the science

Does it work? In a word Yes

For a six month period we tested this product on trauma and anxiety patients at Psychology practice in the centre of Sydney (detailed results available on request); these were a mixture of different types of patients with differing anxiety from extreme stress to the lower end of anxiety.

All patients recorded:

1. A reduction in physical pain symptoms in their body after 10 minutes in ReleaseVR

2. All patients recorded that they would want to repeat the experience.

3. Some recorded improved sleep when they used the device a second time

So why does it work so well?

It is because we built and designed it with real patients using real science and a range of talented designers and artists. Below is an excerpt of some of the science behind ReleaseVR Stress Release tool. Each tool has its own element of science.

ReleaseVR - Stress Module Science

Stress and its impacts, such as increasing arousal have different impacts on our ability to access the ability to solve problems, perform and for extreme stress, like post traumatic stress after a trauma it can effect our ability to function normally. Stress and associated anxiety have been shown to impact cognitive processes and its impacts are associated with decreased brain activity in the bilateral prefrontal cortices (PFC) and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC; Bishop et al., 2004; Bishop, 2007, 2009; Harrison et al., 2008). Which is thought to be the areas where thought processes are activated. (Bishop et al., 2004; Raz and Buhle, 2006; Bishop, 2009). Therefore, controlling anxiety and stress through stress release tools enables users to increase their ability to access their cognitive thought processes (Zeidan et al, 2014).

Maslows Hierarchy of Needs

As part of our design we considered Maslow’s hierarchy of needs (1943) which provides five interdependent levels of basic human need that must be met for any human being to thrive. Careful analysis of the hierarchy reveals the bottom (also known as the foundation) to include the most basic of needs like food, water, shelter, air, warmth-termed physiological needs. Just above physiologic needs, there is safety to include physical and financial safety-termed security needs. The level above security is belonging, connectedness, family, love-termed social needs. The level above security is self-worth and accomplishment-termed esteem needs. At the peak of the hierarchy is self-awareness and personal growth-termed self-actualizing needs. Is propensity for violence or victimization connected to physiologic needs?

For our design we focused on crafting an experience and script that enables users to go into a position of feeling hope and connectivity back to the world. Building their inner strength in a relaxing environment. Our solution does not remove the need for further intervention in the form of therapy but instead enables those taking part to become strong enough to face therapy.

End User Design and Feedback

As part of our earlier design we focused on engaging with end users from the following backgrounds; Trauma Survivors (abuse and Bali bombing) and workplace stress, as part of our end user reports we altered the experience to include areas like, extending the time at the water; move participants into a different part of the forest, increase experiences such as floating, incorporated music and changed the audio voice-over.

Following the design changes in conjunction with Macquarie Street Psychology Practice we conducted a two month pilot on patients for stress and trauma therapy. The result of the second pilot demonstrated:

• 100 % wanted to repeat the experience

• Users reported feelings of being very relaxed and “feeling great” after the experience

• Users reported better sleep from repeated use and after a single use that evening

• Users reported at least 30% to 50% reduction in physical anxiety symptoms such as neck and shoulder pain

  immediately following the experience

• Users reported that they felt a reduction in anxiety symptoms in their stomach

• All users reported that they felt this was a beneficial experience as part of their therapy

Induce awe to reduce stress and increase connectivity to the world

Awe and stress relief have been shown to have an important link. Awe is a positive emotional state that occurs when we experience astonishment and wonder when viewing vast landscapes, works of art, or experiences that challenge our current cognitive state (Keltner and Haidt, 2003). Recent research has illustrated that experience awe creates psychological transformation, including increasing connection with others , broadening our focus and changing our perception of time (Piff et al., 2015; Prade and Saroglou, 2016, Sung and Yih, 2015 and Rudd et al., 2012). VR provides an effective tool to induce awe and empathy as you are able to manipulate vast landscapes from perspectives beyond the normal experience and place users in this environment, such as being suspended in space with Aurora Borealis surrounding you. Chirico et al (2018) created virtual reality “awe” inspiring scenes, such as forests, to test whether or not it was possible to invoke awe in users. Chirco found that those that went through the virtual environments designed to provoke awe inspiring effects, reported positive feelings associated with awe. This study demonstrated that it is possible to replicate psychological phenomena using VR.

The downside of current VR experiences for both awe and relaxation is that they have focused around 360 video techniques, or very simple graphics. This type of methodology limits the immersive and animation possibilities of the environment. Therefore, reducing a user’s ability to interact and make the VR their own personal experience. One way ReleaseVR differentiates itself from predecessors is by ensuring that both vastness (creation of awe) and the ability to continuously accommodate yourself into a new environment built using 3D animated scenes which change as the experiences deepen.

We have incorporated landscapes that induce awe into each of our modules to ensure users are able to increase their connection to the world and therefore reduce stress and anxiety. We have also incorporated carefully time animation, light and movement to reflect and mirror the guided experience; further immersing the user in a deep stress release experience.

