Halpern/"Virtual Iraq"

"Virtual Iraq," by Sue Halpern, seeks to open virtual reality as a therapy method. The rising occurrences of post-traumatic stress disorder has triggered what could be called a sort of revival of this method. First used in the treatment of Vietnam War veterans, this version is a simulated Iraq. The experience of Travis Boyd, a Marine, was grounds for trial of the method. It worked. While still being developed, there have been documented improvements in soldiers' PTSD. The creator and users of Virtual Iraq credit its success to the use of not only sight, but sound and smell, too. It is assumed that if all PTSD sufferers give Virtual Iraq a try, it will help. Also, that all soldiers diagnosed with PTSD have the disorder because of something war-related.