Video Games Better Than Drugs For Chronic Pain
By William on Sunday, December 16th, 2007 at 3:09 PM PST In Gamer Life
The therapeutic value of video games has always been understated. Fortunately, members of the scientific and medical communities have started to respect the value of video games as a tool of therapy.
A Simon Fraser University (Vancouver) professor is trying to find out why various experiments consistently show that people who suffer from serious pain tend to find more relief in virtual reality gaming environments than standard drug-based treatments.
Virtual reality environments and biofeedback meditation have been proven extremely successful in many Canadian studies. Perhaps people will eventually start understanding the value of technology and video game based therapy. I know many veterans who are using video games as therapy and it’s working for them more than traditional medicine as well. Check out the Via link for the full story.
Via Canada.com
Pretty cool. I always wondered what video games might actually produce. Painkilers, apparently. From our brains. O_o
I love how the list of good things about video games keeps getting bigger yet the list of bad things about video games has always been the same, just violence.
@ Lucas – Violence being justified with very little background behind it. It’s a scapegoat, in theory, don’t let the media sway ya on that one.
As for the research, funnily enough in my studies of psychology lately, we quickly went over a study which is fairly similar, albeit not quite the same levels. It basically had people with bear on them (artificial pain, as in, set-up for the experiment) but as a practice of distraction, something like 95% + of those who were playing games at the time were too distracted to notice the pain.
And that’s why kiddies when you’re ill at home, playing games will get you back to school quicker…ahem.
ahhh, modern science. is there anything it cant prove?
and wouldnt it be nice if they started putting consoles in hospitals.
In reply to Joel, I meant for violence to be vague as to cover all the bases there. I don’t bother watching the news and media for anything I care about political and such.
Most kids who play video games while having a broken limb or in pain from an injury will most likely tell you they almost forget they are in pain when playing video games (if they can play at all).
Video games are fun, but i prefer drugs.