Welcome to Craving Crusher, a fast-paced arcade game designed to train your brain and strengthen your ability to resist impulses. Whether it’s a craving for a snack, a cigarette, or just the urge to check your phone, this game is a powerful workout for your mind’s self-control center.
This is more than just a game—it’s an engaging exercise based on cutting-edge cognitive science, brought to you by the team at Joyful Psych Labs.
The Science: Training Your Brain’s “Brake System”
Craving Crusher is built on a powerful, evidence-based technique called Inhibitory Control Training (ICT). The science is fascinating and has shown real-world effects:
- The Go/No-Go Task: The game presents you with a stream of objects. Your brain quickly learns a “Go” response: to click on the neutral, healthy items. However, it must then inhibit this automatic response when a “No-Go” item—a craving-related object—appears.
- Strengthening Executive Functions: This “Go/No-Go” process is a direct workout for a part of your brain called the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for “executive functions” like impulse control and decision-making. By repeatedly practicing this inhibition, you are strengthening the neural pathways that allow you to pause and resist an urge, rather than acting on it automatically.
Who can this help? Research suggests that this form of training can be a helpful supporting tool for individuals dealing with:
- Food cravings and unhealthy eating habits
- Smoking cessation
- Reducing alcohol consumption
- Other behavioral addictions or impulse control challenges
Scientific References:
- Houben, K., et al. (2011). Training inhibitory control. A recipe for resisting sweet temptations. Appetite, 56(2), 345-349.
- Allom, V., et al. (2016). A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effect of inhibitory control training on food intake and eating-related behaviour. Appetite, 97, 1-13.
How to Play
The goal is to be fast, but more importantly, to be controlled.
- Your Mission: A stream of objects will fly across the screen. Your goal is to click on all the healthy/neutral items (like fruits and books).
- The Challenge: You must NOT click on the craving-related items (like cigarettes, junk food, or wine).
- Stay Sharp: You only have three lives. Clicking a craving item or letting a healthy item pass will cost you a life.
- The Zone: The game will get faster. Find your rhythm and train your focus.
Important Safety Declaration: This game is an educational and entertainment tool designed for skill-building. It is not a treatment for addiction or any clinical disorder and is not a replacement for professional therapy, medical advice, or a diagnosis from a qualified provider. By playing this game, you acknowledge that you are doing so at your own risk. Psych Kit and its creators are not responsible for any damage or outcomes, direct or indirect, from its use. If you are struggling with addiction or any serious mental health challenge, please seek help from a qualified professional.
Ready to sharpen your mind?