Wounded Soldiers Find Videogames Good Therapy

Via Ars Technica, an article on the Washington Post site reports that the folks at Walter Reed hospital in DC are finding that videogames make excellent therapy sessions for soldiers wounded in the Iraq conflict. In addition to the obvious medical benefits of refining motor control via controllers, the entertainment allows soldiers to reconnect to experiences they may have had prior to their combat experiences. "Video games are all over Walter Reed. They're used for therapy or entertainment, or both. Alcibar doesn't have any hand injuries, but he's been trying to persuade some of his physical therapists to make Guitar Hero available to those who do. It would probably help some soldiers rebuild their hand strength and dexterity. And it's another excuse to play."

Everyone needs an outlet

[_PimpDaddy7_]

Everyone needs an outlet, in one form or another.

Granted the REAL gun toting maniacs have issues, but for the vast majority of people, they need an outlet in one form or another.

Some people lift weights
Some people do yoga
Some people play videogames
etc

Re:

[east coast]

Yeah, and some of us do target shooting and never draw a firearm on another human being. Gun ownership != violent minded.

Re:

[jollyreaper]

Yeah, and some of us do target shooting and never draw a firearm on another human being. Gun ownership != violent minded.
--
Dedicated Cthulhu Cultist since 4523 BC.

Oh, sure, just the typical attitude I'd expect from a raving cultist. So, what do you say, "Guns don't eat people, Cthulhu does?"

Iä! Iä! Modmedown Fhtagn!

Re:

[east coast]

Oh, sure, just the typical attitude I'd expect from a raving cultist.

Hey, who needs a gun when a Great Old One has got your back?

You should try it sometime. It's very liberating. mwahahahahahaha.

Re:

[jollyreaper]

Hey, who needs a gun when a Great Old One has got your back?

You should try it sometime. It's very liberating. mwahahahahahaha.

Yeah, Cthulhu's got my back. And Shubbie's got my arm, Nyarli's got my leg, and I think one of the Hounds of Tindalos is sniffing around my crotch. No, sir! The only advantage to your position is that you'll get to be eaten first. Don't think me stupid and unwise, I read the tract!

http://www.hellblazer.com/archives/2005/06/best_ch ick_trac.html [hellblazer.com]

Re:Everyone needs an outlet

[Timesprout]

I never draw firearms on people cos I think body decoration is gross and demeaning. I believe just shooting them with whatever gun I have to hand is a more appropriate response when they annoy me.

Re:

[Mister Whirly]

"Yeah, and some of us do target shooting and never draw a firearm on another human being. Gun ownership != violent minded."

Amen. I am a gun owner and avid target shooter. I have never hunted or shot at any living creature with a firearm. I just like to shoot cardboard tagets.... Now if I was ever forced to react in self-defense, all the practicing I have done on the cardboard targets may come into play...

But I hate people who think every gun owner is a "gun nut". (So called "liberals" who can't stand

Re:

[SethraLavode]

And if you re-read the GP's post, you'll see that he never equated all gun-owners with "gun toting maniacs". That would be like calling everyone you disagree with a "liberal".

Some people who are interested in guns are obsessed to an unhealthy and possibly dangerous degree. We all (probably) know people like this. That's who he was referring to.

Re:

[Mister Whirly]

For the record, I am pretty liberal - much more than I am conservative. I just think it is funny that so-called "liberals" love to take away certain freedoms - ones they deem to be unsavory. That's not very "liberal" now, is it? I don't necessarily find the label "liberal" to be derogatory either. And besides, I call everyone who doesn't agree with me "dumbasses" or "jerk stores".

I never said the GP was equating all gun owners with "gun toting maniacs". If you re-read my post, I was only ranting about th

Re:

[Itninja]

"Some people play tennis. I erode the human soul" - Tycho Brahe

Or, for you visual learners out there: A Picture [llnwd.net]

Re:

[Mister Whirly]

"But to be sure, the armed forces are notorious for partaking in foreign prostitution where poverty stricken women are left with almost no other choice but to cheaply sell themselves out for the pleasure of every dumb farm boy in a uniform."

