Avatar Intervention in Virtual Reality for Cannabis Use Disorder in Individuals With Severe Mental Disorders: Results From a 1-Year, Single-Arm Clinical Trial

Avatar Intervention in Virtual Reality for Cannabis Use Disorder

Study Overview

This study explored a new way to treat cannabis use disorder (CUD) in individuals with severe mental disorders (SMD) using virtual reality (VR). The goal was to see if this method could help reduce cannabis use and improve overall well-being over a year.

Why It Matters

People with both CUD and SMD face complex challenges. Traditional treatments often fall short, leading to a need for innovative solutions. This study introduced a VR approach where participants could interact with an avatar, which represented someone important in their cannabis use, during therapy sessions.

What We Did

In this pilot trial, 32 participants attended 8 VR sessions. They engaged in discussions with a therapist-controlled avatar to help address their cannabis use. We measured:

Amount of cannabis consumed
Frequency of cannabis use
Severity of cannabis use issues
Motivation to change
Impact on quality of life and psychiatric symptoms

Key Findings

Results showed:

Significant reduction in the amount of cannabis used, lasting up to 12 months.
Small but notable decrease in usage frequency at 3 months.
Improvements in CUD severity, motivation to change, and coping strategies.
Better quality of life and fewer psychiatric symptoms.

Next Steps

These promising results lead to a new study comparing this VR approach to standard addiction treatments.

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