Shortly after the young woman walks into Howard Gurr’s psychology practice, she is taken to a beach and encouraged to relax. She is helped to feel calm and let go of her worries. Dr. Gurr then changes course, bringing his patient to a restaurant or other place that is a source of anxiety. Dr. Gurr doesn’t change offices every day. He’s a therapist who is using virtual-reality scenery to tackle the anxieties and body-image issues of patients with eating disorders like anorexia, bulimia and binge eating. ...
Psychologists are using virtual reality (VR) to help treat people with eating disorders. Psious Toolsuite can help patients tackle anxieties and body-image issues associated with disorders such as anorexia and bulimia by slowly introducing them to worry-inducing environments, such as restaurants, in a controlled setting. Psious offers a range of virtual environments in which professionals can monitor patients' stress levels and desensitise their anxieties.