Well, those prostitutues should have thought about that before they signed up, like the soldiers. After all, they did volunteer.

See how dumb that argument looks now?

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[morari]

I didn't say that they're blameless, as people do allow themselves to be victimized. But it is a situation that is taken advantage of, and usually wouldn't even exist if their countries weren't being blown to bit by some imperialistic force. Sex tourism's sole purpose is to provide middle class assholes with largely unethical activities. So no, I don't see how dumb the argument is. I only see dumb some people are, clamoring for pity when they get an arm blown off and wake up to the fact that war isn't all P

Re:

[Das Modell]

killing foreigners, pillaging their country and raping their women?

Where, exactly, is this taking place?

Re:

[Mister Whirly]

All over everywhere, in his mind...
I mean, obviously anyone you don't agree with politically is a murderer, pillager, and a rapist

Types of Games

[svendsen]

I wonder what types of games do the wounded find help them recover (both physically and mentally) vs. the type of games soldiers in the field use to help them?

Do soldiers in the field play violent video games, rhythm games, fuzzy feel good games, etc?

Re:

[Tofystedeth]

I heard a story on NPR about therapists doing VR recreations of traumatic events in combat to help the soldiers cope with them that seemed to being showing promise. As far as actual commercial games that people play, I haven't a clue.

Re:

[BenjiTheGreat98]

CNN actually ran a similar story. They had their staff Dr. (Sanjay Guoptra? sp?) using one of these. He said it was very stressful and really put him back emotionally to when he was embedded with a unit, but as stressful as it was he was in an environment where he could deal with it. I found it to be an interesting story.

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[Sciros]

Pokemon. Gotta catch 'em all, but it's easier than doing it with terrorists.

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[Poseiden]

they are humans like you and me, lol. They are 18-19 and early 20's and they play the same games as we do, albeit more often they play violent games with guns because its what they do!!

A positive story is nice

[Nymz]

As someone who loves games, I find it frustrating that the mainstream media consistently portrays video games as the reason behind children shooting up some school, or guy gamers as addicted anti-socials that kill themselves when someone steals their sword of blah-blah. I realize bad news sells, but I'm willing to buy good news too.

Re:

[drgonzo59]

guy gamers as addicted anti-socials

Actually I think the society's/media's thinking goes something like this:

1. the shooters are monsters

2. shooters are evil

3. we are not monsters

4. we are not evil

5. from 1,2,3,4 => shooters have to be completely different from us

This is the first step -- to identify the shooters as completely abnormal and totally unlike everyone else. This promotes a distancing from the shooters and makes society/media look good in comparison.

Then comes the part of explaining as to how

Re:

[IX SICK ECHO XI]

Video games are not a bad influence on children, however irresponsible parents who let them play games too mature for their age group are, but usually it's the game that's the target of controversy, and not the parents!!! We are so blind to what's right in front of us sometimes.

Choice of games

[Opportunist]

I guess it's not SoF that they get to play, is it? Or how about Battlefield?

And wounded officers get to play Supreme Commander? Or is that reserved to generals?

Re:Choice of games

[Chris Burke]

I hear Trauma Center is popular...

Guitar Hero?

[kalirion]

If you're in physical therapy for a hand injury, guitar hero should probably be the last game you want to play. It's worse on your carpal tunnel than Diablo! I've had CTS for over a year until it got better a couple years ago. My hand started hurting again after 5 minutes with Guitar Hero when I tried it recently, and that was on the easy setting.

Re:

[YouTookMyStapler]

Probably not for hand injuries, but if you have had head trauma of some sort, it can help improve hand eye coordination.

My hand hurt like crazy at first, but now I can play for upwards of 2 hours, on medium and hard, and my fingers are only a little stiff.

I hope they are playing Pac Man

[Hoi Polloi]

What's with all of the nightmares in post-op? That post-traumatic stress treament using Battlefield 1942 Desert Combat isn't working out, is it?