New bracelet to fight alcoholism is created

November 7, 2022  20:06

Finnish scientists have created a special gadget that helps overcome addiction. The "anti-alcohol" bracelet scientists from Aalto University told the publication MedicalXpress.

The bracelet is not a panacea, it cannot be used as the only tool in the fight against addiction, it must be combined with medication and psychotherapy.

Pauli Tuovinen, head of the team's technology department, said they also look at how often the activation should be done and in what dosage. It may well be that the device doesn't need to be carried around, but it can be used at home, for example.

How the "stroking" bracelet works

a-skin-stroking-device-1.jpg (21 KB)

The bracelet simulates pleasant stroking on the hand. Scientists assure that it promotes the release of dopamine and oxytocin in the body, which causes the wearer of the device to experience a pleasant feeling of pleasure.

The project's medical officer explained that the brain processes touch in the tactile cortex and soft stroking in the cerebellum.

The parasympathetic nervous system is activated by gentle, pleasant touch, releasing dopamine and oxytocin, among other things. Touch also increases stress tolerance, and stress is a serious trigger for alcoholism. The idea is not to replace intimacy with other people, but to supplement it by mechanically activating certain nerve pathways, says the medical officer.

According to the WHO, alcohol causes about three million deaths each year. Worldwide, about 75 percent of alcoholics do not receive proper treatment - in large part because of the stigma of the disease.

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