There’s no denying the fact that PTSD is a serious issue for returning war veterans across the world, but unfortunately, many aren’t getting the help they need to adapt back into a normal home environment. In my opinion, treatment for war-related PTSD is something that should be researched a whole lot more than it currently is, and with the help of people like Matthew O’Farrell, an Iraq veteran with PTSD, it might one day be possible to help treat PTSD efficiently and cheaply across the globe.
Matthew O’Farrell has recently released a new IndieGogo project that focuses on providing veterans with access to virtual reality PTSD simulations that can help sufferers move on from repressed memories that have severely effected their lives. Studies have shown that through repetitive exposure, the brains of PTSD sufferers learn to stop sending fear signals when a danger is no longer present, and the O’Farrell’s kit is designed to simulate this exposure.
With the help of Matthew O’Farrell’s project, the future may hold promise for PTSD sufferers as the end goal is to provide veterans with easy-to-access virtual reality PTSD treatment that can help them to run through simulations with therapists so that they can learn to overcome their triggers and return to a normal functioning life.
I certainly think there’s a lot of potential for the virtual reality PTSD approach, and with the impending release of the Ocolus Rift, it’s something that could be easily accessible pretty much anywhere. At the time of writing, O’Farrell’s project has only raised $600 out of a $100,000 goal, so he’s got a long way to go.
If you’re interested in the project, you can watch the video below to get a picture of what Matthew O’Farrell plans to do with the virtual reality software he is developing.
The IndieGogo page for the War veteran PTSD virtual reality treatment can be seen here.
