Virtually life changing! VR headsets can cure paranoia by making wearers feel safe while facing their fears

  • Researchers used psychological treatment techniques and VR situations
  • Enabled very paranoid people to face their fears knowing they were safe
  • Treatment could be used to help people suffering from severe paranoia 

By SARAH GRIFFITHS FOR MAILONLINE

Published: | Updated:

You may think virtual reality headsets are only good for playing games, but in fact the technology can be used to help people suffering from paranoia overcome their fears.

VR simulations have been proven to enable worriers to face their fears and see that the situations they fret about are safe.

The experimental treatment could be used to help treat people suffering with severe paranoia, which is believed to affect one or two in 100 people.

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VR simulations have been proven to enable worriers to face their fears and see that the situations they fret about are safe. The experimental treatment (set up pictured) could be used to help treat people suffering with severe paranoia, which is believed to affect one or two in 100 people

VR simulations have been proven to enable worriers to face their fears and see that the situations they fret about are safe. The experimental treatment (set up pictured) could be used to help treat people suffering with severe paranoia, which is believed to affect one or two in 100 people

Severely paranoid people can show an extreme mistrust of others, believing others are deliberately trying to harm them.

Many use defensive behaviours such as avoiding social situations or reducing eye contact, but these tactics can reinforce fears because patients believe they avoided harm by using these coping mechanisms.

To assess whether patients could learn a situation is safe without using potentially debilitating tactics, researchers at the University of Oxford combined psychological treatment techniques with state-of-the-art virtual reality social situations to reduce paranoid fear.

A total of 30 volunteers experienced virtual reality simulations, - one in which they were in a lift and another on a subway train with an increasing number of virtual commuters.

Severely paranoid people (stock image) can show an extreme mistrust of others, believing others are deliberately trying to harm them. Many use defensive behaviours such as avoiding social situations or reducing eye contact, but these tactics can reinforce fears

Severely paranoid people (stock image) can show an extreme mistrust of others, believing others are deliberately trying to harm them. Many use defensive behaviours such as avoiding social situations or reducing eye contact, but these tactics can reinforce fears

As part of the study, a total of 30 volunteers experienced virtual reality simulations, - one in which they were in a lift and another on a subway train with an increasing number of virtual commuters (pictured). Participants in one group were encouraged to use their normal behaviours. The other group were told to drop their defences

As part of the study, a total of 30 volunteers experienced virtual reality simulations, - one in which they were in a lift and another on a subway train with an increasing number of virtual commuters (pictured). Participants in one group were encouraged to use their normal behaviours. The other group were told to drop their defences

The research team found that the second group showed significant reductions in their paranoid delusions. In fact, more than half of the group no longer had severe paranoia at the end of the testing day. Set up pictured

The research team found that the second group showed significant reductions in their paranoid delusions. In fact, more than half of the group no longer had severe paranoia at the end of the testing day. Set up pictured

VR MAKES SOME PEOPLE FEEL SICK 

VR headsets cause some people to feel nauseous.

Speaking at March's Games Developers Conference in San Francisco, Evan Suma, an assistant professor who studies VR at the University of Southern California said: 'The challenge is that people's sensitivity to motion and simulator sickness varies wildly.'

This means it's tricky for game makers to create titles that are thrilling and immersive, not just nauseous.

The low-latency headsets from Oculus, HTC and Sony are intended to right the nausea-inducing wrongs of their VR predecessors from 20 years ago, but many users still report feeling woozy after using souped-up systems, such as the Oculus Rift.

There's still concern the immersive technology may force players to lose more than a battle with an alien. They could also lose their lunch.

Participants in one group were encouraged to use their normal defensive behaviours in these situations.

The other group were told to drop their defences by approaching the computer characters and holding long stares or standing toe-to-toe with the avatars.

The research team, led by Professor Daniel Freeman from the university's Department of Psychiatry, found that the second group showed significant reductions in their paranoid delusions.

In fact, more than half of the group no longer had severe paranoia at the end of the testing day.

'Paranoia all too often leads to isolation, unhappiness, and profound distress, but the exceptionally positive immediate results for the patients in this study show a new route forward in treatment,' Professor Freeman said.

'In just a 30-minute session, those who used the right psychological techniques showed major reductions in paranoia.'

While the results may sound magical, he stressed the experiment is difficult for patients, because lowering their defences and facing their fear takes courage.

'But as they relearned that being around other people was safe we saw their paranoia begin to melt away,' he added.

THE VIRTUAL REALITY WARS 
Manufacturer Launch Date  Cost  Needed to run 
Facebook's Oculus RiftMarch 28th $599 (£499/AUD $1100)  High end PC costing around $1,000 
HTC Vive April 5 $799 (£689/AUD $1200+) High end PC costing around $1,000 
Sony Playstation VR October $399 (£349/AUD $549.95) PlayStation 4 console 

'They were then able to go into real social situations and cope far better. This has the potential to be transformative.'

Professor David Clark, a member of the study team, added: 'There is growing evidence that psychological treatments can have a major beneficial impact on the lives of people suffering from psychosis.

'Virtual reality assisted treatment has great potential because, as the price of the equipment makes it more accessible, much treatment could be delivered in people's homes.'  

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