VR Game Helps Smokers Break The Habit
Quitting smoking is one hell of a process. Ask anyone who has quit, or attempted to quit about their experience. Generally, they all come back with a similar verdict, ‘It was one of the most difficult things I’ve ever done.’ There are many avenues available to smokers who wish to quit. Some try the patch, medication, or just cold turkey. Getting past the cravings can be the most difficult part of quitting. A group of researchers at the University of Georgia have designed a virtual reality game that aims to cut down the cravings for habitual smokers.
Patients go through 10 weekly VR sessions with a therapist to help the smoker understand some coping techniques. First the patient slaps on a nicotine patch and dons the bulky VR helmet. The game takes place in various tempting social situations, like a smoky party, a work break, or bumper-to-bumper traffic. Then the patient tries to incorporate the lessons learned in the real world.
"One of the rooms taught me how I could be there, smell the smoke, and still resist smoking...and I'm able to do that now," says study participant, Clara Williams. "I can be in a room with four to five people smoking, and I don't light up."
Hopefully this therapy works and gives smokers another avenue to choose when picking a quitting strategy.
Video Game Helps Smokers Call it Quits [Wired]
Toots
Posted to Video Games on 8 February 2007
Other stuff like this: georgia university, smoking, virtual reality
