Are Schizophrenia Simulators Accurate?

People with schizophrenia may experience changes in the way they feel, think, and navigate the world. It can be very hard for people to explain schizophrenia to their loved ones. For that reason, some people consider using schizophrenia simulators. These options allow those without schizophrenia to see life through the perspective of someone with the mental health condition.

Although some individuals find schizophrenia simulators to be helpful, others aren’t as supportive. Read on to discover whether these programs are accurate, as well as what the research says.

Schizophrenia Hallucinations and Delusions

Schizophrenia has both positive symptoms and negative symptoms, said Dr. Robert Channon, a board-certified psychiatrist and a Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association.

Negative symptoms include things like “loss of executive functioning, being unable to problem solve, loss of motivation, loss of will to do things, and comfort in being with people,” Dr. Channon said. “Those are all the kinds of things that drive your appetite for life.”

Negative symptoms often appear before positive symptoms do. Examples may include:

• Low energy
• Speaking less
• Withdrawing from social situations
• Reduced motivation
• Difficulty expressing emotions

Positive symptoms, on the other hand, refer to the things that you can see, hear, or experience, Dr. Channon said. These include hallucinations, delusions, and paranoia.

Hallucinations may include seeing things that aren’t there, hearing voices, or even smelling odors that aren’t present. The person experiencing the hallucination doesn’t know it’s not real. This can make it hard for others to understand or empathize with them.

Delusions are beliefs that aren’t accurate. But the person with schizophrenia likely can’t accept that these thoughts aren’t true. They may also be confused, have trouble focusing, or think something’s blocking their thoughts.

To the person observing, it may seem obvious that someone’s delusions or hallucinations aren’t real. But the individual experiencing an episode may truly believe that they’re in a realistic situation.

What Are Schizophrenia Simulators?

Because schizophrenia symptoms aren’t always easy to see or understand, people with the condition may face stigma. Stigma can make people feel ashamed about having schizophrenia, even though it’s not something they can control. It may also prevent someone from getting treatment. One way to reduce stigma is by educating people about schizophrenia and its symptoms. A schizophrenia simulator is one educational tool that has emerged in recent years.

Schizophrenia simulators are tools that try to show what it’s like to have symptoms such as hallucinations or delusions. They come in different forms, but most are digital or use virtual reality. The goal is to raise awareness of schizophrenia or educate others about the condition. Options may include:

• Using virtual reality (VR) programs that show people experiencing symptoms
• Watching videos of people having an episode
• Wearing headphones to hear sounds mimicking auditory hallucinations
• Interacting in a gamelike environment with people having schizophrenia symptoms

Are Schizophrenia Simulators Effective?

Several studies have examined how well simulators work, but the results have been mixed. One study made use of virtual reality to simulate visual and auditory (hearing) hallucinations. The 41 college students who participated became more empathetic after the simulation. They also felt more positive toward people with schizophrenia.

Another study included 242 college students. They either watched a video of people with schizophrenia discussing their experiences or participated in an audiovisual schizophrenia simulation. The researchers found that these interventions did not decrease stigma. In some cases, participants said that their stigma actually increased.

A third study of 102 higher-education students compared attitudes of participants who either tried a VR program mimicking an episode of psychosis or watched a video of those with schizophrenia. Participants in both groups were more empathetic after the study. However, those in the VR group showed more empathy and had a more positive change in how they viewed people with schizophrenia.

Sometimes, mental health providers use schizophrenia simulators. In one research program, 180 mental health care professionals tried a VR simulator. They found that simulator use led to lower stigma and better attitudes toward those with schizophrenia. But the VR use didn’t make the professionals more empathetic. More research is needed to determine whether schizophrenia simulators are effective.

How Accurate Are Schizophrenia Simulators?

Researchers have questioned whether a short-term simulator can truly capture what it’s like to live with schizophrenia. Simulators only deliver the experience of having an episode, and they do so in a short time frame. Schizophrenia symptoms often come and go. People may have strong symptoms during an episode, then go through times when they feel better or have no symptoms at all.

In addition, life with schizophrenia can be different from one person to the next. And those with the condition may have slightly different experiences during each episode. For those reasons, not everyone believes these simulators are accurate.

Criticisms of Schizophrenia Simulators

While some people say simulators may help raise awareness of this mental illness, not everyone agrees.

Some people believe that using simulators may reinforce stigma instead of fostering true empathy. For instance, one study found that people who use schizophrenia simulators may become more eager to distance themselves from those with the condition.

Some researchers say simulators may oversimplify the condition or sensationalize life with schizophrenia. Experiencing a virtual simulation of life with schizophrenia symptoms could reduce understanding of the broad spectrum involved in this condition.

For example, simply experiencing visual hallucinations is not a complete simulation of schizophrenia. Psychiatry experts say these kinds of simulations should be linked to education. Without that, people may miss the full picture of what it’s like to live with schizophrenia.

Understanding This Complex Condition

Mental disorders such as schizophrenia are complex and layered. While simulators can raise awareness, they don’t fully capture the complexity of living with schizophrenia. Other options may help people better connect to those living with this long-term condition.

For some people, hearing directly from those with lived experience provides more respectful and accurate insight. One study found that social contact with people who have schizophrenia was more effective at reducing stigma than using simulators.

Research is ongoing about how to reduce stigma around mental health conditions. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) offers several tips on ways to fight this type of stigma:

• Pay attention to your words — Don’t use language that reduces someone’s diagnosis to an adjective.
• Learn more about the condition — Knowing what’s behind a schizophrenia diagnosis can help others better understand its roots and complexity.
• Be compassionate — Let people with mental health diagnoses know you respect them and care about them.
• Reduce shame around the condition and treatment — People living with schizophrenia shouldn’t be ashamed about living with this mental illness. Others should reinforce empowerment over shame.

Stigma may prevent people from seeking the schizophrenia treatment they deserve. That’s one reason it’s essential to find ways to challenge it. As research on simulators continues, one point is clear: Empathy, education, and respectful conversation are key to reducing stigma. Everyone deserves to be understood and supported.

Talk With Others Who Understand

On MySchizophreniaTeam, the site for those with schizophrenia and their loved ones, people come together to ask questions, give advice, and share their stories with others who understand life with different mental health conditions.

Have you ever considered using a schizophrenia simulator? What was it like? Share your experience in the comments below.