Dr Freeman’s work with Oxford Health patients has previously shown that virtual reality can help treat severe paranoia, by allowing situations to face situations they fear and learn that they are actually safe.
In an interview with Computer Weekly magazine, Dr Freeman said: “VR has the potential, in essence, to let many millions of people see the best therapists for a problem. I do think this is transformative.”
Dr Freeman is also a researcher within Oxford University’s Department of Psychiatry, and he is currently working with colleagues at the University of Barcelona to build a VR environment with a virtual instructor to guide users through game-like tasks that will challenge their fears.