Virtual Reality Therapy Could Help Severe Paranoia
G. Clay Whittaker
at 10:26 AM May 6 2016
Virtual Reality Therapy Could Help Severe Paranoia
VR Treatment for Paranoia
University of Oxford
Gaming // 

Imagine being able to face your greatest fear in a totally safe, controlled environment. Now that might be a reality.

An Oxford study of treatment for extreme paranoia is using virtual reality headsets to treat patients. Just a fraction of the population experiences this level of paranoia, and it's often associated with mental disorders like schizophrenia. For sufferers, stepping onto a crowded train might be a terrifying experience. Facing it in a comfortable room, on a headset, is a lot more palatable.

VR is also getting attention for just the opposite kind of content: horror games. Apparently the immersion works both ways: it can reassure the paranoid and frighten the brave. Let's just hope no one ever mixes the two programs up...

[Oxford University]

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