Researchers at Texas A&M University have demonstrated that immersive virtual reality (VR) may significantly reduce anxiety related to death. In a small pilot study, a short VR experience simulating a near-death scenario led to a reported 75% reduction in death anxiety among young adults after just one 12-minute session.
Death anxiety, a fear linked to thoughts about dying, is associated with a range of mental health conditions, including depression, stress disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder and phobias. It tends to peak in early adulthood, decline in midlife and rise again later in life, and is particularly relevant for people facing serious or terminal illness.
The study, published in Frontiers in Virtual Reality, was led by Zhipeng Lu, PhD, assistant professor at Texas A&M and associate director of the Center for Health Systems and Design. According to Lu, VR-based interventions could become a valuable addition to tele-behavioral health, where psychological support is delivered remotely using digital technologies.
Therapeutic effects of VR
The research explored whether a virtual near-death experience, modeled on commonly reported elements from real-life accounts, could have therapeutic effects. Participants, all students, completed surveys before and after the intervention to assess stress and death anxiety levels.
Using a VR headset, participants moved through three immersive stages: an out-of-body experience following a car accident, a journey through light accompanied by life memories, and finally arrival at a calm, scenic environment marked by an uncrossable boundary. The experience was designed to prompt reflection rather than shock.
Encouraging results
After the session, most participants reported lower stress and significantly reduced fear of death. Several described the experience as calming and said it encouraged them to reflect more positively on life, relationships and priorities. A small number, however, experienced increased anxiety, underscoring the need for careful application. Lu notes that people who report real near-death experiences often describe lasting positive changes in outlook and behavior. “We hope immersive VR can safely replicate some of those benefits,” he says.
The research team plans to expand the study to include people with mental health conditions and those with terminal illnesses. At the same time, they stress the importance of caution and further validation, particularly for vulnerable groups. The findings highlight how immersive technologies like VR could complement digital mental health care, offering scalable, experiential interventions that support emotional wellbeing as part of a broader, technology-enabled care model.
VR in healthcare
There are more examples and initiatives of the use virtual reality in healthcare. This summer VR was emerging as a valuable tool in pediatric burn care at Queensland Children’s Hospital. Researchers from Griffith University studied the use of the Smileyscope VR headset to reduce pain and anxiety in children during burn dressing changes. Dressing procedures are often highly distressing and can negatively affect both healing and psychological wellbeing.
Smileyscope provides immersive, child-friendly virtual environments that distract patients during treatment. In a clinical trial, the VR intervention significantly lowered pain and anxiety levels and was well accepted by children and their parents. Some patients required less pain medication, and a few needed none at all. Clinicians also found the technology easy to integrate into routine care. The findings support the growing role of non-pharmacological, digital therapies in improving pediatric clinical experiences.
