Virtual reality can be used to treat paranoia, according to a new scientific study.
The tech let people with the condition try out difficult situations, like riding an elevator or catching the train, at no risk to themselves.
Simulations created by Oculus Rift-style headsets were realistic enough to trigger test subjects’ usual response to crowded environments, a study at Oxford University found.
Psychiatrists could then encourage patients to interact with the simulated people, and prove to them that there is no danger attached to everyday situations.
Participants who took part in the study and agreed to lower their “defenses” in the tense situations reported feeling their paranoid feelings “melt away”.
MORE: Coming Soon to Virtual Reality: More Safe Spaces
Professor Daniel Freeman, the Oxford psychiatrist who led the study, said: “The exceptionally positive immediate results for the patients in this study show a new route forward in treatment.
“In just a thirty minute session, those who used the right psychological techniques showed major reductions in paranoia… This has the potential to be transformative.”
