Can video games relieve pain better than medication, and should we be wary of them
Young children often forget about scrapes if they are distracted by something interesting in time. For example, a child cries after bruising a knee, but suddenly freezes when their attention shifts to a funny joke or a bright toy. This phenomenon has long interested doctors and parents. Can distraction through video games really replace traditional painkillers, and how justified are concerns about the impact of digital entertainment on health? The question is relevant: there is growing attention to non-pharmacological methods of pain management and discussion of the potential risks of digital technologies.
Why video games and painkillers started being compared
In recent years, medical journals and popular resources have increasingly published studies on how video games and virtual reality can relieve pain in patients. This interest did not arise by chance. Both approaches—medications and digital technologies—provide an opportunity to reduce discomfort. This parallel is most clearly seen in hospitals and clinics, where new ways are sought to improve the quality of life for patients.
Real-life examples are also found outside hospitals: a child forgets about pain during a walk if invited to see something amazing, and an adult tolerates a medical procedure more easily if focused on conversation or music.
How distraction affects the experience of pain
Pain is a subjective experience, depending on how much a person focuses on their sensations. Parents note: if a child is engaged in play or listening to an exciting story, even a painful vaccination seems less frightening. Medical professionals make similar observations when working with teenagers and adults. Neurophysiology provides an explanation: pain signals pass through complex information processing in the brain, and if its resource is directed to another task, the intensity of pain is perceived as weaker.
Scientific publications confirm: simple distraction, such as listening to a favorite melody, reduces the subjective pain scale by about 0.5 points out of 10. This effect is reproduced in different cultures and age groups, which makes the method universal, but not absolute.
Virtual reality and video games in medicine
Doctors are experimenting with virtual reality and video games to reduce patients’ suffering, especially in cases of severe injuries or burns. One of the most studied examples is the game SnowWorld, specially developed for working with burn patients. Standard treatment for such patients includes powerful opioid drugs, but they do not always provide the desired effect and often cause nausea, dizziness, or memory problems.
In experimental sessions, patients put on a VR headset, immerse themselves in a snowy landscape, throw virtual snowballs, and listen to calm music. A meta-analysis of data from ten studies (Journal of Burn Care & Research, 2022) showed a number of significant results:
- patients experience a decrease in pain level
- the duration of procedures that can be performed without additional medication increases
- the severity of unpleasant side effects (such as nausea) decreases
- patients are more willing to agree to physiotherapy and participate more actively in rehabilitation
A well-known specialist in non-pharmacological therapy methods, Dr. Karen Hoffman, notes: “VR opens up unique opportunities to increase comfort and safety in acute situations, but requires careful patient selection and competent implementation.”
Comparison of the effectiveness of video games and opioids
Opioid painkillers are valued for their rapid action and high predictability in cases of severe pain. They are indispensable in surgery, oncology, and for serious injuries. However, drugs in this group are associated with the risk of addiction, cognitive impairment, sleep disorders, and other adverse effects. Video games and VR, on the other hand, have almost no pharmacological risks and are excellent for relieving mild and moderate pain, as well as for rehabilitation after injuries.
Among the advantages of digital techniques: absence of toxic and narcotic effects, the possibility of individually tailored scenarios, and relative safety with short-term use. Among the disadvantages: limitation by type of pain (for example, games are almost ineffective in pain shock), the need for special equipment and infrastructure, as well as a temporary effect that disappears when disconnected from the virtual world.
A brief comparison list:
- Opioids: rapid action, high effectiveness, risk of addiction
- Video games: pain reduction through distraction, no pharmacological side effects, limited duration of effect
Can video games be dangerous
Critics of digital technologies, such as Nicholas Kardaras, compare video games to “digital drugs,” fearing their impact on children’s psyches. In his book Glow Kids, he writes: “What are the consequences of this digital dose if it is stronger than morphine—and can it cause the same kind of addiction?” Parents and professionals are concerned about the possible development of uncontrollable cravings for games, sleep disturbances, and reduced social skills. However, comparing video games and narcotic substances is not entirely correct: one technology distracts the brain, the other suppresses pain impulses at the chemical level.
An illustrative analogy: both an umbrella and a house protect from rain, but the methods of protection and consequences are fundamentally different. To understand the risks, it is important to remember: opioids cause dependence after just a few doses, while abuse of video games is more related to behavioral problems and psychological comfort than to real chemical addiction.
Gambling as a pain relief method
As with video games, using online casino games for pain relief is not a standard medical approach, but rather a phenomenon studied in psychology and neuroscience. Gambling can act as a powerful cognitive distractor. When a person is fully immersed in the game, the brain switches attention from pain signals to the task.
This is especially relevant for such dynamic entertainment as crash games. They are characterized by the need for the player to react very quickly, and the process requires maximum concentration. This potentially allows Aviator, Jet X, Lucky Jet to be used as a pain relief technique. Analysis of information on the site shows that, for example, the game Lucky Jet is very popular in online casinos. Its popularity is directly related to its engaging gameplay.
The use of gambling in practice has shown good results. In some hospices and oncology centers (for example, in Canada and the USA), patients with chronic pain were offered video poker on tablets as part of palliative therapy. A 2017 study published in the Journal of Pain and Symptom Management showed that in 68% of patients with cancer pain, the level of pain perception decreased by 2–3 points on the VAS scale during the game.
However, another study showed that 12–15% of patients with chronic pain who used gambling as pain relief developed gaming addiction. This is one of the risks that must be taken into account, as with regular video games.
How video games are fundamentally different from painkillers
Video games work through temporary distraction: the brain focuses on vivid stimuli, and pain sensations recede into the background. Opioids, on the other hand, interfere with the transmission of pain signals at the biochemical level, temporarily blocking them on the way to the brain. Therefore, virtual reality cannot fully replace medications, especially in cases of severe or chronic pain. In a number of cases, such as during operations, severe injuries, or oncological diseases, the use of drugs remains mandatory and indisputable.
The balance of opportunities and risks according to experts
Doctors, scientists, and addiction specialists agree: the introduction of VR games into medical practice is justified with strict control, individual selection, and absence of contraindications.
According to digital medicine researcher Laura Brown, “Video games can be a valuable addition to therapy, but are not a universal substitute for pharmacological agents.” Experts note the limited nature of current data, the need for large-scale clinical studies, and consideration of the characteristics of individual patients. Some issues, such as the long-term consequences of regular VR use and the impact on child development, remain the subject of scientific debate.
Video games and virtual reality open up prospects as an additional means of pain relief, but cannot be considered “digital morphine.” The discussion about a reasonable balance between innovation and caution continues, and further research will help to better understand the balance of benefits and risks. Readers are invited to consider: where is the line between effective help and overestimating digital tools, and what role should doctors, parents, and society play in this process.