Games & Pain Management: The Soothing Power of Tetris

There are all kinds of ways to go about personal pain management. Sometimes, the most appropriate option might be physical therapy of one kind or another. Others mind find success with certain kinds of stretching, yoga, or meditation practices. Many will even find that certain uses of essential oils work for one ailment or another. And rest assured, this isn’t the complete list!

Of late we’ve been hearing more about a somewhat unusual addition to the methods people use to manage pain and discomfort: gaming. Just two years ago, Junkee went as far as to write that video games “may be the pain killers of the future.” That may be overstating things just a touch, but the idea is actually well founded. Studies have suggested that because gaming represents an active distraction (whereas something like watching TV is a passive one), it actually has the capacity to distract people from chronic pain.

It’s a fascinating notion, and one that people have found success with when attempting to manage physical pain. And interestingly enough, it’s a concept that has been made apparent recently through one of the most well known classics in gaming: Tetris.

Just last year, a study on gaming benefits in light of the pandemic (which sparked significant, widespread concern about wellness) similarly found that playing video games could in fact be helpful. Furthermore, it specifically spoke to the same concept of distraction — using the simple but demanding puzzle play of Tetris to help people “take their mind off their present situation.” It’s actually an incredibly simple idea, but one with very real potential to soothe many who are struggling with pain or discomfort.

It is also particularly helpful that this study was done specifically with Tetris, because frankly it is difficult to think of a more available video game. Today, the classic title is accessible via a number of different platforms that can be accessed through any device with an internet connection.

The classic Tetris game — for those who don’t have an old handheld gaming device like a Game Boy lying around — is available both on browsers and in mobile app form. Online casino sites host a slot machine-style twist on the game that Foxy Games describes as being “true to form” with similarly exhilarating gameplay (which for our purposes here means that it’s similarly distracting!) There is even a new-ish browser-based adaptation of the classic format that was deigned by Red Bull, and which is characterized by Pop Insider as being an “interesting twist” made more dynamic with changes in the puzzle pace and layout during gameplay.

Which of these versions of Tetris most appeal to you is of course a matter of individual taste. The point, however, is that they’re all readily available at the click of a button or the touch of a screen. This makes it almost unusually simple to try out a new form of managing personal ailments.

We will stress of course that neither Tetris nor any other game should be expected to cure chronic pain or other struggles, and if your symptoms are severe you should seek professional medical assistance. For the day-to-day management of a chronic condition though, gaming is one more method that many are finding they have some success with.