Research reveals that playing 'Tetris' can stop cravings for food, drugs and other addictive behaviours

zainab quadri

August 17, 2015 3:59 PM

Psychologists have revealed that playing Tetris interfered with desires not only for food, but also for drugs, including cigarettes, alcohol and coffee, and other activities.

The confounding, frustrating and altogether dastardly video game Tetris could be a massive tool in the fight against addictions.

Psychologists from Plymouth University and Queensland University of Technology, Australia, have revealed that playing Tetris interfered with desires not only for food, but also for drugs, including cigarettes, alcohol and coffee, and other activities.

The confounding, frustrating and altogether dastardly video game Tetris could be a massive tool in the fight against addictions.

The study revealed that playing the Russian computer game smash for as little as three minutes at a time can weaken cravings for drugs, food and even activities such as sex and sleeping by approximately one fifth.

The test was the first of its kind, monitoring people in their normal lives outside of a laboratory and noting their cravings and how they fluctuated in comparison to game play.

The game requires patience and quick-thinking as players stack hundreds of little coloured blocks on top of each other in a small screen.

zainab quadri