We are funded by Innovate UK and West Northamptonshire Council to pilot a new VR training tool for addiction recovery.

Many parts of the UK face a worsening drug and alcohol addiction crisis, with rising deaths and hospital admissions. Alcohol-related deaths tripled and drug-related deaths doubled since 2015. Most adults who require specialist substance misuse treatment (82% for alcohol and 50% for drug misuse) are not accessing services.

Addiction recovery is hard and full of setbacks, challenges and moments of vulnerability. It requires people to be patient with themselves and to actively engage in techniques as they work through the challenges. But there is a painful gap. When we spoke to members of addiction services, we learned that while support and learning are available, they often fall short in practice. Many individuals lack confidence in their key coping skills, especially when things become stressful. The result is that many choose to retreat, distancing themselves from healthy relationships and interpersonal connections they need most.

That’s why we are developing InnerVoice, a new VR intervention to bridge the gap. The project is supported by Innovate UK’s AKT programme, West Northamptonshire Council (WNC), and a network of charities. We’ve worked closely with community groups to ensure the therapy is safe, usable, and truly meets the user’s needs.

InnerVoice uses game design and immersive media to translate abstract therapeutic concepts into actionable confidence. It helps people understand their emotions effectively, practise self-compassion and life-changing coping skills in a safe, private space with virtual companions, and ultimately work towards a life they genuinely feel is worth living.

The innovation reflects key government priorities, outlined in ‘From Harm to Hope’, to create evidence that underpins novel digital therapeutics and technological interventions. The project is a crucial development for the WNC’s Alcohol and Drug Service, where digitisation is placed at the forefront. The innovation will benefit a network of addiction support charities and further boost digital innovations and investment in addiction services, fostering a local ecosystem of talent and expertise in health technology.