What is it?
- A Virtual Hallucination: MINDSTORM is a 3D theater experience, offering people a chance to understand what it may feel, smell and sound like to experience symptoms of schizophrenia.
- Wearing lightweight polarized glasses, and sitting in a high-tech, virtual-reality technology theater, a person can view a short (6-minute) 3D theater experience of the sights and sounds, as well as selected scents and wind effects, of first person point-of-view schizophrenia hallucinations.
- Hallucinations are some of the most flagrant and disruptive symptoms that people with schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders can experience. Approximately 70% of people with schizophrenia experience auditory hallucinations (e.g., hearing voices) and 25% experience visual illusions or distortions.1
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How was it created?
- Using input from individuals with the disease and a panel of expert psychiatrists, a Virtual Hallucination: MINDSTORM was developed with Impact Unlimited as a tool to create understanding and empathy toward schizophrenia by simulating realistic sensory hallucinations.
- The program debuted on May 20, 2007 at the 2007 Annual Meeting of the American Psychiatric Association in San Diego, CA. The MINDSTORM theater holds 11 high-tech seats with built-in audio speakers. The theater effects also include lighting, wind and scents, timed to the program presentation.
- A portable 3D version of MINDSTORM is currently being developed. A 2D video/audio-only program is also available as a DVD.
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Who is it for?
- A Virtual Hallucination: MINDSTORM is an invaluable teaching aid for medical students, physicians, the healthcare community, and law enforcement personnel. The simulation has the potential to create empathy for a frightening condition that most people can barely imagine.
- The implications of this technology are endless in affecting those who come in contact with or relate to people with schizophrenia—friends and families of those suffering with schizophrenia, healthcare professionals, legislators and law enforcement.
- This is not intended for use with patients with mental illness.
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How do you use it?
- Take a seat in the a Virtual Hallucination: MINDSTORM theater, put on the lightweight plastic 3D glasses and experience.
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This experience simulates a severe episode of auditory and visual hallucinations and may be disturbing to some people. If you anticipate being disturbed by it, become so during viewing or believe it will disturb you after viewing, you should consider not participating or immediately discontinue viewing if you become uncomfortable during the experience. We appreciate your interest in learning more about schizophrenia.
Janssen is currently working on a portable a Virtual Hallucination: Mindstorm experience.
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1 Mueser KT, Gingerich S. The Complete Family Guide to Schizophrenia. New York: The Guilford Press; 2006:22.
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