Creating an Immersive Perspective on ADHD
Using carefully researched virtual reality to help healthcare professionals explore lived experiences.
If you would like to learn more about this project and see some project content examples, please get in touch.
01 • THE CHALLENGE
How could we help healthcare professionals see what everyday life with ADHD is like through the eyes of patients and their families?
Clinicians understand ADHD clinically, but some have limited insight into how it feels to live with the condition day today. The challenge was to move beyond facts and symptoms and create a way for healthcare professionals to truly see the world through their patients’ eyes — building empathy, understanding and support in a meaningful, memorable way.
“The reaction to the in my shoes experience was amazing. With some strict management we got nearly everyone through and the service users thought it was a really accurate portrayal while clinicians found it really thought provoking. Several people did mention the relevance to teachers in feedback and in discussion with me.” Professor David Daley
02 • THE thinking & Doing
We designed and delivered an immersive VR experience that put clinicians in the shoes of a child, a teenager and an adult living with ADHD.
We recommended an immersive VR experience that would allow clinicians to step into the lives of people with ADHD and experience everyday situations first-hand.
We designed and produced three short VR scenarios, experienced in sequence, each placing the viewer in a first-person perspective as a child, an adolescent and an adult living with ADHD. Each scenario focused on situations where ADHD has the greatest impact — from school and exams to the workplace — bringing common symptoms to life through inner dialogue, environmental distractions and sensory overload.
All content was developed in close collaboration with psychiatrists, healthcare professionals and people living with ADHD to ensure clinical accuracy and authenticity. Surround sound was usedto guide attention and control pacing, while careful technical testing ensured a smooth, comfortable experience with minimal motion sickness.
To support delivery at congress, we designed and built custom hardware and managed the full technical set up on-site, allowing multiple delegates to experience the VR simultaneously while ensuring a seamless flow through the booth.
Three scenarios represented the perspectives of a child, adolescent and adult, developed with input from psychiatrists, healthcare professionals and people living with ADHD.
03 • RESULTS & IMPACT
The VR experience helped clinicians understand what it’s like to live with ADHD, sparked conversations at congress and continues to attract interest today.
The VR experience gave clinicians a powerful, first-hand insight into the challenges faced by people living withADHD, helping to shift perception from symptoms to lived reality. Feedback highlighted the emotional impact of the experience and its effectiveness inbuilding empathy and understanding in a way traditional materials cannot achieve.
The installation became a focal point ofthe congress booth, driving engagement, discussion and deeper awareness of ADHD among healthcare professionals.
