Fear of insects and spiders, which are among the most common phobias in society, can be overcome thanks to new generation technologies. With the augmented reality application, people with insect or spider phobia can learn to cope with their fears. Specialist Clinical Psychologist Çiğdem Demirsoy said that therapies involving behavioral interventions are effective in the treatment of such fears rather than traditional insight-based psychotherapies.
NPISTANBUL Hospital Specialist Clinical Psychologist Çiğdem Demirsoy said that technology can now be used in therapies and effective results are obtained.
The feared object is moved to the therapy room
Noting that technology is constantly advancing and applications that increase the effectiveness of therapies have emerged thanks to new software, Çiğdem Demirsoy said, "We use these methods in exposure applications, the basis of which is among cognitive behavioral therapies. We carry the object of fear into the therapy room in order to expose the person to the disturbing stimulus. Currently, we have existing software in our system that will allow us to work on spider and insect phobia. In the therapy room, the person can see the insect in three dimensions and perceive it as if an insect or a spider is walking on their hand."
Phone is used instead of glasses
Noting that augmented reality application is a type of virtual reality applications, Expert Clinical Psychologist Çiğdem Demirsoy said, "In virtual reality applications, we were enabling the person to experience and experience some situations with the help of a pair of glasses. In augmented reality applications, we do not wear a pair of glasses. In this application, a cell phone is used. Thanks to a software installed on the mobile phone, three-dimensional visual stimulation is provided in the environment where the person is currently located. The person is made to perceive the disturbing insect or spider as if it is really on their hand or arm. When the person looks at the area captured by the phone's camera, the insects appear three-dimensionally in that visual area thanks to the software on the phone."
Applied therapies are effective in fear
Noting that fear of insects and spiders is among the most common types of fear, Çiğdem Demirsoy said, "In such fears, therapy methods that include behavioral practices are effective rather than traditional psychotherapies aimed at increasing inner awareness. Cognitive behavioral therapies are therapies with proven effectiveness on phobias. The reason why it is called cognitive-behavioral is that it works on both thoughts and behaviors with different techniques. Working only on cognitions, that is, on the thoughts of the person, is not enough in the treatment of phobias. Even if the person realizes his/her faulty thoughts that lead to his/her feelings and behaviors, this awareness does not always automatically initiate behavioral change in his/her life. In order for the change in thinking to be reflected in real life, it needs to be experienced through some behavioral practices. In therapy, we give homework assignments that can provide this experience, but in some cases, these homework assignments can be difficult for the person to implement or tasks that are difficult to realize. When working with fears, of course, there is often no chance to bring the feared object into the therapy room. However, thanks to these three-dimensional images, the person can view the insect or spider in the therapy room, even on their body. Thus, we can make the person experience that feeling of discomfort in a very intense way and we can work on extinguishing the feeling of fear by exposing it gradually, starting from the easiest way."
It is necessary to face the feared object
Stating that augmented reality application is an application that increases treatment success, Çiğdem Demirsoy said, "With this application, you make the person experience that fear. In exposure therapies, fear and anxiety are maximized when the person is exposed to the disturbing situation. The theory is that if we can keep the person at that maximum level of anxiety, fear and worry, after a while the feelings will fade. The person needs to experience this. It is difficult to experience this in real life. No matter how much you prepare the person for this thought in the therapy room, the person may not have the courage to experience it alone in real life. Thus, in the therapy room, the person experiences these practices in a safe environment with the therapist."
