Breakdown
- Medical experts claim VR can help with depression
- Patients enjoyed their time with these headsets, playing games and dancing
- This is in addition to therapy, not an actual replacement
VR is still something tech giants are trying to figure out, but some specialists have said that this space can help treat depression. Numerous VR games and the failed metaverse showed how users can seemingly be transported to different locations, so we can see how this would help people.
A new study done by JMIR Mental Health (via Neuroscience News), reveals that there is potential here in treating major depressive disorder (MDD). The study claims that interventions through VR did a good job at helping out patients who put on these headsets.
Patients with the headsets did a number of activities that helped them with what they were going through. Studies showed that they would play games, dance, and other activities that helped in treating their MDD symptoms.
It should be noted that VR sessions are just as effective as traditional therapy, so this isn’t meant to be a replacement for that. Rather, this is a good alternative to those who aren’t jiving with traditional therapy, since that process isn’t always for everyone.
Based on these studies, it seems that the patients really enjoyed how immersive these virtual environments were, since the idea is to transport people to a new “world.” Since this did well, it will be interesting to see how medical personnel react to these reports in the future.
VR is still niche and very expensive, with companies like Apple still struggling to make the hardware more widely accepted. Headsets like the Vision Pro and Quest 3 definitely have their fans, but this is still far from a mainstream trend. Still, if institutions can gain access to these VR headsets and help out their patients, it would be a beautiful thing.
Only time will tell if VR technology will be readily available for anyone, since we’re at a time where people are more open about their depression. If VR ever becomes cheaper, this might be a good alternative for those suffering through major mental health issues.