Anxiety patients express preference for VR based exposure therapies over in-person treatments.
One in five Americans are dealing with anxiety on a level that medical intervention is warranted.
Unfortunately, the accessibility to care is just not available. There are not enough therapists and the cost of therapy prevents many from seeking help. Embarrassment/shame is also a leading cause of delayed care.
This study points to an answer, with respondents showing they would be equally or more likely to seek care via a VR based remote treatment than they would utilize in person care.
And in the case of virtual therapy, the embarrassment worries were greatly reduced! That hits the trifecta for a highly adoptable therapy; it’s accessible, affordable, and has a high likelihood someone will do it!
This is not about replacing therapists, but adding additional adjunctive care options and providing therapists with new tools to reach a broader base of patients while ensuring they have manageable case loads.
Patients did state they would need the VR therapy to be safe, effective and affordable, which are table stakes for just about any therapy to be widely adopted.
VR has suffered so many commercial and social ups and downs but as technologies and perceptions improve, it is poised to take its place as a key delivery mechanism for immersive medicines. So much more to come!
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