Introduction to Virtual Reality Treatment for Depression
Some of the 17 million Americans afflicted with major depressive disorder every year may soon receive a surprising recent prescription from their clinician: Have fun on a virtual reality device. Engaging in activities that make you’re feeling good may look like overly simplistic advice, especially when directed at individuals with severe depression. But the science behind this concept, called "behavioral activation," is well established. Multiple studies have found that encouraging people to get outside, exercise, socialize, volunteer or immerse themselves in enjoyable activities in a prescribed, systematic way may help ease the symptoms of depression.
The Science Behind Behavioral Activation
Now, Stanford researchers have discovered that engaging in these behaviors inside a virtual reality system may show just as much efficacy in treating depression as carrying them out in the actual world. And for those depressed to a level that makes leaving the home a challenge, it could provide the advantages of getting outside — and even motivate them to get out. "People who might otherwise have barriers to getting treatment could be open to using this technology in their very own homes," said Kim Bullock, MD, a clinical professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences.
Study on Virtual Reality Treatment
The study by Bullock’s team, published in JMIR Mental Health, followed 26 individuals with major depressive disorder. Half were assigned traditional behavioral activation, and half used a virtual reality headset to take part in activities starting from table tennis and mini-golf to touring foreign cities or attending shows. People in each groups saw their depression scores decrease by similar amounts. "We’ve found that using virtual reality in an outpatient group of patients was each easy and efficacious in treating symptoms of depression," said Bullock, founder and director of Stanford’s Neurobehavioral Clinic and Virtual Reality and Immersive Technologies (VRIT) program.
Benefits of Virtual Reality Treatment
Bullock and her colleagues on the Stanford VRIT program have long studied the varied ways to treat mental illnesses with virtual reality (VR) platforms, wherein users donning headsets are immersed in simulated, three-dimensional environments. Previous studies have examined how VR will be used to conduct therapy appointments, help people overcome anxieties and phobias, ease pain, learn social skills, and treat eating disorders and hoarding. But few research projects had focused on the way to use the technology to treat anything as pervasive as major depressive disorder or other mood disorders. "Depression impacts so many individuals immediately, and we thought VR could have a big impact," said Bullock.
How Virtual Reality Treatment Works
The participants within the trial, all adults diagnosed with major depressive disorder who had not recently modified medications, met weekly with a clinical psychologist at Stanford who assigned them behavioral activation homework between sessions — scheduling and committing to a minimum of 4 pleasurable activities each week, either in virtual reality or real life. Thirteen people within the study received a VR Meta Quest 2 headset in addition to an inventory of potential activity ideas they may engage in using the headset, including games, travel videos, fitness classes, chat programs and education apps. The other 13 people were told to plan and partake in real life activities in a more typical fashion — by happening outings of their community or socializing with friends.
Results of the Study
After 4 weeks, each groups saw a major decrease of their symptoms of depression and their depression rating on a widely used scale. Moreover, many individuals who had used the VR devices said the virtual activities had helped push them to get out of the home and be more involved in in-person activities. "One of probably the most common pieces of feedback we got was that using the VR inspired people to get out and do things in the actual world," said Margot Paul, a clinical assistant professor. "These virtual activities got their motors running barely enough to get away from bed."
Future of Virtual Reality Treatment
The team says larger and longer-term studies are needed to search out the very best ways to manage virtual behavioral activation, in addition to which patient populations could be best targeted with the VR treatment. They also think more efforts are needed to tell clinicians — from therapists and psychologists to primary care doctors — about the way to prescribe VR behavioral activation appropriately. But Paul and Bullock imagine the associated fee and ease of many VR platforms — especially those who use mobile phones inserted into low cost cardboard headsets — make it a straightforward treatment to scale up.
Conclusion
Virtual reality treatment for depression is a promising recent approach that has shown significant efficacy in reducing symptoms of depression. The treatment is simple to make use of, cost-effective, and will be done within the comfort of 1’s own residence. As the technology continues to evolve, it is probably going that virtual reality treatment will turn out to be a more widely accepted and prescribed treatment for depression. With its potential to extend accessibility and reduce stigma, virtual reality treatment could also be a game-changer for the thousands and thousands of Americans fighting depression.
