Because if there’s one thing drug addicts know, it’s altered realities. The system, being tested at Janus in Santa Cruz, allows patients to enter a simulation of real-world locations, like a house or a park, where they’re confronted by a situation that could drive them back to drugs. Say, a meeting with the wrong kind of friend, an old ex, or a party with drugs on tap. The patient can then practice their drug-avoidance skills in this safe, simulated environment.

Researchers have also found that patients in the virtual world are more likely to relax and open up with their feelings and experiences.

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