Becker's Healthcare November 4, 2025
A patient with a substance use disorder in recovery drives down the street. They pass a liquor store and turn up the radio to distract themselves — only it’s a song that reminds them of drinking. A bottle of alcohol appears on the passenger’s seat when suddenly a call from their child pops up on the screen and an inspirational quote audio is played in the background.
This is how Holly Matto, PhD, professor in the department of social work at George Mason University’s College of Public Health in Fairfax, Va., and her multidisciplinary team of behavioral science, bioengineering and mathematics researchers tested whether personalized recovery cues can biologically and emotionally re-regulate that craving response when delivered through virtual reality.
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