Applications and Future Perspectives of Virtual Reality in the Treatments of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Abstract

The experience of severe trauma serves as the causation of several mental health disorders. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a common example. The traditional treatments for this kind of mental health disorder have achieved some positive effects. Still, they cannot create an isolated and interactive environment, teaching patients how to overcome the disorders by repeatedly simulating the problematic trauma environment. This ability is the advantage of virtual reality (VR) treatments. This paper will focus on the principle of VR treatments for this mental disorder, some examples of practical application through several historical research and experiments, the shortcomings and problems faced by this treatment, and some further thoughts and perspectives about this kind of treatment. The result of this research revealed the significantly positive effects of VR treatment for PTSD and even other related mental disorders. It also shows that VR has an excellent future prospect.