Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy for Combat-Related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Virtual reality (VR) technology is rapidly evolving to support prolonged exposure (PE) therapy, a proven treatment for combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder. Building on the successful 2007 Virtual Iraq/Afghanistan VRET system, a team of behavioral scientists, software engineers, and virtual artists has created Bravemind, a flexible VR system that offers significantly enhanced PE treatment possibilities. The first Web extra at http://youtu.be/EiYg-kMNMtQ is a video demonstration of an original early virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) prototype that shows a small section of an Iraqi city with a landing helicopter (2004). The second Web extra at http://youtu.be/_cS-ynWZmeQ is a video demonstration of VRET that simulates driving a Humvee in a rural part of Iraq, showcasing several encounters, including IED and road-side attacks (2007). The third Web extra at http://youtu.be/78QXX_F4mc8 is a video demonstration of VRET that simulates an overview of several Iraqi city areas (2007). The fourth Web extra at http://youtu.be/_AnixslkVLU is a video demonstration of VRET that simulates a patrol entering interior buildings in Iraq (2007). The fifth Web extra at http://youtu.be/S22aQ-DqKKU is a video demonstration of an original VRET tablet interface that allows the clinician to change virtual reality settings and trigger encounters (2007). The sixth Web extra at http://youtu.be/C-fspuLo4vw is a video demonstration of the Bravemind VRET prototype showing a variety of driving and dismounted scenarios with encounters in Iraq and Afghanistan (2013). The sixth Web extra at http://youtu.be/HSPDomDAigg is a video collection of Iraqi and Afghanistan VRET scenarios within the Bravemind prototype (2013).