Tetris for Trauma: How a Classic Video Game Is Rewiring Mental Health Treatment

A surprising fresh tool is emerging in the fight against trauma: Tetris. Research indicates that playing the classic puzzle game can significantly reduce the intensity and frequency of flashbacks and intrusive memories associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This accessible and scalable intervention offers a promising avenue for treating trauma, particularly for those who lack access to traditional therapies.

How Tetris Helps Heal

The therapeutic approach, known as imagery competing task intervention (ICTI), leverages the brain’s visuospatial processing capabilities. Researchers discovered that engaging in a visually demanding task like Tetris during the recall of a traumatic memory can weaken the vividness of those memories. The idea is that Tetris occupies the same brain areas responsible for creating and maintaining visual memories of the trauma, effectively disrupting their consolidation.

In a randomized controlled trial involving 99 healthcare workers exposed to trauma during the COVID-19 pandemic, those who played a slow version of Tetris while briefly recalling a traumatic memory experienced a dramatic reduction in intrusive memories. The study, funded by Wellcome, showed that participants had ten times fewer flashbacks compared to those receiving standard care or a placebo Selwyn College.

Emily Holmes, a professor of psychology at Uppsala University who led the study, explains that even fleeting intrusive memories can have a powerful impact on daily life. “By weakening the intrusive aspect of these sensory memories via this brief visual intervention, people experience fewer trauma images flashing back,” she said Sky News.

Beyond Healthcare Workers: A Broad Application

While the initial research focused on healthcare workers, the potential applications of Tetris-based therapy extend far beyond this group. Trauma affects seven out of ten people at least once in their lifetime, according to the World Health Organization University of Oxford. Existing PTSD therapies are often resource-intensive and inaccessible, making ICTI a potentially transformative solution.

Researchers are now planning larger-scale trials to further validate the findings and explore the optimal parameters for treatment. The simplicity and accessibility of Tetris – a game readily available on various platforms – make it a uniquely promising tool for widespread implementation.

Key Takeaways

• Playing Tetris can reduce the vividness of traumatic memories.
• The treatment, called imagery competing task intervention (ICTI), involves playing Tetris while briefly recalling a traumatic event.
• Research shows significant reductions in flashbacks and PTSD symptoms.
• Tetris-based therapy is accessible, scalable and potentially transformative for trauma treatment.

As research continues, Tetris may well become a standard component of trauma care, offering a new level of hope and healing for those affected by the lasting impact of traumatic experiences.