Reducing Anxiety through Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in Virtual Reality

抄録

The global prevalence of anxiety disorders has increased by 25% due to the impact of COVID-19. Unfortunately, only 6% of those affected are receiving psychotherapy. Various psychotherapeutic approaches to this situation, such as VR therapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), are popular. VR therapy allows patients to immerse themselves in experiences that are difficult to replicate in the real world, with the added benefits of being low-risk and low-cost. CBT, on the other hand, focuses on modifying patients' negative thought patterns and behaviors to alleviate anxiety. We proposed a system that uses VR to allow users to confront and erase virtual representations of their anxiety triggers, which follows the CBT principles in reframing negative thoughts and behaviors associated with those triggers. From the preliminary experiment, it was found that the system could reduce anxiety symptoms, as measured by pre- and post-exposure both Questionnaires and Heart Rate Variability signals. Overall, this combined VR-CBT approach presents a promising, accessible, and effective method for reducing anxiety.