Der Nervenarzt
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Anxiety disorders are among the most prevalent mental disorders in Germany. Exposure therapy has proven effective in treating anxiety disorders. During exposure therapy, patients are systematically confronted with the feared stimulus or situation. ⋯ With the development of affordable user-friendly systems, therapists may increasingly use virtual reality exposure therapy to treat patients suffering from anxiety disorders. With respect to the future development of virtual reality exposure therapy, augmented reality seems to be a promising treatment alternative. Future studies need to confirm the efficacy of augmented reality exposure therapy in treating anxiety disorders.