Play Warcraft to Ease Chronic Pain? Professor Says Games Trump Drugs
In yet another approach to researching videogames, Simon Fraser University professor and founding director of the university’s BioMedia Lab, Diane Gromala, is investigating the role games may play in pain management. In a brief article on Canada.com, Dr. Gromala’s work is profiled. Here is the key paragraph:
Controlled experiments consistently show subjects who are distracted in a fully-immersive virtual reality world, such as a three-dimensional skiing adventure computer game, report less pain than their counterparts using drug-based pain therapy.
Of course, it’s not all fun and games, although it would seem World of Warcraft qualifies as a “fully-immersive virtual reality world.” It seems Dr. Gromala would also include biofeedback and meditation in a regimen for managing chronic pain:
“Controlling pain through computerized VR and biofeedback meditation therapies has the promise of providing successful, cost-effective alternatives to pain medications,” she said.
This is an interesting approach, and one sure to generate some intriguing research. Just don’t go treating yourself by playing WoW for 8 hours straight.
References:
Canada.com. (2007, December 17). Video games beat drugs for chronic pain. [Online.] Retrieved December 18, 2007 from: http://www.canada.com/topics/technology/games/
story.html?id=4b259ff7-92a5-454a-8449-3e0707b4d0b0&k=77800
Tags: Diane Gromala, Simon Fraser University
Brain Science, Game Discussion, MMORPGs, Medical Games, Video Game Research, Virtual Reality, Virtual Worlds, World of Warcraft | John Rice | 
December 18, 2007 4:56 am
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By Mark, April 12, 2008 @ 2:11 pm
And this doesn’t even address the therapeutic benefits to those suffering emotional pain.
Thank you for finding and sharing this research. I’m on a little quest to encourage people to enjoy even the more tedious elements of World of Warcraft.
I feel the reliance on buying gold on the web and the reliance on bots for both leveling and gold-making is hurting our virtual world and exhibiting a lack of appreciation for just how fun and satisfying the game can be if you just immerse yourself in it.