Why veterans are choosing a "cool gadget" over a psychologist
"I don't feel so hopeless anymore." These words were shared with us by a psychologist who uses VR in his work with veterans. And there are dozens of such testimonials. People who have gone through the hell of war are beginning to feel that life is returning to normal.
Virtual reality helps reduce symptoms of anxiety, stress, insomnia, and PTSD more quickly. But most importantly, it changes the very logic of psychological care.
Why We Avoid the Term "Mental Health"?
When we talk about digital immersion -a technology designed to assist psychotherapists we're often asked, "Is this about mental health?"
The answer is both yes and no.
In the public consciousness, the term "mental health" is firmly associated with illness, diagnosis, and crisis. It implies that something has already gone wrong. But most of the people we work with veterans, medical professionals, and people living under chronic stress are rarely "patients" in the classical sense.
They live, work, and go about their business. But under immense pressure. That is precisely why we talk about human resilience as a phenomenon. Not "how to treat," but how to make people stronger preventively and on a large scale.
A Conversation That Shocked Me
I recently spoke with the director of one of the rehabilitation centers that is already using our VR technology. Her words struck me: never before, during the full-scale war, has the situation been this dire. The number of people in critical psychological states is shocking. Prolonged shelling, the loss of loved ones, the destruction of homes all of this leaves invisible scars. And with each passing day, these scars multiply.
Psychological support is falling short of the need. Pain, fear, and despair are building up, creating a real psychological crisis. Helmets are needed, new stories are needed, but there are fewer resources than requests.
How it all began?
From the first days of the full-scale invasion, we filmed the aftermath of Russian crimes and surviving architectural landmarks in 360° video format. Then our friends who served in Kyiv's territorial defense units began returning to civilian life. And we saw how difficult this transition was for them.
A desire to help them gave rise to a new VR technology. It is based on scientifically proven methods for treating PTSD, anxiety, insomnia, and chronic stress.
How it works in practice?
The essence of the technology is simple: it helps psychologists work more effectively.
Here's what a typical session looks like:
- The psychologist assesses the person's condition using proven clinical methods.
- They select a video based on the diagnosis it is viewed through a virtual reality headset.
- The person is immersed in a controlled environment designed to reduce anxiety and improve emotional regulation.
Results are measured before and after the session.
Sessions can be conducted individually or in a group. And importantly, the psychologist can work with several people simultaneously.
Statistics that prove effectiveness/ Clinical results confirm: the technology really works.
Anxiety levels decrease by 15% after the course. Depressive symptoms improve in one out of every ten patients. But the key benefit is scalability. The technology does not replace traditional psychotherapy but enhances it. This is especially true in a situation where there is a catastrophic shortage of qualified specialists. The scale of the problem: 15 million Ukrainians
According to Health Minister Viktor Lyashko, approximately 15 million Ukrainians require psychological assistance due to the war. Of these, 3–4 million require medication.
Against this backdrop, the rehabilitation system remains fragmented, underfunded, and understaffed - especially in the regions. Studies show that the risk of PTSD among veterans reaches 52.6%, but there is no systematic approach to their psychological rehabilitation. Add to this what people face every day: long lines, mistrust, and a lack of specialists and funding.
But there is another problem that is rarely discussed: the traditional "one psychologist one patient" model simply cannot scale when the need is measured in the millions.
The Invisible Barrier: Men Don't Go to a Psychologist
Although seeking psychological help has become less stigmatized, we are still a long way from completely overcoming the stigma. Men, who still view psychologists as something "not for them," are more likely to respond to a "cool gadget." And this isn't manipulation at all. It's a way of engaging. We seek approaches that work for everyone regardless of fears, biases, or perspectives.
Why not yoga? (answer to a common question)
We're often asked: "Why not yoga and breathing exercises?"
They're useful. But they have limitations:
- they require self-discipline;
- they require proper technique;
- they require consistency;
- and most importantly they require the ability to engage even when under stress.
And in the midst of a real crisis, simple techniques often don't work. You need something more straightforward and predictable. Something you can "turn on" and "turn off." Like an inhaler for asthmatics. But people already spend their lives staring at screens
That's another common criticism. And it's valid. Most modern services compete for our attention and increase our anxiety. We do things differently: we use immersive technologies to reduce cognitive load, not increase it.
The difference is enormous. It's like fast food and medicine. Both are consumed. But only one is designed to help.
We're not building an app or just another wellness tool. We're building an infrastructure a system that makes large-scale psychological support possible. Just as cloud computing made it possible to scale software.
Here's what that means in practice:
- a platform that clinics and organizations can connect to;
- standardized therapy sessions;
- tools that allow a single specialist to work with many more people.
Virtual reality technology is already in use at public and private rehabilitation centers across Ukraine. And importantly, the service is free for patients. This is a matter of principle.
It is crucial to ensure that evidence-based methods are accessible to those who need them most, regardless of their life circumstances or financial means. We are working on this all the time.
Viktor Samoilenko, Co-founder and inventor of VR technology