Virtual Reality And Drug & Alcohol Rehabilitation
When it comes to facing a substance use disorder, an individual can experience incredible obstacles.
In order to make the road to recovery as easy, safe and comfortable as possible, research is continually investing in future studies and developing new technologies that can support those Bghting substance abuse.
One key area of technological advancement that has improved the recovery experience is virtual reality.
The ability to become immersed in another world has facilitated leaps in leisure and video entertainment, but it has also provided the perfect, ultra-safe environment for patients with alcohol dependence or drug addiction to Bght their triggers and resist cravings.
How does virtual reality make an impact in addiction rehab?
Putting on a headset and entering a virtual world may not immediately seem like a useful thing for drug or alcohol addiction sufferers to do, but the beauty of VR is that this exact technology grants the safest way to encounter, engage with, and combat addiction triggers.
Using virtual reality therapy, an individual can be transported to a bar, club, party, or other scenario in which they may be faced with triggers that incite addictive behaviours.
Peer pressure, social anxiety, mental health disorders – such pressures can be prompted by VR.
The magic to this method is that individuals can become immersed in these scenarios without putting themselves in danger.
They can believe temporarily that they are in a tough situation, but in reality, they are under the safe supervision of medical staff and therapists.
VR grants the opportunity to role-play, face triggers, practice rejecting them and behaving in alternative, healthier ways.
Individuals can get used to deploying the coping mechanisms they’ve learned in rehab, and if they fail, they can try again without any consequences.
By exposing themselves more and more to tempting situations, individuals are able to build conbdence in their ability to handle themselves and deploy the techniques they’ve learned. This conbdence eventually proves vital in real-life situations, improving relapse prevention.