From treatment to cold turkey,51-year-old Beverly Ewell has tried everything to beat his 40-year-old addiction to alcohol.
"I'm just tired,tired of using the drugs and alcohol,tired of losing jobs,tired of being homeless. And just wanted a better life."
A new technology may just help him kick his old problem.
"It is hands-on. You know,it gave you something you can see and actually do. For me it's a, I learn by experience. You know just doing it over and over,and just starts stick after a while."
The Guardian Angel game is a collaboration between the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center downtown and the University of Central Florida. Currently in the study phase, the game works by guiding players through real life scenario's facing addicts in recovery.
"Urge monitoring."
It uses mini- games that address issues like refusing drinks,keeping your home free of alcohol,and shows the player ways to avoid triggers that could end up in a relapse.
"One way to think about it, it's a game that you sort of play for fun and another way to think about it, it's a simulation. And that's sort of the idea which this is founded. This is a simulation of real-life-type events."
"Scheduling and planning your time."
"These days,you know more people are more interactive with smart phones,with computers in everybody's household. And so ways that we can augment it. Thus that we can do in the office,basically at home. I think it's a win-win. It makes treatment easier and much more efficient for people."
Well the game isn't a substitute for therapy. It's a new tool,one that Ewell says appears to be working.
"Once all of the research and development is completed,the game could be made available to everyone via the internet. We're told that could happen within a year's time."
Ann Charles & George Casio ABC News 4.
