Welcome

Our team is developing new treatments for people with eating disorders, in Virtual Reality (also known as VR). This is how:

We ask people with eating disorders about what would help. We talk with parents and carers about what their loved ones need. We work with clinicians to plan how new treatments can fit with existing services. We review existing research evidence to build on what is already known.

And we take what we design back to people with eating disorders to test. We update it with their feedback. And we keep doing that, until the new treatments are engaging and effective for the people who need them.

(We’re using Prof Yardley‘s Person-Based Approach to intervention development. You can read more about it here. We’re delighted she’s part of our team.)

Why Virtual Reality?

Put on a headset and find yourself immersed in a totally digital environment. You could find yourself anywhere, experience anything. The possibilities are almost endless. Virtual Reality interventions can help treat anxiety, phobias and symptoms of psychosis. So we’re working to see how they can help develop new treatments for people with eating disorders.

Why eating disorders?

Eating disorders are serious illnesses. They affect almost one in ten women, and one in fifty men. We all know people who’ve been affected – maybe you do too. The numbers of people with eating disorders are increasing. But current treatments for eating disorders don’t work for everyone. That’s why we’re working to develop new ones.

Funding

This work is funded by an NIHR Advanced Fellowship held by Dr Helen Bould.