Addictionwhat the research examines
Short answer: The library holds 7 references on virtual reality and addiction, published between 2024 and 2026. They include 2 systematic reviews or meta-analyses and 2 randomised controlled trials. The research mainly examines relaxation with nature environments during detoxification and inpatient treatment.
The evidence in numbers
Counted in the RVer study library · languages: English. The design of each study was classified by the team from the publication.
What the research examines
- Relaxation with nature environments during detoxification and inpatient treatment.
- Exposure to substance-related cues in a controlled virtual environment, to study and work on craving.
- Alcohol, illicit drugs and nicotine.
What is not yet known
- Small trials, often of a single session.
- Effect on relapse over the long term.
- Consistency of methods and measures across studies.
The references, by study design
Meta-analyses · 1
- Effects of virtual reality-based interventions on craving in substance use disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trialsJiayi Li · 2026 · Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 285: 113226
Systematic reviews · 1
- Virtual Reality in Prevention and Treatment of Substance-Related Disorders: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled TrialsRenata Glavak-Tkalić · 2025 · Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy, 32(4): e70144
Randomised controlled trials · 2
- Virtual reality-based cue exposure therapy reduces psychological craving in men with methamphetamine use disorder: a randomized controlled trialQiuping Huang · 2025 · Translational Psychiatry, 15(1): 318
- Effect of Relaxation-Based Virtual Reality on Psychological and Physiological Stress of Substance Abusers Under Detoxification: A Randomized Controlled TrialShahab Lotfinia · 2024 · Brain and Behavior, 14(10): e70084
Pilot or feasibility studies · 1
- Enhancing the Well-Being of Psychiatric Inpatients with Substance Use Disorders Through Virtual Reality-Based Nature Exposure: A Pilot StudyPablo Barrio · 2025 · International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 24(2): 1579–1586
Narrative or scoping reviews · 2
- Virtualizing Alcohol Use Disorder Therapy: A Systematic Scoping ReviewAlexander Bazhanov · 2026 · Advances in Therapy, 43(3): 948–981
- Virtual reality interventions in the assessment and treatment of alcohol use disorder - a systematic scoping review on methodologyOlivia Gaddum · 2025 · Addiction Science & Clinical Practice, 20(1): 64
Glossary terms
Other topics
This page describes what published research on virtual reality examines in this topic. It is not a claim about RVer's performance and does not replace clinical assessment. The Class I medical device registration (EUDAMED, Basic UDI-DI 56006195127RVERTZ, and INFARMED, Portugal, CDM 94571546) covers the RVer base product.