Editor's Special Interest Articles Computer Games Used to Treat Phobias A Canadian study shows popular computer games, such as Half-Life and Unreal Tournament, may provide effective treatments for people with debilitating phobias. Patrice Renaud and colleagues at the University of Quebec said specially made virtual reality equipment is already being used to expose patients to the source of their pathological fear within a controlled and safe environment. But NewScientist.com says the researchers are now looking at the simpler approach of customizing existing games to create VR worlds for a range of phobias. Writing in the current issue of CyberPsychology and Behavior, the researchers said: "The effectiveness of the inexpensive hardware and software used in this study shows that VR technology is sufficiently advanced for VR exposure therapy to move into the clinical mainstream." Copyright 2003 by United Press International. All rights reserved. - Updated: November 2, 2003   Mustain Family Health & Home, along with all information provided, is for educational purposes only and is not an attempt to replace the need to seek healthcare services or to provide specific healthcare advice. We strongly encourage users to consult with their chiropractor or other qualified healthcare professionals for personal healthcare attention and answers to personal questions. Mustain Family Health & Home 11201 N. May Oklahoma City, OK 73120 Rick Mustain Mustain Chiropractic Clinic E-Mail: info@mustainhealth.org Phone: 405-751-0848 Fax: 405-752-5839 Published by Healthy Practices, Inc.     © 2001-2003 Healthy Practices, Inc. All rights reserved.