In a world where video games are being used to cure dangerous diseases, and Jobe can be made more intelligent with VR (The Lawnmower Man was real, right?) we now face a future where virtual reality is being implemented to tackle that most horrible of afflictions: drug addiction. According to Reuters, a team of researchers at the University of Houston are developing a special virtual reality program that is designed to help addicts kick their heroin habits through a combination of immersive imagery and therapy.
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The idea behind the program is to allow patients to explore a realistic “heroin cave,” a virtual party where they’ll be in the sort of environment where they would ordinarily take heroin, but without actual access to the drug. The researchers feel that traditional “role playing” therapy techniques are ineffective because they stand independent of their context. If the VR program in question can accurately allow addicts to live within the appropriate “party” environment, then they can role-play more effectively. The idea is to reduce chemical cravings.
Patrick Bordnick, the school’s associate dean of research has previously had luck in reducing the craving for cigarette via virtual reality, and is hoping that the chemical dependency of heroin can also be confronted.
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Witney Seibold is a contributor to the CraveOnline Film Channel, and the co-host of The B-Movies Podcast. He also contributes to Legion of Leia and to Blumhouse. You can follow him on “The Twitter” at @WitneySeibold, where he is slowly losing his mind.
