Avatar Intervention for Cannabis Use Disorder in a Patient with Schizoaffective Disorder: A Case Report
Considering the harmful effects of cannabis on individuals with a severe mental disorder and the limited effectiveness of current interventions, this case report showcases the beneficial results of a 10-session Avatar intervention for cannabis use disorder (CUD) on a polysubstance user with a comorb...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-12-01
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| Series: | BioMedInformatics |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-7426/3/4/67 |
| _version_ | 1827575468662980608 |
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| author | Sabrina Giguère Laura Dellazizzo Mélissa Beaudoin Marie-Andrée Lapierre Marie Villeneuve Kingsada Phraxayavong Stéphane Potvin Alexandre Dumais |
| author_facet | Sabrina Giguère Laura Dellazizzo Mélissa Beaudoin Marie-Andrée Lapierre Marie Villeneuve Kingsada Phraxayavong Stéphane Potvin Alexandre Dumais |
| author_sort | Sabrina Giguère |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Considering the harmful effects of cannabis on individuals with a severe mental disorder and the limited effectiveness of current interventions, this case report showcases the beneficial results of a 10-session Avatar intervention for cannabis use disorder (CUD) on a polysubstance user with a comorbid schizoaffective disorder. Virtual reality allowed the creation of an Avatar representing a person significantly related to the patient’s drug use. Avatar intervention for CUD aims to combine exposure, relational, and cognitive behavioral therapies while practicing real-life situations and learning how to manage negative emotions and cravings. Throughout therapy and later on, Mr. C managed to maintain abstinence from all substances. Also, an improvement in the severity of CUD, as well as a greater motivation to change consumption, was observed after therapy. As observed by his mother, his psychiatrist, and himself, the benefits of Avatar intervention for CUD extended to other spheres of his life. The drastic results observed in this patient could be promising as an alternative to the current treatment available for people with a dual diagnosis of cannabis use disorder and psychotic disorder, which generally lack effectiveness. A single-blind randomized control trial comparing the treatment with a classical intervention in a larger sample is currently underway to evaluate whether the results are reproducible on a larger sample. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T20:57:33Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3e5560dafbe94672a3a7721dfa7e29de |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2673-7426 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T20:57:33Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BioMedInformatics |
| spelling | doaj.art-3e5560dafbe94672a3a7721dfa7e29de2023-12-22T13:55:27ZengMDPI AGBioMedInformatics2673-74262023-12-01341112112310.3390/biomedinformatics3040067Avatar Intervention for Cannabis Use Disorder in a Patient with Schizoaffective Disorder: A Case ReportSabrina Giguère0Laura Dellazizzo1Mélissa Beaudoin2Marie-Andrée Lapierre3Marie Villeneuve4Kingsada Phraxayavong5Stéphane Potvin6Alexandre Dumais7Research Center of the Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Montréal, Montreal, QC H1N 3V2, CanadaResearch Center of the Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Montréal, Montreal, QC H1N 3V2, CanadaResearch Center of the Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Montréal, Montreal, QC H1N 3V2, CanadaResearch Center of the Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Montréal, Montreal, QC H1N 3V2, CanadaResearch Center of the Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Montréal, Montreal, QC H1N 3V2, CanadaResearch Center of the Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Montréal, Montreal, QC H1N 3V2, CanadaResearch Center of the Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Montréal, Montreal, QC H1N 3V2, CanadaResearch Center of the Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Montréal, Montreal, QC H1N 3V2, CanadaConsidering the harmful effects of cannabis on individuals with a severe mental disorder and the limited effectiveness of current interventions, this case report showcases the beneficial results of a 10-session Avatar intervention for cannabis use disorder (CUD) on a polysubstance user with a comorbid schizoaffective disorder. Virtual reality allowed the creation of an Avatar representing a person significantly related to the patient’s drug use. Avatar intervention for CUD aims to combine exposure, relational, and cognitive behavioral therapies while practicing real-life situations and learning how to manage negative emotions and cravings. Throughout therapy and later on, Mr. C managed to maintain abstinence from all substances. Also, an improvement in the severity of CUD, as well as a greater motivation to change consumption, was observed after therapy. As observed by his mother, his psychiatrist, and himself, the benefits of Avatar intervention for CUD extended to other spheres of his life. The drastic results observed in this patient could be promising as an alternative to the current treatment available for people with a dual diagnosis of cannabis use disorder and psychotic disorder, which generally lack effectiveness. A single-blind randomized control trial comparing the treatment with a classical intervention in a larger sample is currently underway to evaluate whether the results are reproducible on a larger sample.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-7426/3/4/67cannabis use disordervirtual reality therapypsychotic disordercase reportaddiction interventionrelational treatment |
| spellingShingle | Sabrina Giguère Laura Dellazizzo Mélissa Beaudoin Marie-Andrée Lapierre Marie Villeneuve Kingsada Phraxayavong Stéphane Potvin Alexandre Dumais Avatar Intervention for Cannabis Use Disorder in a Patient with Schizoaffective Disorder: A Case Report BioMedInformatics cannabis use disorder virtual reality therapy psychotic disorder case report addiction intervention relational treatment |
| title | Avatar Intervention for Cannabis Use Disorder in a Patient with Schizoaffective Disorder: A Case Report |
| title_full | Avatar Intervention for Cannabis Use Disorder in a Patient with Schizoaffective Disorder: A Case Report |
| title_fullStr | Avatar Intervention for Cannabis Use Disorder in a Patient with Schizoaffective Disorder: A Case Report |
| title_full_unstemmed | Avatar Intervention for Cannabis Use Disorder in a Patient with Schizoaffective Disorder: A Case Report |
| title_short | Avatar Intervention for Cannabis Use Disorder in a Patient with Schizoaffective Disorder: A Case Report |
| title_sort | avatar intervention for cannabis use disorder in a patient with schizoaffective disorder a case report |
| topic | cannabis use disorder virtual reality therapy psychotic disorder case report addiction intervention relational treatment |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-7426/3/4/67 |
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