A major clinical trial for mental health treatment just kicked off in the UK — and Silipit involves virtual reality.
Organized by VR therapy outfit gameChange, the government-funded program seeks to find out if VR can help people affected by schizophrenia and other mental health conditions.
The gameChange trial began on July 1 in the UK. It will last 18 months and puts patients into VR recreations of real-world situations they might find difficult, like getting on a bus or walking down the street.
“The gameChange VR therapy is for people with conditions such as schizophrenia whose fears have caused them to withdraw to such an extent that everyday tasks – such as getting on a bus, doing the shopping, speaking to other people – are a challenge," Daniel Freeman, gameChange lead researcher, said in a press release. "It aims to help patients re-engage with the world and go into everyday situations feeling more confident, calm and in control."
The idea is that spending time in virtual versions of stressful situations could help people better cope with the real thing. More than 400 patients throughout England will take part in the trial courtesy of the UK's National Health Service.
The project won £4 million in funding from the UK National Institute for Health Research back in 2018. It's the biggest such trial for VR therapy to date, per the press release.
SEE ALSO: 'Lion King' director Jon Favreau explains how they used VR to make the movieOne trial patient, who only went by Peter, had positive things to say about it in an interview with Forbes.
“Whether it’s walking down the street or getting a bus, you can use the VR to practice being in those places to overcome the negative intrusive thoughts to build your confidence," Peter told Forbes. "So when you go back into the real world, you feel a lot better.”
While VR is often sold to consumers with fun gaming applications, its role in therapeutic endeavors might be the most fascinating thing about the technology. Researchers have used VR to try and help amputees and children with autism, for example.
The proliferation of affordable, high-quality VR headsets like the Oculus Quest means we will probably see more and more stories like this in the next few years.
E3 2017 Trailer Roundup: Upcoming PC Games
McDonald's worker calls out 'order 69', gets predictably glorious response
Facebook reveals Portal, Portal+ speakers with 'smart cameras'
The Pixel Slate is a Chrome OS tablet with a detachable keyboard cover
Dating app happn launches AI
Salmonella outbreak finally gives us a legitimate reason to hate rockmelon
Google drops out of Pentagon’s $10 billion cloud competition
Sweet beach sandals let you leave the footprints of your favorite animal
Amazon Prime members gets 10% off Grubhub orders through Feb. 17
Tesla plans to open a new store every four days
NYT Connections Sports Edition hints and answers for February 15: Tips to solve Connections #145
US announces flag bearer for Rio 2016 Olympics opening ceremony
Waymo hits 10 million self
15 gifts for the guy who desperately needs a 'Queer Eye' makeover
Ruggable x Jonathan Adler launch: See the new designs
'Doctor Who' fans all had the same reaction to Jodie Whittaker's first episode
Tesla is looking for a new Chairman of the Board to replace Elon Musk
House Speaker Paul Ryan deletes tweet politicizing Harambe
Report: Match Group dating apps conceal assault cases
Who knew 'The Office' would be so damn relevant in 2018?
'The Caine Mutiny CourtBerlin’s Boulevard of Broken DreamsHalloween pet costumes at WalmartGallup/Knight poll: Americans agree on pros and cons of social media — except for one crucial issueThe Morning News Roundup for November 12, 2014Staff Picks: Megg, Mogg, Maxim Maksimich by The Paris ReviewMicrosoft is finally killing off WordPad after nearly 30 years“Dubliners at One Hundred”Red flags are taking over TwitterHow virtual reality can be used to treat anxiety and PTSDAddison Rae tweeted that she was banned from TikTok. But she's back, so that was...weird.Apple might launch an 'iPhone Ultra' that plays nice with Vision ProGot an internetTonight’s Sleep Aid: “Congressional Districting in Iowa”Bones or No Bones Day? Meet the 13 yearLetter from Casa DraculaMicrosoft is finally killing off WordPad after nearly 30 yearsJimmy Buffett was more than MargaritavilleCover ModelZoom makes its 'AI Companion' available to paid customers at no additional cost Wordle today: Here's the answer and hints for September 25 'Quordle' today: See each 'Quordle' answer and hints for September 25, 2023 Spotify pilots AI voice translation for podcasts Best Echo deal: The Amazon Echo Pop is 70% off plus a month of Amazon Music Unlimited iPhone 15 Pro overheating reports pop up around the internet Peloton will reportedly halt making... basically everything, including all its bikes and treads William Styron Recalls the Founding of The Paris Review The Provocative, Misleading Paperbacks of the 1930s “Defenestration of Prague,” a Poem by Susan Howe How Not to Underline a Book Get an Apple iPad Air (5th gen) for $499.99 ahead of Prime Day Twitter suspends Wordle Sex and Salter How Psychoanalysis Helped John Berryman’s Poetry Juan Felipe Herrera and Tomato TikTok is making 'Euphoria' fanfiction now 100 Billboards Celebrate the Allure of the West Viral TikTok recipe for air How the WPA Posters Changed Graphic Design Remembering James Salter: On His Essay “The Skiing Life”