A new high-tech headset was developed by the UK National Health Services (NHS) that can beat an individual's fear of heights. The NHS will conduct a virtual reality trial to tackle the worst phobias of people across the globe.
According to a report from The Daily Mail, the trial can provide an individual who's afraid of heights the experience of standing in front of a handrail with a 120 feet drop on to crashing ocean waves with massive granite rocks can be seen below.
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According to the report, an individual was able to overcome the fear of heights. In the sessions, churning water is seen through gaps in the decking of the quivering platform where the individual was standing was described, but the person didn't felt terrified.
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"This is a revelation. I've been scared of heights for as long as I can remember - and it has got worse as the years have gone by," the patient said. "Indeed, just two years ago, wild horses would not have dragged me on to this swaying platform over the ocean at Torndirrup National Park, Western Australia, where I recently holidayed with my family."
Phobias will be battled by hi-tech headset; NHS will conduct a virtual reality trial which will be used to tackle patients' worst phobias
According to The Daily Mail, the new high-tech therapy is being conducted by the NHS in Buckinghamshire, Cambridge, Oxfordshire, and Peterborough. Hailing virtual reality therapy was considered by some experts as an important new treatment for mental health conditions, from phobias to depression, schizophrenia, and even pain.
A specially-designed computer program is used in the virtual reality trials to create an environment that can mimic a real-life scenario. The trial is conducted using a headset with tiny projectors that creates the environment that patients see.
The idea is to expose the patients to an environment and objects virtually, which causes their fears, resulting in their symptoms.
This includes standing on a ladder, but in a safe and controlled manner to avoid shocking experiences that can worsen their phobias. One out of three individuals in the UK shows symptoms of fear of heights, also known as acrophobia, which can worsen as they get older.
"Phobias, such as a fear of heights, have a negative effect on many people's lives," said Daniel Freeman, a professor of clinical psychology at Oxford University who led the virtual trial.
"Virtual reality puts someone in a situation that would normally scare them but which is tolerable because it is not real. This gives a vital element of detachment. The user learns that, although heights may feel unpleasant, they do not come to any harm. Over time, this new learning overrides old fearful memories," he further explained.
In the study, 100 adults with a fear of heights were involved for two weeks. They were randomly assigned to have virtual reality therapy. Questionnaires were given to the participants before and after the trial to assess their phobias.
The Lancelot Psychiatry journal published the findings in June 2018, which showed a reduced result in the patients' fear of heights by an average of 68%.
