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How
it works
What VRH does
VRH is used in a wide range of therapeutic applications,
which includes: anxiety, depression, self image, acute and post traumatic
stress disorders, addictions (e.g. alcohol, weight, smoking and benzodiazepine),
pain management, panic, psychosomatic disorders, sleep disorders, coping
strategies, psycho-immunology, psycho-oncology symptoms, and latent viral
infections. The list of areas of use is continuously growing
.
The VRH system uses state of the art technology to induce a deep meditative
state. A head mounted audio visual display delivers crystal clear sound
and vision while removing all external stimuli. The headset is compact and
unincumbering, allowing for use in any environment.
VRH refocuses the mind from pain and anxiety to pleasant sensory stimuli-
potentially shielding the patient from full awareness of a wide range of
noxious stimuli.17, 23
In a virtual environment, auditory and visual overload are combined with
distraction and subliminal hypnotic suggestions, leading to an altered state
of consciousness, deep muscle relaxation, amnesia, time distortion and reduced
levels of stress and perceived pain.17,
18, 24
According to psychoneuroimmunology research, a reduced level of stress and
anxiety can have a positive influence on wound healing and immunity, and
reduce psychosomatic pathology, disability, morbidity and mortality. VRH
provides immediate access to the benefits of mind-body medicine in a consistent,
reliable manner. VRH is a cognitive pain management therapy, which can be
used in isolation, or in conjunction with traditional pharmacologic strategies.25
Altered states of consciousness / meditative states induced by audiovisual
presentations are economical, extremely safe, and time efficient. Health
care workers do not require expert knowledge of the process. An audio visual
relaxation method can be delivered repeatedly in a consistent and reliable
manner. 17, 21, 22
The Science
The Central Nervous System, the autonomic nervous
system, neuropeptides, cytokines and hormones provide a conduit for communication
between the mind and the body
.
Psychoneuroimmunology research indicates that progression and outcome of
disease is strongly influenced by methods and treatments that encourage
cognitive handling of emotionally charged information.2,
11, 13, 14, 15
The benefits of cognitive therapy have been reported on countless occasions
in psychoneuroimmunology research, and strongly recommended in the use of
mind-body therapies to complement conventional medical treatments16
.
Mind body therapies like hypnosis, guided imagery and meditation are a mechanism
for influential communication, which can be used to focus the mind's inner
unconscious resources to activate or inhibit psychological or physiological
responses.17
Hypnosis is a recognised medical technique used in obstetrics, surgery,
anaesthesia, paediatrics, psychiatry, nursing and dentistry.14
In surgical environments, painless operations have been reported using hypnosis
instead of pharmacologic anaesthesia and analgesia. In medical intensive
care units, burn injury pain control has been reported using hypnosis when
opioid medication was shown to be dangerous or ineffective.18,
19 Virtual Reality Hypnosis has been used
successfully in all of these environments and continues to be used everyday
.
In a virtual environment, metaphors can be coordinated
with visual and non-verbal stimuli to create theatrical surrealism, which
immerses the user in a role-play environment where therapeutic suggestion
is linked with metaphoric narrative. In surreal theatrical environments
created by virtual reality, lessons embedded in metaphoric narrative are
more likely to evade conscious, critical analysis, and be assimilated in
belief structures at subconscious levels; providing alternative pathways
for inappropriate thought. In practitioner-guided hypnotherapy, theatrical
surrealism and effective role-play are more difficult to achieve, so the
lessons from metaphoric narrative may be lost in critical analysis at conscious
or semiconscious levels
.
The Virtual Reality Medicine
system is a flexible, portable unit, which is used in various clinical environments
including hospitals private medical centers and counseling clinics.
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