Virtual Reality Therapy Reduces Stress and Anxiety in Patients by 34% in New Study Published in Cell

Insider Brief

• XRHealth has announced findings of a reduction in anxiety and stress using virtual reality methods.
• Findings suggest VR can reduce stress and anxiety by 73%.

BOSTON, Aug. 2, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — XRHealth, the leading healthcare platform in  Spatial computing, announces today that virtual reality therapy reduces stress and anxiety in patients by 34%, which was published in a new study in Cell. XRHealth’s VR technology was used for the therapeutic intervention, which resulted in a decrease of stress in 73% of patients, more so in female patients and those in the 18-24 age bracket.

Anxiety is one of the most common mental health conditions in the United States with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) affecting 6.8 million adults and 15 million adults have been diagnosed with Social Anxiety Disorder.

“Because of the prevalence of anxiety disorders diagnosed each year and given the nature of the condition it is important to have effective treatment options that can be done from the comfort of home,” says Eran Orr, Chief Executive Officer of XRHealth. “Mental health treatments that are engaging and effective are available for patients to do virtually. This study demonstrates the efficacy and accessibility of virtual reality treatment so that patients have multiple therapeutic options.”

The study was performed on 61 participants who received virtual reality therapy solely in the metaverse. The group ranged in ages from approximately 15.7 to 45.7 years with 50% female, 19% male, and 31% identified as other. VR applications presented relaxing environments, encouraged breathing, improved physical fitness while promoting mindfulness. The results highlighted that anxiety (GAD) decreased 34% and stress was reduced by 32% after virtual reality therapy. Stress was evaluated in 11 participants ages 18-34 by measuring heart rate and via an online survey, after they experienced augmented reality therapy in the form of a virtual island with a waterfall and campfire and given the option to listen to music. Stress was reduced in 73% of the participants ages 18-24.

“XRHealth is unique in that we bring not only a technological solution, but that our solution is built around a clinician. Spatial computing is the perfect platform to bring this type of therapy to patients around the globe, allowing them to be in the same virtual room with their clinician from the comfort of their home,” says Miki Levy, co-founder and Chief Technology Officer at XRHealth. “The results of this retrospective review show that this method can provide an alternative to traditional ‘brick and mortar’ institutions. Our job in XRHealth is to bring more tools into our platform to strengthen the clinician and provide them with superpowers to fight the surge in mental health conditions.”

About XRHealth

XRHealth is revolutionizing healthcare utilizing spatial computing. The company operates state-of-the-art therapeutic care Virtual Rooms, utilizing proprietary FDA and CE registered medical Extended Reality (XR) technology (virtual and augmented reality). XRHealth integrates immersive XR technology, licensed clinicians, and advanced data analytics on one platform, providing a comprehensive therapeutic care solution for patients to receive treatment from the comfort of their home. The company offers a variety of patent-pending solutions from rehabilitation services to cognitive assessment and training to pain management. XRHealth works with several world-renowned U.S. healthcare providers, hospitals, and rehabilitation centers. Founded in 2016, XRHealth is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts and its R&D center is located in Tel-Aviv, Israel. For more information, visit https://www.xr.health/.

CONTACT:
DeeDee Rudenstein,
drudenstein@propelsc.com,
(267) 521-9654

SOURCE XRHealth