VR for Mental Well-being
Main Outline
My proposal is to create an immersive tool that guides you through a variety of grounding techniques that can improve your mental wellbeing. Whether it's anxiety, depression or ADHD that you struggle with, there are many proven effective ways to help with the management of these issues.
The 54321-grounding method is a popular technique used in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. Each number represents a sense; you see 5 things, touch 4 things, hear 3 things, smell 2 things, and taste 1 thing. As you do this, you anchor yourself in the present moment which reduces anxiety. When a technique like this is developed to be experienced in a virtual reality space, the user can fully immerse themselves in the practice. This cuts out distractions in the environment and helps to focus on the activity.
As an addition to the experience, the user gets the option to learn about the technique that the VR allows them to practice. What happens in your body when you are feeling anxious? What is the purpose of this process your body goes through? What happens when you engage in a grounding practice like the 54321-method? The ability to label and identify the experiences your mind and body go through can be powerful in the process of improving your mental health (see figures 1 and 2).
This device could provide different sections outlining techniques proven helpful for dealing with a variety of different mental health disorders. 7 major mental health disorders:
· Anxiety disorders, including panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and phobias.
· Depression, bipolar disorder, and other mood disorders.
· Eating disorders.
· Personality disorders.
· Post-traumatic stress disorder.
· Psychotic disorders, including schizophrenia.
This VR experience focuses on guiding the user through therapeutic methods, while offering theoretical knowledge presented in an immersive context to take away. If we can better understand what is happening inside us – perhaps we have a better chance at being able to work with our brains and our bodies towards a healthier, happier way of living.
Fig 1 Vivyan. ca. 2015. Tolerating Uncertainty [online image]
Fig 2 Vivyan. ca. 2016. APPLE A Mindful Response to Thoughts [online image]
Justification
These kinds of educational posters are brilliant – and many are available for free – but a lot of people find it difficult to engage with this kind of two-dimensional material, especially as we move towards a more dynamic learning experience at younger ages. Kids are submerged into the digital world from a very young age, and it is only natural that they are more responsive to digital learning experiences. Individuals learn in different ways – people would benefit from having the option to immerse themselves into an experience that utilises various learning styles – such as combined aural and visual learners – and caters to these differences.
The fact remains, that therapy is still not accessible enough. What if there was a place that made therapy engaging, affordable and accessible? Using VR as a tool to help people learn techniques to increase their mental wellbeing could be the solution. Okay, VR is still expensive, but what if there were VR headset spaces in public libraries? A space that is becoming increasingly undervalued as technological advancements continue exponentially. This idea is about translating all of the helpful therapeutic knowledge and devices to one platform and making them easier for different kinds of people to access and engage with. VR could be a powerful way to bring therapy into the digital age.
Image references
Figure 1. Carol Vivyan. ca. 2015. Tolerating Uncertainty [online image]. Get Self Help [online]. https://www.getselfhelp.co.uk/docs/APPLE.pdf [accessed 30 March 2023].
Figure 2. Carol Vivyan. ca. 2016. APPLE A Mindful Response to Thoughts [online image]. Get Self Help [online]. https://www.getselfhelp.co.uk/docs/APPLE2.pdf [accessed 30 March 2023].
Written by Chi Ribeiro
Edited by Abiramy Yogeswaran