How VR can help people with hoarding disorder get to grips with decluttering

Getting your home in order is not always an easy task. The sheer scale of the task can soon seem overwhelming, especially for people with a hoarding disorder. However, researchers at Stanford University in the USA have discovered that virtual reality has the potential to help us break out of the vicious circle of clutter.

This research, outlined in a paper published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research, studied the benefits of this technology for people with compulsive hoarding disorder. It is estimated that 2.5% of the American population suffers from this disorder. This pathology manifests itself in a psychological urgency to acquire new objects and the difficulty in getting rid of those already owned, regardless of their real value.

Compulsive hoarders often live in overloaded, even unsanitary conditions if the clutter prevents them from cleaning properly. This affects their psychological well-being and becomes a source of anxiety. “Unfortunately, stigma and shame prevent people from seeking help for hoarding disorder. They may also be unwilling to have anyone else enter the home to help,” said Carolyn Rodriguez, MD, PhD, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences and senior author of the study, quoted in a statement.

The researchers wanted to determine whether virtual reality (VR) could help people with hoarding disorder to better manage their behavior. To do this, they conducted an experiment with nine hoarders over the age of 55. The academics asked them to take photos and videos of the most cluttered room in their home, along with 30 objects in it. They transformed these images into personalised 3D environments. The study participants then navigated around their rooms and manipulated their possessions using VR headsets and controllers.

Promising results

All volunteers also took part in online group therapy for 16 weeks to receive peer support and learn cognitive behavioral skills related to hoarding. They also benefited from one-hour virtual reality sessions, facilitated by a clinician, between the 7th and 14th weeks of the experiment. During these individual sessions, participants learned to better manage their attachment to things. In particular, they had to place certain objects in virtual recycling, donation or garbage cans, in order to get used to the idea of decluttering. They then put theory into practice by getting rid of an actual object they had at home.

This experimental protocol highlighted how virtual reality can help hoarders better apprehend their disorder. Indeed, seven of the nine participants reported that their symptoms were less pronounced during the experiment. The researchers also noted that the interiors of eight of the participants seemed less cluttered with objects of all kinds. However, these improvements were comparable to those of the control group, who received only group therapy, without the use of VR.

Even so, Carolyn Rodriguez says this clinical trial shows that virtual reality is well received by people with hoarding disorder, including those of a certain age. “I actually thought it might not work because these were older patients and maybe they would not like the technology or they would be dizzy – but they thought it was fun,” she said in the study news release.

While some participants complained about a lack of realism in virtual reality environments, the scientists hope that perfecting this technology will enhance the care experience. In turn, it could help a large number of compulsive hoarders to come to terms with the idea of decluttering. – AFP Relaxnews