Avatar intervention for Cannabis-Related Disorders

Disorders related to the use of cannabis and other substances have led to the development of several treatment options, both pharmacological and psychosocial. However, the options currently available appear to offer only partial and relatively short-term results. Our pilot project aims to test the effectiveness of avatar therapy for this category of substance use disorders.

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PROJECT

Avatar therapy offers an immersive and realistic experience through virtual reality. The characters and situations depicted during sessions will be designed by the patient in collaboration with the psychotherapist, allowing the participant to tailor the therapeutic sessions to their own personal experiences. This patient-specific approach offers new perspectives for the treatment of cannabis-use disorders. The realistic scenarios provided by avatar therapy suggest that it may reduce the risk of relapse and be more effective in the long term than other existing therapies for this type of substance use disorder.

THE PROJECT

This pilot project aims to demonstrate the effectiveness of avatar therapy in treating cannabis use disorders among individuals living with mental health challenges.

This innovative therapy consists of an average of eight weekly one-hour sessions. Through virtual reality sessions, participants will learn to adapt their emotional responses to various scenarios presented to them in order to gain better control over the harmful effects of cannabis use. To measure the treatment’s effectiveness and analyze its impact on participants’ quality of life, interviews will be conducted before and after treatment.

CALL FOR PARTICIPANTS (PROFILES):

We are currently recruiting new participants. Here are the eligibility criteria:

Please feel free to refer a loved one or sign up yourself to participate in this research on a new treatment option for treatment-resistant depression!