literature suggests evidence-based strategies for helping individuals that suffer from psychological distress. Since technology is increasingly taking over the way humans relate with the world, virtual reality (VR) might be a great addition to psychotherapy sessions. In this chapter, the authors specifically discuss the effects of stress on one's health and provide a short background of VR contributions to human health. © 2011 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.