Transcendental Meditation (TM) and reduction in post traumatic stress disorder

TM involves the effortless thinking of a mantra (sound), without concentration or contemplation, to produce a settled and progressively lesser excited psychophysiological state of so-called restful alertness, it has no religious or particular cultural background and can be practised at home or through a guide. Whilst (TM) is effective as a stress reduction tool, it has also been demonstrated to reduce PTSD. Non-trauma-focused meditation versus exposure therapy in veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder: a randomised controlled trial Prof Sanford Nidich et al conducted a study involving 200 veterans with PTSD from active military service found a significant reduction in PTSD scores in 50% of those that practised transcendental meditation.

For this experience we focused on visuals and sound practice utilised by Transcendental Meditation, with Virtual Reality we brought this to life using 3D animation; carefully crafted to mimic sounds associated with relaxation.

Reducing arousal using different types of relaxation techniques

From a technique perspective reducing stress and anxiety using meditation has been illustrated in multiple studies as creating changes within the frontal cortices, improving attention, increasing cognition and reducing emotional responses of both beginner and experienced mediation practitioners (Astin & Kabat., 1997; Davidson & Kabat., 2003; Holzel & el.,2007; Lutz et al.,2008; Manna et al., 2010; Zeidan et al., 2010; Denkova et al., 2010).

We have utilised the most successful elements of meditation into each of our modules to enable each user to feel elements of release.

Body Scanning and Stress Release

Body scanning is a practice around feeling our own bodies and noticing changes; such as a clenched jaw or tense shoulders. By simply noticing the areas of pain or anxiety enables user to release the distress associated with it. Allowing us to think of our body just as it is. A body scan is designed to counteract these negative feelings toward our bodies. (Carmody, J. & Baer, R. A. 2008 Relationships between mindfulness practice and levels of mindfulness, medical and psychological symptoms, and well-being in a mindfulness-based stress reduction program. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 31(1), 23-33).

To incorporate this into the design we have focused on active relaxation; where we use both body awareness and transcendental tools, to enable cognition and relaxation to be enacted at the same time.

Restorative effects of viewing real forest landscapes, based on a comparison with urban landscapes

Lee et al 2009 found that forest environments reduced symptoms of stress, including (1) salivary cortisol concentration (an index of stress response), (2) diastolic blood pressure, and (3) pulse rate. These findings support the idea that immersion in forest landscapes reduce stress, aids the nervous system and increases positive emotions.

Isonomic have incorporated this into the design of their tool to take users back into nature; but one that is animated and feels like a life like dream world.

Exploring the Experience and Effects of Vocal Toning

Vocal toning is using your own voice to create open vowel sounds or humming using the full range of breath. This technique is used by music therapists to relieve anxiety and aid social comfort. Snow, Shelley & Francesco Bernardi, Nicoleò & Sabet-Kassouf, Nilufar & Moran, Daniel & Lehmann, Alexandre. (2018), explored the effect of vocal toning practice in their 2018 research. They found that results that indicated that shifts in attention, awareness, and consciousness frequently occurred when individuals engaged in toning. “Meditative,” “calm,” and “relaxed” were the three most common descriptors of toning. Findings also suggest that the physical experience with vibrations and the sound of one’s own voice may be attributes of toning that likely contribute to its success in inducing altered states of awareness, attention, and consciousness.

We have incorporated the technique of vocal toning into the design of our experience so that each user feels the vibration and hum of their own voice to induce a state of consciousness and intense relaxation.

Effects of stress on the Nervous System

Exposure to stress or trauma has a dramatic effect on the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS), which is composed of the Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS) and the Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS). The PNS maintains normal physiological activity when not under stress, decreasing the heart and breathing rate and blood flow to the extremities while decreasing the blood flow to digestive system.

Using music and sound to reduce blood pressure and release anxiety

Hernández-Ruiz (2005) conducted the effect of music on stress reduction, and found those that listened to classical music daily had reduced stress. This element of the experience uses different pieces of classical music known to sooth the mind and reduce the cortisol response.

The Effect of Music on the Human Stress Response

Myriam V. Thoma, 1 , 2 Roberto La Marca, 2 Rebecca Brönnimann, 2 Linda Finkel, 2 Ulrike Ehlert, 2 andUrs M. Nater 3 , *

The 2013 study demonstrated that cortisol response dropped when listening to relaxing music and to the sound of water flowing. Completing a study on females exposed to stressful triggers the researchers measured the response of the endocrine system to 3 stimuli 1) relaxing music 2) the sound of water 3) no sound. They found that the rate of stress recovery was much faster in the two groups exposed to relaxing sounds; whether they were music or water.

We have applied this to each of our VR experiences through using both the sound of water, and music associated with relieving stress from the body.