Scientists have discovered that playing the classic 1980's Tetris game can help in preventing stress caused by traumatic events. The game was reported to be helpful in treating patients who have just been through anything traumatic like accidents, and the like.
Oxford University and the Karolinska Institute in Sweden have found out that patients who were treated in accidents and emergency departments following car accidents have less likelihood to develop the so-called PTSD or the post traumatic stress disorder if they are given the chance to play the game within six hours after the time they are admitted. Telegraph reported.
This game which looks like a puzzle where bright colored blocks will have to put together is one of the most popular games that was invented. In fact, millions of people around the world are still engrossed in this game.
According to Life Mental Health, PTSD can affect people who felt or experienced that their life was in danger. They are the ones who experienced rape, war, accidents and other traumatic events. The people who suffer from PTSD experience recurrent and intrusive memories, or flashbacks. They are usually given therapies to help them cope with the condition.
According to Dr. Emily Holmes, a psychology professor at Karolinska Institute's department of clinical neuroscience said that their theory is that patients who have suffered from trauma have fewer intrusive memories if they get to play Tetris, which is actually a part of a short behavioral intervention while waiting in the hospital department.
She explained that because the game is demands a lot of attention when it comes to visual skills, they wanted to see if it could prevent the intrusive aspects of the traumatic memories from getting established, by a disrupting process which is called memory consolidation.
