Acrophobia Solution? This VR-Based App Can Reduce Your Fear of Heights

The University of Basel group of researchers found out that a virtual reality-based app can cure acrophobia or the fear of heights among people suffering from it. The app is available for smartphones so you can use it everywhere to visualize managing your phobia when it comes to real-life applications.

A Game-Changer VR-based App

Acrophobia comprises approximately five percent of the population worldwide. It is a condition where a person finds it uncomfortable to peek from a tall building or any structures. The most common treatment for those who have fear of heights is exposure therapy, where the patient will be put in a situation where he/she feels anxious, but with the guidance of an expert.

It is understandable for those who have the fear to experience difficulty in surpassing it. Some are hesitant to take the test while others could not handle the situation properly if confronted by a real-life simulation of their problem.

This drove Professor Dominique de Quervain and his team to conduct a study on how to conquer one's fear of height. The findings bore an outcome in the form of a smartphone-based VR app, Easyheights." The VR therapy app makes use of real-life patterns, including locations shot by drone cameras at 360 degrees so it would look like a real-life perception, Science Daily reported.

Through Easyheights, those who feel intense panic and faster heart rate while facing heights can utilize the app on their smartphones. For a more realistic touch, it is recommended to use a virtual reality headset.

How It Works

The professional will instruct the patient to stand on a platform that should be above the ground at one meter. The next thing that the patient feels is the gradual elevation that is increasing so people can be tested in what distance they usually experience anxiety.

For the trials, 50 participants who have acrophobia joined. The session lasted for four hours where the first one involves a one-hour session and the rest are six sessions which are performed for 30 minutes for two weeks.

The researchers discovered that a person's fear varies with the height of the subject. First, they were put to test for the simulation of the Uetliberg lookout tower. Heading to the conclusion of the trial, the researchers revealed that 22 participants who finished the training experienced less fear while the 25 persons from the control group showed no positive changes.

For more than two decades, researchers have been immersing themselves to conduct tests about acrophobia. For the lead author, Dr. Dorothee Bentz, the application of virtual reality has been an effective treatment of the condition.

The findings recommended the repeated usage of the app so patients can slowly get used to their fear of heights. Even at home, people can download the application and use it for self-evaluation and training. However, experts said that those who have a serious fear of heights will be needing guidance from a professional.

The full study is published in the journal of the NPJ Digital Medicine.

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Written by Joen Coronel