Comments on: Tetris Inoculation Against PTSD Flashbacks

By: V.S.

V.S. — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 16:03:14 +0000

Ellen: References for your claim? I’m curious.

By: Do NFs like Tetris? - Typology Central

Do NFs like Tetris? - Typology Central — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 12:05:38 +0000

[...] that it can help with PTSD if played within a few hour window of the incident. Here is a link: Tetris Inoculation Against PTSD Flashbacks | World of Psychology __________________ "It is not length of life, but depth of life." – Ralph Waldo [...]

By: Ken

Ken — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 21:55:31 +0000

It’s not the game, its the soundtrack!
hahah I kid, I kid.
I have to say the soundtrack of Tetris is still embedded deep into my psyche

By: cameron

cameron — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 11:19:58 +0000

I like how everyone thinks this is a great treatment for PTSD when really what it’s suggesting is that we try to take all the awful things we make soldiers endure and try and get them to subconsciously associate it with a mindless task so they don’t have to think about their feelings

‘But what if that drug wasn’t a drug at all, but a simple computer game you could equip every military unit with on the front lines?’

what if it was a lobotomy?

who cares as long as they’re doin their job shooting and exploding things and not feeling guilty about it afterwards

you know the people who aren’t THERE don’t feel guilty… maybe its because we can play better games than tetris, ones that condition us to violence EVEN MORE

By: Zoltan - Self-esteem guy

Zoltan - Self-esteem guy — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 07:31:03 +0000

That’s interesting. I have noticed that if I surf on the computer before I go to bed and changing the pages very fast I “go to bed” with those images as well. If it’s positive I sleep well, but if not you can have nightmares. It depends on how sensitive you are.

Some companies used to have those “flashy” commercials – I think one of them was Coca-Cola – to trigger the same effect and I think now they are not allowed.

By: And now from the minds of psychologists… « Living in the Solution

And now from the minds of psychologists… « Living in the Solution — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 13:19:38 +0000

[...] And now from the minds of psychologists… Jump to Comments Tetris and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. [...]

By: Don

Don — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 12:05:45 +0000

Excellent post, Clinton – Watching a trauma movie is NOT the same as being there in the middle of the action. I hope Dr. Grohol reads your post.

By: clinton

clinton — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 21:17:27 +0000

Pure malarkey

You’re basing the mentality of a soldier on grad students watching scary movies. I happen to be in Iraq right now for my second tour. I am a medic and trained in first line PTSD screening. Tetris will not do anything to help the feelings of guilt of surviving nor the fatigue due to being in a constant state of danger.

PTSD doesn’t come from seeing blown up people, it comes from seeing your friends blow up. The difference might seem semantic, but it is very far from it.

By: confuzzed

confuzzed — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 14:31:26 +0000

fascinating article and comments!
I love Tetris too and find when I play my mind gets ‘numb’ so to speak.
I wonder if “bejeweled” has the same effect, as I feel the same way when I play it….

By: Grad Student #328900

Grad Student #328900 — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 19:18:58 +0000

So, all you wise cracks. Tetris works because the brain has a limited processing capacity so to speak. We’ve always known that interference disrupts memory (yes, playing tetris after a geometry lesson may interfere with actually learning geometry). And, we’ve also known that opposing tasks will wipe out short term memory and therefore prevent consolidation. What the researchers have missed here is the highly emotional content of PTSD. If the post-battle tetris game was particularly engaging- There was a high stakes tournament going on. Then, yes, theoretically and now empirically, Tetris could wipe short term memory and prevent soldiers from consolidating the traumatic event. I doubt that it would truly get rid of PTSD, but theoretically, it could lessen the severity. Good Work!

By: fish

fish — Sat, 30 May 2009 13:06:15 +0000

I love Tetris as well, but what is the message? Tetris makes stupid? Tetris is dope? To talk about the reasons for war, the sense or nonsense of it, seems to be a better cure. Human beings are not Apes.

By: suzi

suzi — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 06:45:58 +0000

I love Tetris and I have been diagnosed with PTSD, so your saying that if they had video games like Tetris in the 60′s when my event happened I may not have suffered like I have? I don’t know that I can believe this.
At some point the mind has to release that bad, if you continue to block it, it will eat a hole in your soul.

By: LTalon

LTalon — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 18:17:35 +0000

@ Penfold:

Well, perhaps the act of forcing themselves to sit and play Tetris might help the soldiers deal with the trauma. Out of sight, out of mind?

Or it might not. Who knows. Merits more research, I think.

By: Dinklump. | The Contrarian

Dinklump. | The Contrarian — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 13:13:59 +0000

[...] Speaking of soldiers, apparently Tetris can prevent PTSD [...]

By: Michelle

Michelle — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 17:25:19 +0000

Well this rocks because I adore playing Tetris!