Can Playing Tetris Be a First Aid Tool for the Mind?
Why This Matters for First Aid
When we talk about first aid, we often mean treating physical injuries - cuts, burns, broken bones. But mental health first aid matters too. After a serious accident, medical emergency, or other traumatic event, people can experience flashbacks - sudden, distressing images that replay in their mind.
Research shows that playing the classic game Tetris soon after a traumatic experience can help reduce these flashbacks. It’s not a replacement for professional care, but it’s a fascinating, low-cost tool worth knowing about.
How It Works
Tetris makes your brain focus on shapes, movement, and fitting pieces together. This uses the same mental “workspace” that stores visual memories. If someone plays Tetris soon after recalling a traumatic event, it can interfere with the brain’s ability to store those images in high detail
making them less vivid and less likely to pop up later.
Think of it like a mental distraction technique you can apply in the same way you might apply a physical bandage right away, to limit further harm.
What the Evidence Says
Lab studies: People who played Tetris soon after watching distressing videos had fewer flashbacks in the following week.
Real-world settings: In emergency departments, people who played Tetris after a car crash had fewer and less intense intrusive memories.
Frontline workers: During the COVID-19 pandemic, a guided Tetris session cut weekly flashbacks from five to one for some healthcare staff.
Therapy support: Tetris alongside PTSD therapy in veterans was linked to brain changes that supported recovery.
When and How to Use It
Best used within hours of the traumatic memory being recalled.
Works as part of a mental health first aid approach — not a replacement for professional care.
Can be done on a phone, tablet, or handheld game device.
Not everyone will enjoy or benefit from it, and it should be offered with care and consent.
Key Takeaway for First Aid Responders
If you’re supporting someone in the immediate aftermath of a traumatic event, remember: first aid isn’t just for the body. Alongside checking for injuries and giving reassurance, offering a short game of Tetris could help ease the mental impact in the days ahead.
