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The Future of Digital Therapeutics: How Virtual Reality and Mindfulness Can Be Used to Promote Mental Health & Wellness

More markets are adopting virtual reality for training, education, and more. But did you know VR can be used for mental wellness? Digital therapeutics are the future of mental health.

Written by AJ Diekroeger
November 2nd, 2021

What are Digital Therapeutics?

 

Digital therapeutics refers to the use of high-quality software technology to treat or manage health, specifically backed by evidence-based practices. One example of a digital therapeutic would be using a sleep aid app before bed to help you fall asleep.

 

Digital therapy is a relatively new concept which aims to explore how we can use digital technology for mental health and wellness. It’s becoming more popular with the rise of new technology and the desire to find clinically validated alternatives to medication.

 

How Does Virtual Reality and Mindfulness Help with Mental Health?

 

Over the past few years, there has been substantial growth and investment in the virtual reality (VR) industry. Facebook, makers of the Oculus VR headset, announced their brand change to Meta and a $50 million investment in research and partnerships, including the mental health space.

 

VR has a unique way of engaging the user by using immersive media. While wearing a VR headset, the user is completely surrounded by content; eliminating distractions, notifications, and disruptions. When the content is designed well or contains nature-based scenery, it can have a profoundly positive effect on the user. The brain believes what it sees.

 

Additionally, virtual reality combined with neurofeedback can take a user to the next level with brain training. Neurofeedback is designed to provide information about mental states based on brainwave patterns. It gives the user insight into how their thoughts impact their performance, control emotional responses, and regulate behavior.

 

How Virtual Reality Tools can Help: 5 Different Use Cases

 

Our mental wellness app, Healium, is being used in enterprises where human performance is important. Each enterprise has its own unique set of challenges and goals. They all benefit from brain training and an increase in feelings of focused calm.

 

Sports/Human Performance

 

Athletes are using neurofeedback to increase readiness and recovery before, during, and after a competition or workout. They’re using Healium to improve reaction times and to remain calm during high stress situations. This allows them to access their flow state much easier so they can optimize their performance.

 

Corporate Wellness

 

For many people, the majority of their mental space is spent at work. Thankfully, more and more innovative companies are investing in their employees’ mental health. Reduce burnout, increase mood and attendance, and empower your staff to reach for these tools when they need mental health breaks. The benefit to our wellness plan is that one VR headset can be used for multiple employees with an easy-to-implement hygiene protocol.

 

Military

 

On the actual frontlines of post-traumatic stress, military personnel benefit from using Healium for relaxation and escape. Think of those stationed far away from nature like on an aircraft carrier or submarine or those returning from combat. Our soldiers, sailors, and airmen are using drugless tools for mental health that are self-guided, portable, and easy to access.

 

Academia

 

Our students are under more stress than ever. From secondary to higher education, our students are navigating a new environment without a roadmap. We’re passionate about equipping them with the mental health tools they need to self-manage their anxiety and stress. Using Healium allows them to access nature-based content that’s not only clinically validated but also highly engaging. Students are finding new ways to visualize their brain patterns and build healthy coping skills.

 

Individual Consumers

 

Did you know that you can do neurofeedback at home? Our consumer ambassadors are growing. Many wellness enthusiasts are looking to their VR headsets and mobile devices for more than gaming and connection, but as a resource for mental health. By developing this new biometrically-controlled content, we’re at the forefront of that innovation creating content for these users and we’re at the forefront of that innovation. Our users access their data in their personalized data dashboard to track their own progress over time.

 

How to Get Started with Healium

 

Healium virtual reality is available for Oculus and Pico headsets, and coming soon to HTC Vive Flow. You can find our augmented reality app for your mobile device on Google Play and the Apple store. For enterprise solutions, please reach out to our team at hello@tryhealium.com.

 

Don’t have a VR headset but still want some of the benefits of Healium? Download our augmented reality app for your phone or tablet.

 

Gour AR app on Android through the Google Play store

app store

Written by AJ Diekroeger
November 2nd, 2021
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