Practicing house decluttering with virtual reality
Stanford Medicine (CA, USA) researchers have pioneered a virtual reality (VR) therapy that empowers people with hoarding disorder to declutter their homes from the safety of a digital realm.
Many, if not all of us have at some point struggled or felt reluctant to part with a possession. It might be sentimental, valuable, or particularly rare. Or it could be that ‘I might need it in the future’ gadget that would really only be useful if you were stuck on a desert island. For individuals with a hoarding disorder, however, the difficulty discarding items that have no apparent use or value can seriously affect their health, safety, well-being and daily functioning.
An estimated 2%-6% of the global population have hoarding disorder. Unfortunately, hoarding disorders are under-treated and under-recognized, particularly as they are surrounded by stigma and usually perceived as a personal limitation. Many people with hoarding disorders do not realize that it is a problem, and are not aware of how their behavior may iimpact themselves and others.
Stanford Medicine researchers have now presented a solution to these problems: VR therapy. The therapy works by allowing patients to practice discarding possessions without the fer of judgement or danger in an immersive digital environment.
The team tested the VR therapy with nine participants over the age of 55 diagnosed with hoarding disorder. The participants took photos and videos of the most cluttered room in their homes, and 30 possessions. This media was transformed into customized 3D virtual environments, where the participants could move around in their rooms and move their possessions using VR headsets and controllers.
Over the course of the 16-week therapy, combined with cognitive behavioral skills, seven of the nine participants reported significant improvements in hoarding symptoms, with clutter reduction observed in the physical living spaces of eight of the participants. Practicing putting their possessions into donation, recycling or garbage bins enabled the participants to gain confidence in letting go and discard the real item at home.
While the efficacy of VR therapy compared to traditional group therapy remains to be fully elucidated, the initial findings underscore its feasibility and potential to complement existing treatment approaches.
Contrary to expectations, older patients embraced the VR experience, finding it both engaging and beneficial. As senior author Carolyn Rodriguez noted, VR therapy serves as a “stepping stone,” providing a less intimidating platform for individuals to confront their hoarding tendencies and cultivate healthier behaviors.
Looking ahead, the researchers envision leveraging advancements in VR technology to enhance the therapy’s realism and effectiveness. Augmented reality, for example, could overlay virtual objects within patients’ real homes, bridging the gap between virtual practice and real-life application.
Ultimately, the goal is to dispel misconceptions surrounding hoarding disorder and empower individuals to seek the support they need. “We just really want to get the word out that there’s hope and treatment for people who suffer from this. They don’t have to go it alone,” Rodriquez explained.
