Through the use of virtual reality technology, some psychologists have been able to treat stress. This is usually done through using pre-rendered environments to help calm patients.

Virtual Reality Stress Treatment

Immersive virtual reality (VR) has been identified as a potentially revolutionary tool for psychological treatment of mental disorders. Interacting with the virtual surrounding, VR simulations can trigger emotional, psychological, and physical reactions, such as anxiety, sweating, or joy, similar to reactions in real life. This immersive characteristic of VR simulations, makes it a powerful tool for therapy.

VR interventions: Treatment of psychological disorders

The VR aggression prevention training intervention includes VR tasks on emotion recognition, de-escalation, and interactive role-playing. VR aggression prevention facilitates improvements in anger control skills, hostility, and impulsivity.

VR interventions: Forensic psychiatry

-	Distraction-based pain reduction
-	Exposure therapy and anxiety reduction
-	Physical rehabilitation 
-	Neuropsychological assessment
-	Healthcare provider training
-	Stress management
-	Treatment of psychological disorders
-	Forensic  psychiatry

Syracuse University

VR interventions are utilized for clinical & practical purposes, interventions cover a wide array of areas. Research suggests VR interventions compare favorable to existing treatment. 

VR interventions

Martingano, A. J., & Persky, S. (2021). Virtual reality expands the toolkit for conducting health psychology research. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 15(7). https://doi-org.libezproxy2.syr.edu/10.1111/spc3.12606

Virtual reality expands the toolkit for conducting health psychology research

VR health intervention usage

-	Automated VR treatment
-	Embodiment
-	Change of perspective

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