There it highlighted that playing Tetris when one had a craving for one of the aforementioned things above, or similar negative habits, Tetris helps to weaken the craving in a natural setting.
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Previous research in laboratory settings has confirmed that Tetris was effective at reducing cravings for snacks, but the new study also shows that the game works for reducing cravings for cigarettes, alcohol, coffee, sleep, and sex.
The analysis was executed by a group of psychologists on college students from Britain’s Queensland University of Technology and Plymouth University, and its preliminary premise was exclusively associated to meals craving.
The study consisted of 31 undergraduates ranging in age from 18 to 27. Nonetheless, the research team lent them a helping hand or text in this case, prompting them to report their cravings seven times per day. “Playing Tetris decreased craving strength for drugs, food, and activities from 70% to 56%”.
Scientists think it has something to do with what they call the “Tetris effect” in which the user imagines the experience of consuming a certain substance or doing a certain activity, and then plays a visually interesting game – Tetris, in this case – that occupies people mentally.
Andrade is of the opinion that Tetris could be used as a support tool in managing cravings and addictions.
Are food cravings growing your waistline? 16% were for activities like sleeping, playing video games, socializing with friends and intercourse.
The theory behind the connection is that the addictive qualities of video games can be harnessed to deter people from caving in to other, more harmful cravings, like smoking or snacking excessively.
Food and soda accounted for up to two-thirds of the cravings reported. Cravings for other items considered to be drugs, such as cigarettes, coffee, wine, and beer were found to comprise 21 percent of the group’s cravings.
The impact of playing Tetris was found consistent throughout the week.
“People played the game 40 times on average but the effect did not seem to wear off. This finding is potentially important because an intervention that worked exclusively because it was novel and unusual would have diminishing benefits over time as participants became familiar with it”, he added.
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However, the researchers could not test for the most addictive of drugs: illegal drugs and marijuana, and they encourage researchers to pursue this further, with the hopes that it will maybe help the lives of many drug addicts who are battling their dependency.
