NEW YORK: There is new hope for heavy boozers who want to quit drinking. A ‘virtual-reality’ therapy may help people with alcohol-dependence reduce the craving for their favourite tipple, says a new study.
The researchers said they are optimistic about the potential for virtual reality as a therapy for alcohol-use disorders.
“This technology is already popular in the fields of psychology and psychiatry,” said senior researcher Doug Hyun Han from Chung-Ang University Hospital ..
“Virtual-reality therapy has been used to treat phobias and posttraumatic stress disorder,” Han said. The idea is to expose people to situations that trigger fear and anxiety, in a safe and controlled space. Then, hopefully, they learn to better manage those situations in real life. According to Han, less is known about whether virtual reality can help with substance use disorders. But there has been some evidence that it can reduce people’s craving for tobacco and alcohol.