Virtual Reality Can Be Used to Successfully Treat Patients With Psychosis

University of OxfordVirtual reality isn’t just for video games or Mark Zuckerberg’s metaverse fever dreams. It can also be used to treat mental health.In a new study published in the journal The Lancet Psychiatry on Tuesday, researchers conducted the largest ever clinical trial of VR therapy to treat patients dealing with psychosis and schizophrenia. The experiment was a part of gameChange, a program developed by the University of Oxford and Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust that uses VR to treat agoraphobia, an intense fear of being outside that’s also a common symptom of psychosis.Over the course of six weeks, patients donned a VR headset and participated in six 30-minute therapy sessions, plus traditional treatment (taking prescribed antipsychotic medication, receiving regular visits from a mental health worker, and visiting with a psychiatrist). They began each session in a virtual therapist’s office before transitioning to simulated outdoor scenarios such as waiting at a bus stop, visiting a cafe, or going to the doctors, to help them acclimate to and build confidence when entering new environments in real life.Read more at The Daily Beast.Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here