How VR Can Cure Greater Gambling Addictions

Virtual reality is all the rage right now with many people calling it our future.

VR has many capabilities – it can create jobs, add an immense entertainment value and it has even been sensationalized on the news.

Virtual reality technology has many perks and downsides that we're uncovering in this post.

VR As Therapy

Some people claim that VR works as therapy.

VR works in concert with CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy).

Therapists claim that it can reach into the person's mind and have access to their emotions without needing to go to a casino.

This therapy can pinpoint the triggers based on the information the person supplies to the therapist.

How Does That Work?

The person uses their imagination and mentally places themselves in the casino – they imagine the whole scenario.

Next, they identify potential triggers and describe the scenes to the doctor.

The doctor tries to get to the root of the problem and asks what's going on in the person's mind at every turn.

Then, the doctor can help them identify which people, places, and things they need to stay away from and which parts seem to be more vulnerable for the patient.

VR helps to create the casino environment, so realistically it's possible to see any compulsions.

Therefore, VR therapy can help identify triggers before they even start.

Potential Downsides

VR therapy, despite its potential benefits, has some downsides.

1. Most people are not skilled or have the self-awareness to place themselves in the VR world. There are a lot of people who do not have the imagination for this.
2. A recent study concluded that VR therapy has only been successful for 60% of the population, at best. Doctors have shown that this VR therapy is close enough to the real thing that they can get their patients to be very responsive when needed.
3. Some worry that VR therapy can trigger someone enough to relapse when they are in recovery.

A Doctor's View of Gambling Problems

Most doctors agree that their patient's gambling addiction serves an emotional need, and not necessarily a monetary one.

They are addicted to everything about it, including the rush, which also serves an emotional purpose.

Some people may not take VR as reality but they're also not gamblers and they're not addicted to the whole atmosphere.

A gambler is going to see something real: they see slot machines, relate to the reward system and are already preconditioned.

They can walk through the VR, and their brain assumes the role of the “gambler.”

Could Patients Be Triggered Enough to Relapse?

Doctors and therapists are very much aware of the possibility of relapse.

It is the elephant in the room, so to speak.

There is an inherent danger in using this type of therapy, but there is a danger in doing many things – the same goes for playing at online casinos.

Remember, you cannot make an omelette without breaking some eggs.