Virtual Reality Could Cure Your Fear of Public Speaking
How total immersion in a digital world can help anxiety
Fear of public speaking is real and, for most of us, limiting. Whether it’s that sense of dread far in advance of the presentation or the rising feelings of panic as we wait for our turn to stand and talk, it can be gut-wrenching.
Standing in front of people can, at minimum, be uncomfortable but also causes panic attacks and depression. Most of us have experienced a racing heart, sweating, wanting to run away, or avoiding such requests to talk in the first place.
If left unchecked, public speaking anxiety can even affect educational performance and increase the chance of unemployment.
And yet, there is an unlikely treatment. Research shows that speaking in front of a virtual audience can dramatically reduce anxiety levels.
Virtual reality in therapy
When successful, computer-generated, three-dimensional environments can be highly immersive and interactive. And while their use is more common in design, gaming, or training, virtual reality (VR) has found recent success in psychological treatment and clinical research.
