Having a phobia can be debilitating, but new technology is allowing people to come face-to-face with their fears without actually being anywhere near them.

An Otago University trial is experimenting with the use of virtual reality to give people exposure to their phobias - namely, spiders, flying, needles, heights and dogs.

The 129 people who took part saw on average a 75 percent reduction of their symptoms over just six weeks.

Associate Professor Cameron Lacey joins us to discuss!

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