Overview
Investigation of the influence of the sense of presence during a Virtual Reality Cue-Exposure Therapy (VR-CET) with alcohol-associated cues on craving and relapse rates.
Study group: abstinent patients (at least 18 years old) with a diagnosed alcohol dependence after completed inpatient withdrawal treatment in the the last 3 months.
Primary hypothesis: the experience of presence during a virtual presentation of alcohol in alcohol-dependent patients is associated with levels of craving for alcohol during VR-CET.
Eligibility
Inclusion Criteria:
- age: 18-65 years
- diagnosis of alcohol dependence according to ICD-10 (F10.2)
- completed in-patient withdrawal treatment during the last 3 months
- history of alcohol craving, confrmed via craving questionnaires
- able to provide written informed consent
Exclusion Criteria:
- substance dependence other than alcohol and nicotine
- current alcohol intoxication (randomly tested via measurement of breath alcohol concentration)
- unable to understand the study information, consent form or principles of the study
- abstinence for less than 7 days or on-going consumption of alcohol
- severe neuropsychiatric disorder, e.g., schizophrenia spectrum disorders, bipolar afective disorder or substantial cognitive impairment
- somatic diseases for which VR is associated with risks, e.g. photosensitive epilepsy
- acute suicidality or acute endangerment of others
- concurrent pharmacological treatment targeting AUD (i.e. benzodiazepines) or craving (i.e. acamprosate, disulfram, naltrexone, nalmefene)