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Comment by dfabulich | Hacker News Reader

Just as quiet contemplation can induce memory formation, playing Tetris after a traumatic event (like a car accident) seems to help prevent the formation of intrusive memories.

https://www.nature.com/articles/mp201723

> Preventing intrusive memories after trauma via a brief intervention involving Tetris computer game play in the emergency department: a proof-of-concept randomized controlled trial

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Thanks for sharing this.. when I was around 4 years old my parents, a relative, and I were in and out of a hospital.

We were going through a really tough time dealing with a life-altering diagnosis of one of my siblings. A lot of anger and sadness, especially from my parents.

But - the only thing I actually remember from the hospital was playing Galaga in the hospital game room with my relative. Since I was 4 years old, I always wondered (a) why it is such a vivid memory and (b) why I can't remember my family or myself being upset. Quite surreal to see that this specific scenario has been studied.

Hebbian theory: "neurons/cells that fire together, wire together".

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hebbian_theory

If that were so I would expect aversion therapy to work.

I remember learning Rails by reading a book, largely in the waiting rooms at hospitals - the times I was learning it, I can only remember the book, whereas the times I didn't have it, I remember the other emotions. Interesting.

Thanks for the interesting anecdote.

I wonder, do you associate Galaga with any bad feelings because of this? Have you played Galaga since then?

I don't think it's exactly the same process, but I recall Kumail Nanjiani (Screenwriter and star of The Big Sick) saying for the longest time he couldn't stand the sound of collecting coins in Mario games because it reminded him of the time he'd play Mario in the waiting room of a hospital while his then girlfriend (now wife) was in a coma.

That’s Pavlovian I’m going to guess.

It’s one hell of a distinctive sound. The Doom rocket launcher and Marathon alien cackle (and rocket launcher) would be couple of the most distinctive computer sounds I could name.

I can't even listen to Tears in Heaven let alone play it after I played it at my mother's funeral. I have no idea how Clapton managed to play it so many times...

Dissociation is a very good way to avoid trauma - that’s how I got through grade school.

I think it can be an extremely useful tool, but need be applied carefully. It can be therapeutic when dealing with unwanted emotions, but unfortunately sometimes those emotions need to run their course--they're designed as self-defense mechanisms to protect ourselves. Disassociation at the wrong time can enable more problems, sadly.

Oh sure, and especially when you continue to use it after the situation has passed. That’s the more difficult part, of course.

This makes a lot of sense to me. I used to game pretty hard and I know there was almost no better way to blow off stress. Of course, it had its down sides too. Distraction is a remarkably powerful tool. I've also experienced this with relationship drama. Sometimes, after a big argument, the best thing that can happen for the parties involved is to just do something to take their minds off memories of the argument. Anything to get the mind to stop spinning around in circles.

Later in life, I also got into meditation for a while. I wonder if there's an argument here that some subset of gamers are predisposed to be good meditators because the two activities induce similar brain states?

It is known as "zen state" aka peak state. Being in the zone. Happens with all skilled actions that are so well trained, they become almost automatic. Attaining this kind of state while not actually using a mastered skill is the whole point of zen. But that does sound like an oxymoron since meditation is a masterful skill in itself..;-)

I doubt he achieved peak state while playing games during/after a fight with his significant other.

You'd be surprised. If you've been a gamer for years, pretty much everything fades away while you're playing.

The gaming and relationship eras were separate.

I wonder if this is why so many people want to jump into a video game or other immersive escapism immediately after a stressful event. Self medication.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C3%BCbler-Ross_model

Is this why I can't remember _anything_?

I wonder if my habit of playing Tetris during study breaks while I was in school was a bad idea?

> playing Tetris after a traumatic event (like a car accident) seems to help prevent the formation of intrusive memories.

And, of course, Tetris is enjoyable anytime...

Looks like it keeps your mind from replaying the traumatic events in a traumatic fashion early on if Tetris can keep your mind off it, makes sense

Did they figure out what was special about Tetris? What other things would also work?

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