Advances in Virtual Reality and Anxiety Disorders

The interactive computer-generated world of virtual reality has been successful in treat ing phobias and other anxiety-related conditions, in part because of its distinct advan tages over traditional in vivo exposure. Yet many clinicians still think of VR technology as it was in the 1990s-bulky, costly, technically difficult-with little knowledge of its evolution toward more modern, evidence-based, practice-friendly treatment. These updates, and their clinical usefulness, are the subject of Advances in Virtual Re ality and Anxiety Disorders, a timely guidebook geared toward integrating up-to-date VR methods into everyday practice. Introductory material covers key virtual reality concepts, provides a brief history of VR as used in therapy for anxiety disorders, ad dresses the concept of presence, and explains the side effects, known as cybersickness, that affect a small percentage of clients. Chapters in the book's main section detail current techniques and review study findings for using VR in the treatment of: * Claustrophobia. * Panic disorder, agoraphobia, and driving phobia. * Acrophobia and aviophobia. * Arachnophobia. * Social phobia. * Generalized anxiety disorder and OCD. * PTSD. * Plus clinical guidelines for establishing a VR clinic. An in-depth framework for effective (and cost-effective) therapeutic innovations for entrenched problems, Advances in Virtual Reality and Anxiety Disorders will find an engaged audience among psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, and mental health counselors.eractive