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In this post I am going to look at two ways that technology is being used to enhance and advance addiction treatments.
Virtual Reality (VR)
The most common way that VR is used in the context of mental health treatments is exposure therapy. Using this technology, patients are placed in a virtual space that can be directly manipulated by a therapist. For example, patients with a phobia (such as height or spiders) can confront their fear in a safe and controlled environment.
A related strategy is being used to help treat addiction. A team at the University of Houston, headed by Dr. Patrick Bordnick, is using virtual reality to place addicts in situations with a degree high temptation. For example, a recovering alcoholic might attend a party where there is pressure to drink socially. In this virtual world the patient can learn and practice strategies for resisting their temptations.
This technique can be used for a range of drugs, from nicotine to heroine. The key is to make the situations as realistic as possible. In an interview with Motherboard, Dr Bordnick said "We have to make it real. ... An alcohol dependent person knows their drink and what it looks like. If it’s not the right colour, if it doesn't look like a real whisky, that's not gonna make that situation applicable to them."
To take realism even further, the team uses a scent machine to recreate smells that are common triggers. For example, they have the ability to reproduce the smell of marijuana in both raw and smoke forms.
I look forward to see how far this technology advances, and the outcome of clinical trials.
Computerized therapy
A recent study explored the use of computerized therapy as a supplement for treating addiction. All participants in the study received the following two treatments:
- Suboxone: a medication often use with those who have opioid dependencies
- Contingency management: a strategy that provides incentives and rewards for patients who do not use drugs
Both of these techniques have been shown to be helpful in isolation. For the study, one group was given an additionally given computerized therapy, which used a community reinforcement approach.
The results of the study are encouraging. Not only did the computerized therapy group show the best result, these subjects also required the least amount of time with a therapist. This is an important result in a field where there is a shortage of qualified counsellors.
It is important to note that the goal of this work isn't to replace counsellors, but rather to reduce their load. Warren Bickel, a professor at the Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute who conducted the study, said "Imagine the counselor being able to offload the routine stuff to a computer and just handling the things that humans are really good at -- coming up with creative solutions and developing new, tailored strategies." More information can be found here.
Fjola Helgadottir, PhD, is a clinical psychologist and director of AI-Therapy, a developer online treatment programs such as Overcome Fertility Stress. Follow her on twitter @drfjola.
