Virtual Reality Can Help People With Hoarding Disorder, Study Shows

Virtual reality (VR) therapy is showing promise as an effective treatment for hoarding disorder, a serious mental health condition estimated to affect approximately 2.5% of the US population.

A recent pilot study conducted by researchers at Stanford Medicine suggests that integrating VR technology into therapy sessions allows individuals with hoarding disorder to practice decluttering in a virtual simulation of their own living space.

This innovative approach aims to help patients develop organizational and decision-making skills while also desensitizing them to the emotional distress often associated with parting with possessions.

Virtual Reality for Hoarders?

Hoarding disorder, formally recognized as a mental disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) since 2013, remains under-recognized and undertreated. Individuals afflicted with this condition, typically older in age, struggle to let go of possessions, leading to the accumulation of clutter.

Dr. Carolyn Rodriguez, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences and the study's senior author, emphasized the challenges in providing effective treatment for hoarding disorder.

Stigma and shame often deter individuals from seeking help, and the cluttered environments sometimes become too hazardous for clinicians to enter, according to the researchers.

To address this, the team developed a virtual environment that would offer a safe space for individuals to practice letting go of items. In the study, nine participants over the age of 55, all diagnosed with hoarding disorder, were asked to document the most cluttered room in their homes through photos and videos.

These visual materials were then transformed into custom 3D virtual environments in collaboration with a VR company and engineering students from Stanford University. Equipped with VR headsets and handheld controllers, participants navigated these virtual spaces, manipulating their possessions.

In a span of 16 weeks, participants engaged in online facilitated group therapy that provided both peer support and cognitive behavioral skills related to hoarding. Additionally, in weeks 7 to 14, participants received individual VR sessions guided by a clinician.

These sessions focused on understanding their attachment to possessions and practicing the process of placing items in recycling, donation, or trash bins within the virtual environment. Subsequently, participants were tasked with discarding the actual items in their homes.

Promising Outcomes

Preliminary results revealed promising outcomes. Seven out of the nine participants reported a decrease in self-reported hoarding symptoms, with an average reduction of 25%.

Moreover, eight out of nine participants demonstrated reduced clutter in their homes, based on visual assessments conducted by clinicians, with an average decrease of 15%.

While the improvements observed are consistent with those seen in group therapy alone, the potential added value of virtual reality therapy remains to be fully understood.

Despite initial concerns regarding the technology's suitability for older patients, participants found the virtual reality experience enjoyable and beneficial.

The study highlights the feasibility and acceptance of VR therapy for hoarding disorder, offering a potential avenue for treatment in cases where traditional approaches may be challenging or unsafe. The findings of the team were published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research.