I heard that VR can develop anxiety and more, is it true?
I’d say the opposite. Watching real life around me gives me the creeps. People are nuts these days and tv, don’t even go there, propaganda, pure bs and what more.
So, no. If any…i would say for sure the opposite
2 Likes
A quick AI search that may be insightful. “Any truth to the claim that VR causes anxiety“
The picture from research is actually more nuanced and interesting than the claim suggests — it cuts both ways.
VR can induce anxiety by design
Research confirms that VR is effective at inducing anxiety — it can arouse anxious emotions, alter cognitive processes, and produce measurable neurophysiological changes like increased theta and alpha brain activity in frontal and parietal regions. ScienceDirect But this is largely intentional. Researchers and clinicians use this property therapeutically.
VR is primarily used to treat anxiety, not cause it
The bulk of research frames VR as an anxiety-reduction tool. A 2025 meta-analysis of 33 studies involving over 3,000 participants found that VR therapy significantly improved anxiety symptoms compared to conventional interventions. Frontiers A large body of research shows that VR exposure therapy is as effective as real-world (“in vivo”) exposure for treating anxiety disorders PubMed Central, including phobias, PTSD, and social anxiety.
The side effect concern is real but limited
Side effects including temporary spikes in anxiety or feelings of depersonalization do occur, and these necessitate careful clinical supervision PubMed Central — but this is in a therapy context where patients are being deliberately exposed to anxiety-provoking stimuli. For casual gaming use, the picture is different.
For regular gaming use
The anxiety concern mostly comes down to a few things:
-
Content: Horror or high-stress games can feel more intense in VR due to presence and immersion. That’s just more effective stimulation of the same stress response you’d get from the flat-screen version.
-
Cybersickness: Nausea and disorientation from motion sickness can be distressing, particularly with poor tracking or high latency
-
Depersonalization/derealization: Some people, particularly those predisposed to dissociation, report brief episodes after prolonged VR use. It’s not well studied at a population level but is occasionally reported anecdotally.
Bottom line: VR doesn’t cause anxiety in healthy people doing normal gaming use in any clinically meaningful way. If anything, the research points in the opposite direction — it’s a promising treatment for anxiety. The claim conflates the intentional, controlled use of VR to evoke fear responses in therapy with casual use. The only legitimate concern is for people with pre-existing anxiety disorders or dissociative tendencies, where immersive content might need more care.
never heard about it
VR can really cause anxiety or nausea due to sensory conflict. This is a signal to the body that it is difficult for it to adapt to the artificial environment, so it is important to dose such a load.The culture of digital hygiene helps to maintain balance. I was helped by an article on betterme.world/articles/corporate-wellness-programs/, which talks about the importance of mental relief. This confirms that timely breaks and care for the state of the nervous system make the use of technology safer.Your well-being is the best indicator of whether you should continue the session.