Finnish Doctors Are Prescribing Video Games For ADHD 76
Daniel_Stuckey writes "Ville Tapio runs a private psychiatry center in Helsinki, and psychiatrists had told him they were reluctant in particular to hand out drugs for patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). ADHD drugs are psychostimulants, they are frequently abused, and kids can be prescribed them young and kept on a regimen for years. Tapio had an idea to do it better. His alternative? Getting people with mental health concerns to play video games. They're special video games, of course — ones that can change how your brain works, with a technique loosely termed gameified neuroplasticity therapy."
Re:Are there any available for free? (Score:5, Informative)
According to the article, these "games" utilize a brain-scanning cap that you place on your head. It reads brainwave activity and translates it into motions on the screen. It's designed to get the user to focus on tasks better and improve concentration. I don't see it being feasible with the size, power, and physical limitations of a smartphone or tablet anyway.
As someone with ADHD, I can easily see where this could work over time. If something could train my brain to slow down (without drugs), I am sure I'd be able to concentrate on tasks a lot better. Sort of like folks with anger control issues learning to breathe calmly and count to three (or whatever they do).