Virtual Reality Helps Smokers Kick the Habit

http://news.discovery.com/tech/virtual-reality-smoking-addiction.html

http://www.sciencecodex.com/crushing_cigarettes_in_a_virtual_reality_environment_reduces_tobacco_addiction

A study published in CyberPsychology and Behavior has shown that virtual reality treatments in conjunction with other methods can help smokers quit. The study, conducted by researchers from Canada's GRAP Occupational Psychology Clinic and the University of Quebec, consisted of 91 smokers split into two groups. One group entered the virtual reality environment and chased down and crushed floating cigarettes, while the control group crushed floating balls. This particular treatment took place four times a week.

During a six month follow up after the research concluded about 20% of the control group reported having abstained from smoking during the past week, while 39% of the experimental group reported having abstained. Although the researchers weren't sure of the exact cause of the cigarette crushers' higher success rate, they did partially attribute it to helping motivate smokers to resist the urge. 23% of the experimental group reported having flashbacks of the crushing exercise during cravings, and said that this helped them to resist it. This is opposed to only 3% of the control group. However, the session was not always helpful. Some of the participants rationalized that they were capturing and storing the cigarettes during the exercise, instead of simply crushing them.

It is also important to note that participating in the cigarette crushing exercise increased retention rates. People in the experimental group, on average, stayed with the program for more than 8 weeks. People in the control group stuck it out for an average of less than 6 weeks.

I think that this is an extremely interesting study. I find it particularly interesting to see virtual reality, something typically associated with gaming or other less than productive activities, being applied in a new way that can actually help people with emotional disorders and addictions. There has also been use of virtual reality in recent years by the University of Southern California to try to help Iraq vets deal with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. I think that this is a growing technology to be watched in upcoming years as it expands to be used in various areas of therapy.