Virtual Reality Fights Hoarding Disorder: Stanford Medicine’s Breakthrough Approach

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While it may seem like a simple task to tidy up, for those plagued with hoarding disorder, maintaining a clean and organized area by parting with their belongings can be an insurmountable obstacle. However, hope has arrived in the form of innovative solutions from Stanford Medicine, utilizing virtual reality (VR) technology to aid individuals diagnosed with hoarding disorder in decluttering their living spaces.

Hoarding disorder is characterized as a continuous struggle to discard possessions, leading to severe emotional distress at the mere thought of letting these items go. Various estimations suggest that about 2-6% of the Canadian populace grapple with this disorder, as per Durham Region Hoarding Coalition’s data. However, the actual numbers might be underrepresented, as the prejudice and stigma associated with hoarding tend to create a barrier to acknowledging or treating the condition.


Carolyn Rodriguez, the professor of psychiatry and behavioural sciences, highlights, “Shame and stigma often deter individuals from seeking help for hoarding disorder. People are generally reluctant to allow anyone into their cluttered homes.”

Anxiety Canada, a non-profit organization that promotes awareness around mental health disorders, elaborates that hoarding disorder usually prevails mostly among elders, specifically over 60 years. It is characterized by three significant traits — difficulty in discarding possessions, an excessively cluttered living space, and experiencing significant impairment such as emotional distress or hampered physical health, affecting their social and professional lives.

Researchers from Stanford University initiated a study with nine participants, all aged over 55, diagnosed with hoarding disorder. The study had participants capture the most cluttered room of their homes and 30 of their belongings, which were then converted to custom 3D environments. Using VR headsets and handheld controllers, participants were able to virtually interact with their belongings.

The participants also engaged in four months of online group therapy, receiving cognitive behavioural skills training and peer support catered to hoarding. Clinicians guided them in comprehending their attachment to their objects and employed VR to help them practice discarding their belongings.

The results indicated significant improvement post-treatment. Seven out of nine participants reported that their symptoms declined by 25% on average. The homes of eight participants were found to contain markedly reduced clutter. Although some participants found the VR simulation unrealistic, most found it helpful.

The researchers aspire to incorporate more advanced technology like augmented reality to refine the virtual therapy. Despite societal prejudice against hoarding disorders, they emphasize the possibility of treatment and support, ensuring affected individuals understand they do not stand alone. Rodriguez stated, “We intend to break prejudices against hoarding disorder, often mistaken for a personal limitation rather than a neurobiological issue. There’s hope, and there’s treatment available. Nobody should fight this disorder alone.”