Research on virtual reality exposure therapy applied to eating disorders is increasing. Marco (2013) demonstrated the relevance of this approach for dysmorphophobia, with exposure therapies combined with CBT achieving superior clinical results to CBT alone. The C2Nutri software draws on this work to support practitioners in the management of anorexia, bulimia, hyperphagia and obesity.
Working on food cravings and body image involves confronting the patient with concrete situations: a supermarket aisle, a kitchen, a fitting room. Organizing these scenarios in consultation is not always easy.
Some depend on an external location, the presence of other people or a context that is difficult to recreate at will. Their repetition and progression remain difficult to master in a traditional setting.
Virtual reality makes it possible to recreate these situations directly in the office, in a controlled and reproducible environment, without depending on travel or an external context.
The C2Care environments make it possible to recreate situations associated with the desire to consume certain foods and to gradually integrate them during the sessions. In a virtual supermarket, the patient is exposed to appetitive stimuli from the shelves. In an apartment, he finds everyday food stimuli.
The fitting room offers another area of ​​work: the patient perceives the gap between his self-perceived silhouette and his real silhouette, calculated according to the BMI, which makes it possible to address the body image disorder.
These situations can be repeated and gradually integrated into the practitioner's protocol in order to work with the patient on food cravings, as well as thoughts and perceptions associated with consumption and body image.
VRET
The practitioner seats the patient on a swivel chair and fits them with the virtual reality headset
Using the control interface, the practitioner selects the environment suited to the session's goals and starts the exposure.
During immersion, the practitioner supports the patient using a visual feed and can adjust the exposure scene in real time
Environments
C2Nutri immerses patients in ecological environments to work on food cravings and body image.
The supermarket offers varying levels of attendance to work on the exposure in a public place.
Ordering at a restaurant allows you to work on real interaction around the meal.
Create a free account to discover all exposure situations and subscribe directly online
Solène Montègue
Neuropsychiatrist
The developments C2Care is currently integrating into the interface are very promising and meet the established therapeutic objectives [...]: offering tailored exercises that can be adapted to levels of dependency, cognitive disorders, and patients' real-time responses.
Samia Lahya
Psychiatrist
With the acquisition of new equipment [...] and updates to the C2Care programs, its use has expanded even further: OCD, phobias, addictions, anxiety disorders, depression, and PTSD. Ten years later, it is no longer merely a curiosity, but a genuine therapeutic tool that is stimulating, innovative, and effective.
Sabrina Gineau
Psychologist
I incorporate this technology into brief therapies lasting two to four months, with one session per week. I begin with relaxation techniques and, when patients are ready, we proceed. It makes it much easier to expose people to these situations.
Noël Schepers
Psychologist
Virtual reality can enrich and personalize treatment, facilitate patient-therapist collaboration in developing the treatment plan, and add a playful dimension. The possibilities for development and application are immense and extend to every area of psychology and psychotherapy.
MĂ©lanie Boucherot
Psychologist
The value of this technology [C2Care] lies in offering new possibilities for therapeutic support and expanding the range of tools available to healthcare professionals.
François Maltese
Psychologist
For several months, we have been using virtual reality in habituation therapies. Before the procedure, patients are progressively and immersively exposed to their future medical environment and psychologically prepared to accept it.
Dre Marie-Claude Roberge
Doctor of Psychology
Since 2022, we have been using virtual reality therapy with the C2Care platform to simulate exposure to aversive stimuli and triggers that cause anxiety. Exposure therapy is used to treat specific phobias, including fear of heights, enclosed spaces, flying, dogs, emetophobia, and many others.
Dr Laure Du Pouget
Urologist
Using a virtual reality headset for self-hypnosis during prostate biopsies creates a calm atmosphere for a procedure that can sometimes be uncomfortable, even with effective local anesthesia...
Delphine Py
Psychologist
Thank you to C2Care for providing innovative virtual reality solutions to support CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy)! A major step forward in making exposure exercises easier and helping our patients overcome their phobias.
Low et al. — Effectiveness of virtual reality in the treatment of eating disorders with binge eating
The efficacy of virtual reality in the treatment of binge-purging eating disorders: A meta-analysis
Wiebe et al. — Virtual reality in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders
Virtual reality in the diagnostic and therapy for mental disorders: A systematic review
Clus et al. — Use of virtual reality in patients with eating disorders
The Use of Virtual Reality in Patients with Eating Disorders: Systematic Review
Butler et al. — Exposure therapy for eating disorders
Exposure therapy for eating disorders: A systematic review
Freeman et al. — Virtual reality in the assessment, understanding and treatment of mental disorders
Virtual reality in the assessment, understanding, and treatment of mental health disorders
Discover more
Depending on your patients' needs, other areas may also be relevant to explore. Discover the different environments available in C2Care.
Create a free account to discover all exposure situations and subscribe directly online
FAQ
Find the answers to the questions most asked by practitioners about the management of TCA in virtual reality.
The silhouette test assesses the severity of dysmorphophobia. The fitting room environment allows the patient to perceive the gap between their self-perceived silhouette and their actual silhouette, calculated according to BMI.
Studies show that in virtuo exposure reduces hyperphagic attacks and promotes weight loss as well as its long-term maintenance. It acts on cognitive and emotional activation linked to eating behavior.
The DSM-5 lists these three pathologies among eating disorders, defined by deviant eating practices that have negative repercussions on physical and mental health. Obesity is treated as an associated chronic disease.
Cybersickness affects around 10% of people using a virtual reality headset.
The C2Care technical service can be reached via live chat from the control platform. In the event of a problem with the headset, a diagnosis is made and the defective equipment is replaced within 48 hours if necessary.
