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."
Not so hard to get medicine (Score:2, Insightful)
But rather a diagnosis. I'm a 27 year old Finn and despite many visits to several doctors, got my ADHD diagnosis just last month. Before that they had just said I was depressed. Yes, since I was a small child.
After the diagnosis. my psychiatrist prescribed me medication straight away. He didn't even ask me for my opinion. And this is public healthcare we are talking about. They go apeshit if you try to get sleeping pills let alone medicine that are considered drugs like Concerta.
Also I call BS on frequent abuse of medicine like Concerta in Finland. It's so expensive and pharmacies make sure that you don't buy more any sooner than you are supposed to have used up all of your medication. It's easier and cheaper to just buy something off the street.
tetris (Score:4, Insightful)
nothing improves your concentration like an hour playing tetris. I can still hear the song in my head. for best results, play it on an original game boy.