The treatment of the phobia of flying through Virtual Reality

The phobia of flying or aerophobia belongs to the category of situational type specific phobia, which in its different degrees afflicts approximately a quarter of the population, where 10% meet the necessary criteria to be diagnosed as specific phobia.

In this article we will see what are the possible therapeutic proposals that can be used to treat this disorder, and we will focus on one of them that is especially effective: the treatment of aerophobia through Virtual Reality.

• Related article: "Aerophobia: when the fear of flying is pathological"

What is aerophobia or phobia of flying?

Aerophobia is a psychological disorder in which situations that are interpreted as linked to the experience of flying in an airplane produce symptoms of extreme anxiety, such as sweating, tremors, dizziness or panic attacks. As a consequence, every effort is made to avoid these situations, even when one is aware that there is a real or significant danger when taking a plane.

Beyond beliefs, the phobia of flying is not an individualized fear, but rather a reflection of different underlying components. It can be caused both by direct aversive experiences, by vicarious learning (the fact of having seen others to do things or experience certain events) or by transmission of information (mines about the danger of airplanes, etc.).

Aerophobia is mostly made up of very specific concerns., such as the fear of flight accidents, although we also found other apprehensions that reflect the heterogeneity of the different manifestations of the disorder, and that they may come from other phobias. For example, fear of enclosed spaces, fear of losing control of the situation, fear of heights, phobia of experiencing undesirable physical sensations, or fear of instability.

Cognitive techniques to overcome phobias

The psychological treatment techniques and procedures used in the therapeutic approach to aerophobia are very different from each other. The most widely used treatment, in any case, is that of multicomponent programs. With different individual characteristics, most of these are made up of the following elements.

Aviation information about anxiety responses

This helps to contextualize the experience and to reject certain myths about the danger of flying.

Activation control strategies

For example, controlled breathing, muscle relaxation, and applied relaxation.

cognitive strategies

For example, self-instructions, rational emotive therapy, detection of phobic cognitions, and generation of alternative thoughts. They are suitable for controlling dysfunctional thoughts.

Live Exhibition

It is done as part of the treatment itself or as a flight schedule at the end of the training.

Virtual Reality in the treatment of the phobia of flying

The immanent difficulties to carry out the Live Exposure in the specific case of the fear of flying, are due to both economic inconveniences and the impracticality of the treatment. This has led to the development of other favorable procedures for confronting the feared stimuli, as is the case of treatments created by computer and, especially, Virtual Reality.

Exposure through Virtual Reality has the same effectiveness as live exposure, with the improvement that it works avoiding all those inconveniences that we would have with live treatment previously commented.

But... what exactly is Virtual Reality? It is an application that includes a series of computer generated environments through 3D graphics or 360º filming, totally immersive and interactive with the patient. This method is safe, non-invasive, and creates a sense of situational presence. On the other hand, the technology used has a history of more than 20 years of scientific studies behind it, Based on the fact that the first article on Virtual Reality in the field of clinical psychology was carried out in 1985.

When we talk about virtual reality in the health field, we have as a reference the Psious platform, which is designed by and for psychologists. This company works with equipment made up of specific glasses for Virtual Reality, a smart mobile phone, computer with which the therapist configures the variables, and a biofeedback sensor to control the physiological response of the patient.

The Virtual Reality on which it is based psiousallows to increase the immersion, the commitment and the satisfaction of the patients, in addition to offering faster and more effective therapy. It is a tool that not only intervenes in cases of aerophobia, but also can treat other phobias and anxiety-related disorders, such as PTSD, OCD, ADHD, panic attacks, or conduct disorder food.

• Maybe you're interested: "Virtual Reality and Psychotherapy: these are its qualities"