The convoy is under attack. A roadside bomb obliterates the Humvee that had been leading the column and gunfire rains down on the windshield in front of you, with the screams of civilians seeping through the developing holes in the vehicle. The driver next to you steps on the gas and the Humvee lurches forward, the roar of the truck drowning out the radio operator's call for air support.
That's what patients experience in a new breed of treatment design to help combat the effect of post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. BraveMind, one of the developers of virtual reality (VR) treatments for psychological disorders that are being used by trained therapists, created the improvised explosive device attack scenario. Treatments like this one are currently live at more than 60 veterans' hospitals, universities and military centers.
Some look to help veterans process past traumas. Others transport them to peaceful environments to provide a bit of peace.
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Jonathan Spier, deputy executive director of the Long Island State Veterans Home, has been working on virtual reality as a treatment for years. In an interview, he said he “felt strongly there was great potential” and has started to see results.
Three hundred and fifty veterans are under his charge at the home who have served in every conflict from World War II up through Iraq and…
