Can virtual reality heal the mind?

Last weekend, my son brought a virtual reality headset and suggested that I try it. The game he had installed was a virtual reality roller coaster, and all I had to do was sit in a chair facing the TV and put on the headset. When the game started, I found myself immersed as if I were on a real roller coaster. My heart began to race, and I couldn’t help but scream as the trolley climbed up before plunging down. I felt the rush of adrenaline and excitement without having to leave my living room.
That short experience made me think, if a headset could trick my brain into believing I was flying through the air, could it be used to treat fears and other mental health problems? As it turns out, researchers have been asking the same question, and the results are promising.
For decades, psychologists have relied on exposure therapy to help people overcome phobias. The principle is simple: by gradually and safely exposing a person to the object of their fear, whether it is spiders, heights, or flying, the brain eventually learns that the situation is not as dangerous as it feels. But in reality, it is not always easy to recreate these fears. You cannot, for example, bring a plane into the clinic every week. That is where virtual reality (VR) comes in.
With VR, therapists can simulate realistic scenarios in a controlled environment. A patient with a fear of flying can “board” a virtual plane, hear the cabin announcements, feel the engines roar, and even experience turbulence, all while sitting in a therapist’s office. Similarly, someone with a fear of heights can stand on the edge of a tall building in a virtual city, gradually working their way higher as their confidence grows. The brain reacts almost as if the situation were real, but the safety of the therapy room remains intact.
Another technology, called Augmented Reality (AR), overlays digital images onto the real world and has been used to help people with social anxiety. It can be used to attend a simulated virtual job interview with several avatars posing as managers who provide you with detailed feedback on your performance, tone of voice and level of confidence. This will enable you to improve your skills before your real interview.
Beyond treating mental illness, VR can also be used to bring comfort to people with terminal conditions. At a recent exhibition, I came across a VR headset designed for patients with advanced cancer, allowing them to experience being at the Holy Mosque in Mecca. Through the headset, they could see the Kaaba in full view and hear the prayers resonating around them. For those too unwell to travel, this technology offers a sense of spiritual closeness and peace, giving them the opportunity to feel as if they had visited Mecca one last time.
In my opinion, a VR device can be more than games or amusement, but a tool for healing minds, reducing suffering and giving people back control over their lives. So next time you are at a mental health clinic, ask if they have VR therapy.

Dr Hamed al Sinawi The writer is a senior consultant psychiatrist at SQU Hospital