Virtual reality game gets Pavlovian on crack addicts

by Alexander Sliwinski { Nov 6th 2007 at 1:59PM }

Bless you classical conditioning, for without you we wouldn't have stories about virtual crack dens. A Duke University developed game is attempting virtual reality therapy for crack addicts hoping to break their addiction. Prof Zack Rosenthal states that the game takes people "into a virtual crack-related neighborhood or crack-related setting and have them experience cravings, just like they would in the real world." Rosenthal says cravings are a mental and learned behavior which the game attempts to quell.

Subjects will face in-game temptations and be required to rate their level of craving, after which the craving is expected to subside due to the game's inability to deliver a real fix. The therapist then ties the moment the craving subsides to a tone trigger, leading the addict to "associate the sound with the sensation of a decreased craving." Yup, it's all one giant virtual reality "Pavlov's Dog" simulator.

[Via GamePolitics]

Tags: crack, crack is whack, drug addiction, duke, pavlov

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Jerk Face @ Nov 6th 2007 2:11PM

http://tinyurl.com/3xkzgx

gonk @ Nov 6th 2007 2:14PM

don't let jack tompson know there's drug references in a game

Jerk Face @ Nov 6th 2007 2:23PM

Ha ha.. Nice.

KiraXD @ Nov 6th 2007 2:24PM

i dont know how helpful a game would be... often times i find MYSELF craving a line or 2 of coke, or maybe a few drops of LSD while playing games... (E4, REZ, Frequency/Amplitude ETC...)
and im not even an addict.

ThornedVenom @ Nov 6th 2007 2:25PM

Does it have any real basis? I have a hard time imagining a game which effectively manages to translate your NEED for some sort of "higher sensation" for crack.

And yes, I also thought about Jack Thompson, but let's not aim the obvious.

Predatorian234 @ Nov 6th 2007 2:44PM

Technically this could work.

It worked with Pavlov's dog, it might just work with humans.

WiNG @ Nov 6th 2007 3:47PM

Hey super props to anyone who wants to use gaming or ANY technology to help cure people whose lives have been shattered by drug addiction.

colin @ Nov 6th 2007 9:04PM

that's the nicest looking crackhouse i have ever seen

Rubang B (BRUSH WITH FAME) @ Nov 6th 2007 9:08PM

This is awesome. I love all news like this, similar to the virtual worlds currently being used in attempts to cure fears of heights and spiders.

But they should make an MMO out of this!

ThornedVenom @ Nov 6th 2007 11:26PM

Pavlovian reflex conditioning + MMO = mass brainwash?

cybereality @ Nov 7th 2007 12:01AM

A noble effort, but I don't see how this can help crack addicts. Unless there was some sort of I.V. hooked up to the game that would release drugs when the user made the correct choice. Otherwise there would be no way to reconfigure the addicts neural network. Even so, an interesting experiment.

Also, I agree, that crack-house looks way to nice. Its missing the mattress on the floor and some crack-whores scattered about. Don't forget the half-finished 40oz of St.Ides laying in the corner, its essential to the crackhead's diet.