Thu, Apr 26, 2012 | 19:21 BST
Study – Tetris can help treat Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
The British Psychology Society Annual Conference has released a study which shows Tetris can help treat Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Too bad our dad wasn’t aware of this upon returning from Vietnam. Seriously, though, the firm tested the effects of playing the arcade classic over many week and found participants suffered significantly fewer flashbacks when watching a traumatic film shown to them than those who did not play Tetris. Lead researcher on the study,Emily Holmes, said “the visual-spatial demands of Tetris disrupt the formation of the mental imagery involved in flashbacks.” There’s more on GamePolitics.
5 comments
#1
Charlie Sheen
26/04/12, 2:16 pm
Not true, i am stressed and this shit does nothing
#2
Strawb
26/04/12, 2:25 pm
#1: Stress =/= PTSD.
#3
DSB
26/04/12, 5:03 pm
Extremely old news.
http://arstechnica.com/science/news/2010/11/tetris-may-work-as-a-ptsd-vaccine.ars
Where did your dad serve Steph?
#4
Stephany Nunneley
26/04/12, 7:53 pm
@3 Good lord that is more than old!
Not sure really. He never talked about it much. I know he did three tours at least and started off as a linesman in the Army before it broke out too heavily and was sent all over the place. He was in Thailand, Korea, The Philippines and for some reason Australia.
#5
DSB
26/04/12, 8:30 pm
@4 Yeah, I know of at least one Vietnam vet around here who hasn’t really left the jungle.
Not that it’s any consolation, but other “recent studies” have shown that people in partial or full support roles are more likely to develop PTSD.
It’s likely because the dedicated combat soldiers have more of an opportunity to give as good as they get. If you’re driving a truck, or even just working on one, you probably aren’t in the same mindset, and your combat experience is going to be something else.
I’m guessing Australia was used for R&R. Thailand, Korea, Australia and the Phillipines were all part of the Vietnam coalition.