A new world of substance use disorder treatment.
InnateVRusesanovelapproachtotreatingsubstanceusedisorderthroughthemostadvancedvirtualrealitytechnology.
How It Works
Substanceusedisordersformfromrepetitiveoverstimulationofrewardcircuitryinthebrain.DuringtheprocessofdevelopingSUD,thebrainassociatesenvironmentalcues,presentduringdrugexposure,withtheintakeofthedrug.Thesecuesthenbegintotriggerstrongdrugcravingsontheirown,evenwhenthedrugisnotpresent.Itisthesecravingsthatcanputtheindividualinastrongdrugseekingstatewhichcanultimatelyleadtorelapse.
ByexposingtheindividualwithSUDtotheseenvironmentaltriggersinvirtualenvironments,withoutgettingtherewardofthedrug,theirbrainwillun-learntheassociationsbetweenenvironmentalcuesanddrugexposure.Also,theychangethewaytheirbrainrespondstothestressofdrugtriggersandcravings.Forexample,SUDsaredrivenbymoreinstinctual,lowerbrainprocessesinthelimbicsystem;however,exposuretherapyreturnsregulationtotheprefrontalcortex,allowingtheindividualtobemorecapableofinhibitingandminimizingtheeffectsofenvironmentaltriggers.ThisdecreaseindrugcravingsmakesthembetterequippedforovercomingSUDanddiscoveringlongtermsobriety.
Who It's For
OurtreatmentisforclinicianswhoworkwithindividualswithSUD.Youwillbeabletoplaceindividualsinhighlyimmersive,interactivevirtualsimulations,andcounselthemthroughouttheirtreatment.
Researchhasshownthatthemorerealisticandinteractivethevirtualexposuretherapy,themorelikelytheindividualwillbeabletorecoverfromSUD.TheHTCViveiscurrentlythemostinteractivevirtualrealitytechnology,containingroomscalecapabilitytowalkaroundin(whileinvirtualreality)andhandcontrollersthatallowyoutomoveyourarmsandinteractwithobjectswithinthevirtualenvironment.Additionally,therecentupgradesingraphicscards,specificallymadeforvirtualreality,ensureshighlyrealisticenvironments.ByputtingclientsinourvirtualenvironmentsbeingcreatedfortheHTCVive,theywillbeabletobuildupmoreresilienceagainstdrugtriggersandstress.