Playing Tetris can reduce addictions

Life in the 21 century is full of
temptations and few of us aren’t addicted
to something. There are the obvious
substance addictions like nicotine, alcohol
and street drugs, but people can also
become addicted to behaviours like sex,
gambling and even work.
People who are addicted struggle to
control their actions even though they
realise how destructive their behaviour
may be. Addiction involves the brain’s
reward centres, and the pleasurable
reactions we get from engaging in certain
activities make us crave more of the
same.
Addiction and withdrawal symptoms
Narcotics and alcohol for example cause
the neurotransmitter dopamine to be
released in the brain. When this process
happens repeatedly, it changes the brain’s
reward system and leads to addiction –
and withdrawal symptoms when the
stimulus is removed.
A new study from the University of
Plymouth in the UK and Queensland
University of Technology in Australia has
revealed that the tile-laying game Tetris
can help to reduce cravings and
addictions.
Participants in the study, which was
published in the journal Addictive
Behaviours, found that their cravings
were less intense and that the frequency
and vividness were reduced when they
were playing the game.
The 31 undergraduate participants, aged
18 to 27, were required to report on their
cravings seven times a day but were also
encouraged to report independent of any
prompting. Fifteen participants played
Tetris for three minutes before reporting
on their cravings again.
Professor Jackie Andrade, from Plymouth
University, said that Tetris reduced the
participants’ cravings for drugs, food, and
activities from 70% to 56%, which
demonstrates that “cognitive
interference” can be used to reduce
cravings for substances and activities
other than eating.
The theory is that Tetris works because
playing a visually interesting game
occupies the mental processes that
support the imagery involved with a
particular substance or indulging in a
particular activity.
Andrade said that it is hard to “imagine
something vividly and play Tetris at the
same time”.