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What we’re exploring
What we’re exploring
People with generalized anxiety often stay worried to avoid sudden emotional “drops.” This idea is called the Contrast Avoidance Model (CAM): keeping yourself a little anxious can feel safer than being calm and then getting hit by a scare.
How Haunted Mind uses that idea
How Haunted Mind uses that idea
Our prototype alternates calm moments (guided breathing) with brief scares in VR. The goal isn’t to “not feel fear,” but to practice the jump from calm → startled → back to calm, so that contrast feels manageable over time. In clinical versions of this approach, VR exposure is paired with short relaxation periods based on CAM.
Why VR?
Why VR?
VR lets us safely recreate anxiety triggers (e.g., social stress, heights, confinement) with control over timing and intensity—useful for exposure-style training.
What early tests show
What early tests show
Within a single run, most players cut their settle time from the first to the last loop and keep movement steadier; heart-rate and in-headset ratings confirm faster down-shifts after each scare. The practical outcome: a repeatable routine for bringing a spike down.
What this is (and isn’t)
What this is (and isn’t)
Haunted Mind is a training experience, built on ideas from exposure therapy and mindfulness. It’s not a medical device and isn’t a substitute for professional care; results differ by person. We continue to refine scenarios and plan larger studies to test outcomes more rigorously.
Collaborate & Contribute
Collaborate & Contribute
Curious about the science behind Haunted Mind? We’d love to hear from you.
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