Using VR for Social Anxiety

Humans are inherently social creatures; without cooperation, we would not have survived as a species and created the societies we have today. We make friends, we form relationships, and we join groups of people with common interests. But for some people, socialization doesn’t bring a feeling of connection; it brings apprehension. People with social anxiety struggle with fears of being judged and see socializing as a form of stress.

Therapy can be a great way for people with social anxiety to work through their issues. The most common forms of treatment are cognitive behavioral therapy and exposure therapy. This combination slowly exposes people to stressful social situations while teaching them coping methods and allowing them to practice what they’ve learned. However, since exposure therapy requires the patient to be placed in a triggering situation, it can be traumatic, especially if the therapist cannot control this exposure. But as virtual reality technology becomes more affordable and more commonplace, more mental health professionals have turned to using VR for social anxiety treatment.