Take a Look at Me Now: The Use of Virtual Reality in the Treatment of Social Anxiety Disorder

Abstract

In anxiety and related disorders, Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (VRET) was one of the first steps toward integrating technology into psychological treatments. In this article, we discuss crucial therapeutical skills and provide a case conceptualisation for the treatment of social anxiety disorder with VRET. The case conceptualisation is based on evidence-based cognitive-behavioural treatment approaches. Social anxiety can be very challenging to treat with exposure in vivo, and virtual reality exposure offers the added benefit of being able to create social situations and real-time interactions within the therapeutic context. The case conceptualisation presented is worked out for a 23-year-old female with social anxiety disorder who is increasingly hindered by her anxiety in her professional and personal life. The treatment rationale of VRET, homework assignments, and progress of therapy are presented. Additionally, this paper discusses what steps to take if the first exposure experiences are not successful and how to progress in such cases. Therapeutic pitfalls are illustrated within this case and potential solutions on how to avoid these pitfalls are addressed.