Virtual Reality and Cellular Phones as a Complementary Intervention for Veterans with PTSD and Substance Use Disorders

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Z. Rosenthal
Keyword(s):  
Substance Use ◽  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Substance Use Disorders ◽  
Cellular Phones ◽  
Complementary Intervention

scholarly journals Virtual Reality-Based Treatment Approaches in the Field of Substance Use Disorders

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Tsamitros ◽  
M. Sebold ◽  
S. Gutwinski ◽  
A. Beck
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Trials ◽  
Substance Use ◽  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Substance Use Disorders ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Controlled Clinical Trials ◽  
Randomized Controlled Clinical Trials ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Large Samples

Abstract Purpose Substance use disorders (SUD) are burdening chronic conditions characterized by high relapse rates despite severe negative consequences. Substance-related cues that elicit craving by means of automatic physiological and behavioural responses have long been suggested to predict relapse. One major mechanism contributing to relapse behaviour are cue-induced behavioural approach tendencies towards the addictive agent. Recently, there has been an emerging interest in virtual reality (VR)-based approaches to assess and modify craving and its related responses. This review aims at elucidating (1) VR techniques applied in the field of SUD, (2) VR as an induction/assessment tool for biopsychological correlates of craving and (3) VR-based therapeutic approaches. Findings There is an emerging number of studies focusing on different substances of abuse incorporating VR in craving induction/assessment as well as therapy. Despite some limitations as missing of randomized controlled clinical trials with large samples and missing data on the long-term effects of VR treatment, the VR approach showed consistent results in eliciting and reducing craving across different substances. Summary This review suggests virtual reality as a promising tool for the assessment and treatment of craving among individuals with substance use disorders. Because of its ecological validity, VR unifies the benefits of a laboratory setting with the advantages of a realistic environment. Further studies with large samples and randomized controlled clinical trials using more homogenous VR techniques as well as assessment of objective biophysiological craving markers are required.

Progress in treatment on substance use disorders with virtual reality technologies

2016 ◽  
Vol 62 (9) ◽  
pp. 888-896 ◽  
Author(s):  
LiDan ZHOU ◽  
XiJing CHEN ◽  
ChunGuang WANG ◽  
Ming YUAN ◽  
Wang LIU ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Substance Use ◽  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Substance Use Disorders

Integrating Episodic Future Thinking into Virtual Reality to Mitigate Substance Use Disorders: A Theoretical Framework

2019 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
pp. 2282-2286
Author(s):  
Tianzi Wang ◽  
Alexandra M. Mellis ◽  
Nathan Lau ◽  
Warren Bickel
Keyword(s):  
Substance Use ◽  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Substance Use Disorders ◽  
Schema Theory ◽  
Theoretical Framework ◽  
Term Treatment ◽  
Episodic Future Thinking ◽  
Future Thinking ◽  
Individual Values ◽  
Long Term Treatment

Substance use disorders present major health risks and economic burdens, while current healthcare systems face insufficient resources and accessibility deficiencies that challenge long term treatment for chronic diseases. This paper presents a theoretical approach of integrating the concept of episodic future thinking into immersive virtual reality to treat substance use disorders. Episodic future thinking can extend the temporal window over which an individual values rewards, rebalancing the impulsive and executive decision systems and thereby reducing the valuation of substances of abuse. In theory, virtual reality can enhance episodic future thinking by providing realistic cues and contexts. We propose using schema theory to guide the design of virtual reality for facilitating episodic future thinking. Future work should focus on developing and evaluating a proof-of-concept of this theoretical framework.

scholarly journals Virtual reality job interview training and 6-month employment outcomes for individuals with substance use disorders seeking employment

2016 ◽  
Vol 44 (3) ◽  
pp. 323-332 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew J. Smith ◽  
Morris D. Bell ◽  
Michael A. Wright ◽  
Laura B. Humm ◽  
Dale Olsen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Substance Use ◽  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Substance Use Disorders ◽  
Employment Outcomes ◽  
Job Interview ◽  
Interview Training

scholarly journals Views of Practitioners and Researchers on the Use of Virtual Reality in Treatments for Substance Use Disorders

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rigina Skeva ◽  
Lynsey Gregg ◽  
Caroline Jay ◽  
Steve Pettifer
Keyword(s):  
Substance Use ◽  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Substance Use Disorders ◽  
Additional Treatment ◽  
Reality Therapy ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Health Care Practitioners ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Success Of Treatment ◽  
Subsequent Relapse

Virtual Reality Therapy (VRT) has been shown to be effective in treating anxiety disorders and phobias, but has not yet been widely tested for Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) and it is not known whether health care practitioners working with SUDs would use VRT if it were available. We report the results of an interview study exploring practitioners’ and researchers’ views on the utility of VRT for SUD treatment. Practitioners and researchers with at least two years’ experience delivering or researching and designing SUD treatments were recruited (n = 14). Interviews were thematically analyzed, resulting in themes relating to the safety and realism of VRT, and the opportunity for the additional insight it could offer to during SUD treatment. Participants were positive about employing VRT as an additional treatment for SUD. VRT was thought suitable for treating adults and people with mental health issues or trauma, provided that risks were appropriately managed. Subsequent relapse, trauma and over-confidence in the success of treatment were identified as risks. The opportunity VRT offered to include other actors in therapy (via avatar use), and observe reactions, were benefits that could not currently be achieved with other forms of therapy. Overall, VRT was thought to offer the potential for safe, realistic, personalized and insightful exposure to diverse triggering scenarios, and to be acceptable for integration into a wide range of SUD treatments.

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