The treatment of phobias with virtual reality applications is very similar to the exposure therapy described above. The patient plunges into the virtual environment where he can face his fears.
For example the phobia of public speaking is successfully treated with the application of virtual reality in the field of health. The patient is placed in a virtual room in front of an audience, where he has to speak and overcome his fear.
Any phobia influences the patient's quality of life, causing panic attacks and abnormal behavior in everyday situations. To bring these people back to normal life, different types of situations have been programmed. But the treatment of phobias with virtual reality is one of the safest, fastest and most effective.
I do agree that it has value. I'm just not sure it is going to make as much of an impact as the news and media hypes it up to be. The jury is still out...
Very true. Treatment of phobias seems to be so effective in VR because
In VR doctor or patient can control the environment very finely for example move spiders remotely, select number of them if they jump or not etc. In real life you can visit insectarium but can't select the environment or control spiders behaviour. Also it's easier to persuade someone with phobia to put on a headset then to visit insectarium every weak or so ;)
Some phobias simply are too complicated or cumbersome to be desensitivesed in real life. Example, fear of flying planes, first you get used to seating in passengers seat, then you circle around for a bit, then maybe you lift off and immediately touch down afterwards. Who has money, space and time to organize something like this in RL? ; p In VR? Not a problem.
P.S VR can also cure lazy eye, people can see in 3d stereoscopy for the first time in their life after VR sessions :)