Healing Troops Via Virtual Reality

Healing Troops Via Virtual Reality
Hartford Courant | December 04, 2007

The soldier is driving down an arrow-straight road through the desert landscape of rural Iraq. He feels a distant concussion as smoke rises from a Humvee ahead.

The mosquito-like whiz of small arms fire pierces the air. Insurgents are visible on a bridge ahead.

Next comes the hard-edged rat-tat-tat of a .50-caliber machine gun firing from the turret and the tinkle of ejected shell casings falling on the vehicle floor.

The soldier turns to the right and sees a comrade badly wounded.

In an effort to help those damaged by the stress of combat, researchers at Hartford Hospital's Institute of Living are using a virtual reality machine to simulate the sights and sounds of Iraq. Wearing goggles and headphones linked to the machine, mentally scarred veterans can experience the war again, complete with baked desert air and the acrid smell of diesel fuel.

Researchers hope the digital experience -- minus blood and death -- can help vets recover from post-traumatic stress disorder, a condition marked by nightmares and debilitating fears, irritable outbursts and diminished interest in the pleasurable activities of life.


Rest of article at: http://www.military.com/NewsContent/0,13319,157504,00.html?wh=wh



uhc comment: As long as the military and Veterans Administration provide real therapy and counseling to go with virtual reality, this may help those with PTSD.