How does Tetris reduce trauma?

In 2009, researchers at the University of Oxford proposed that playing Tetris when the brain is trying to store visual memories would overload its capacity and “distract” the visual memory circuits. Therefore, playing Tetris shortly after a distressing event could interrupt these processing centres within the brain.
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Why does playing Tetris help with trauma?

So it works. But how? It's fairly simple, really: manipulating the shapes in a game of Tetris interrupts the retention of the traumatic visions (that would go on to become painful flashbacks) in the sensory part of the brain.
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What are the mental benefits of playing Tetris?

The game's fast-paced nature and demand for spatial reasoning can contribute to a sharper, more agile mind. Studies have revealed that engaging with Tetris can increase gray matter in the brain, potentially leading to better cognitive function and enhanced problem-solving skills.
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What is the Tetris effect therapy?

The Tetris Effect

This effect has been used as a metaphor for how traumatic memories can intrude on one's thoughts, and Tetris helps disrupt that process. In a way, Tetris therapy empowers individuals to take back control of their own mental landscape, one block at a time.
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Does Tetris reduce intrusive memories?

Results showed that the researchers' hypothesis was right: those who had played Tetris had fewer intrusive memories of the trauma in total over the week immediately following the accident than the controls.
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Can Tetris Treat Trauma?

Is Tetris like EMDR?

EMDR and Tetris have both been found to be beneficial in reducing intrusive memories following a traumatic birth. Success has been noted in other clinical areas such as the Emergency Department.
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Why is Tetris so calming?

Applications in trauma therapy and cravings

These reminder cues followed by the interference task of playing Tetris competes for cognitive resources with the traumatic memory, disrupting the consolidation process of the traumatic memory traces, reducing their intensiveness and emotional impact.
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Is Tetris good for anxiety?

After four weeks, nurses who played Tetris experienced one-tenth the number of intrusive memories compared to those who did not play; they also reported improvements in other symptoms, such as insomnia, anxiety, and depression. Overall, nurses who played Tetris saw a 73 to 78 percent reduction in flashbacks.
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What is the Tetris effect positive psychology?

When we seek and focus on the positive, we are engaged in a Positive Tetris Effect, resulting in increased happiness, gratitude and optimism. And who among us couldn't use a little more of these attributes in our daily lives? Achor says practicing gratitude is a great way to train your brain to look for the positives.
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What is the negative Tetris Effect?

Negative Tetris Effect – when we focus on solving problems and finding things to fix (in our work, in others, or at home) we fall into a pattern of seeing negative or problems all around us.
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Do Tetris players have high IQ?

The lack of an association between Tetris scores and measures of IQ suggests that this relationship is not mediated by general fluid abilities and that there is something very specific about the common cognitive demands of visuospatial WM tasks and Tetris.
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Why is Tetris so addictive?

Speaking to its longevity, the game's creator, Alexey Pajitnov, said that, "Tetris is a very simple game, but it appeals to many players because it's both visually and intellectually challenging." “I think that's what makes the game so addictive.
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Is Tetris good for ADHD?

Results: SBT and Tetris were feasible as home-based interventions, and participants' compliance was high, but participants perceived both interventions as not very interesting or helpful. There were no significant group differences on cognitive and ADHD-symptom measures after intervention.
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What are the mental benefits of Tetris?

Furthermore, Tetris has been found to increase feelings of competence and self-esteem. As players improve their skills over time and progress through increasingly challenging levels, they gain a sense of mastery and self-confidence. This sense of achievement can contribute to an overall boost in mood and well-being.
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Why is Tetris so satisfying?

"In lots of games you destroy things, but in Tetris you have the illusion that you're building something all the time,” Pajitnov explained in a 2019 interview with Polygon. “It's constructive and positive and it makes you feel smart."
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How does playing Tetris help with trauma?

The current evidence of Tetris' efficacy is limited to studies where people were supported by professionals. This evidence indicates that: playing Tetris (or perhaps a similar game) for around 20 minutes in the hours after experiencing a traumatic event may help to reduce subsequent intrusive memories.
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What does Tetris teach you?

In life, this means being adaptable and open to new possibilities. It means being willing to try new things, take risks, and learn from your mistakes. Perhaps most importantly, both Tetris and life require us to stay focused and present in the moment.
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Does Tetris release dopamine?

The Psychology Behind Tetris' Appeal

Successful line clears are intrinsically rewarding, triggering the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter prominently involved in our motivation and reward systems.
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Is it healthy to play Tetris?

Playing these types of games has also been shown to improve cognitive functioning, which could also be a benefit, particularly for patients who struggle with cognition due to depression or anxiety. If you are interested in Tetris for yourself or a patient, Lopatin (2023) recommends the following free apps: Tetris.
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Does Tetris help with grief?

Playing it shortly after experiencing a traumatic event seems to block some of the recurrent intrusive memories that people are often left with. The proof-of-concept suggests Tetris could play an important role in psychological interventions after trauma.
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What games are good for PTSD?

For example, puzzle games, including crossword puzzles, Sudoku, and logic puzzles, require players to analyze problems, devise strategies, and think critically. Engaging in these games may help you improve your problem-solving abilities, which can be compromised by the cognitive effects of trauma.
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What happens if you play too much Tetris?

What is the Tetris effect? The Tetris effect (also known as Tetris syndrome) occurs when people devote so much time and attention to an activity that it begins to pattern their thoughts, mental images, and dreams. It takes its name from the video game Tetris.
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What is the game that helps with trauma?

It also turns out that a simple puzzle game, Tetris™, can help speed the healing of intrusive traumatic memories during therapy.
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How addictive is Tetris?

As anybody who has spent hours playing Tetris knows, it is an incredibly addictive game. Many people who play for extended periods of time have reported seeing Tetris pieces outside of the game, such as in their mind when they close their eyes, or in their dreams. It's a phenomenon known as the Tetris Effect.
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