immersive vr creates interactive computer-generated worlds that expose users to sensory perceptions that mimic those experienced in the “real” world.
people have found new ways to satisfy their sexual and emotional needs through technology; examples include virtual or augmented reality, teledildonics (sex toys that can be controlled through the internet) and dating apps. however, research on the use of vr in sex therapy is still in its infancy .
sexual aversion is the experience of fear, disgust and avoidance when exposed to sexual cues and contexts . a dutch study published in 2006 found that sexual aversion affects up to 30 per cent of individuals at some point in their lives. and a recent québec-based survey of 1,933 people conducted by our laboratory revealed that at least six per cent of women and three per cent of men have experienced sexual aversion in the last six months.
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these data suggest that sexual aversion is as common as depression and anxiety disorders .
recent findings suggest that vr could bring about such changes in real-life situations, particularly in individuals with poor sexual functioning or with a history of sexual trauma . our own findings, not yet published, show that vr can help with intimacy-related fears and anxiety .
treatment for sexual aversion involves controlled, progressive and repeated exposure to anxiety-provoking sexual contexts. these exposures aim to gradually reduce fear and sexual avoidance, two common reactions to sexual cues in sexually aversive individuals.
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for instance, situations commonly feared by individuals with sexual aversion, such as sexual assault, failure or rejection, or feeling trapped in a sexual encounter, do not actually happen in vr . vr would not only allow them to overcome fears, but also to learn new sexual skills to use in real-world situations — skills that would otherwise be difficult, if not impossible, to develop. individuals in treatment could then apply these learnings to real-world intimate situations.
further, although people’s minds and bodies behave as though the virtual environment in which they are immersed is real , individuals are more willing to face difficult situations in vr than in the real world because they are aware that the former are fictional, and therefore safer.
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applications of vr in sex therapy will be profoundly shaped by advancements in artificial intelligence. hence, using erobots (artificial erotic agents) in virtual interactive environments to simulate realistic romantic and erotic encounters, which are often avoided by sexually aversive people. virtual agents could also be used to develop sexual skills, explore sexual preferences and get reacquainted with one’s body and sexuality.
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