The 3P technique (Pull – Pause – Push) is a promising approach to treating addiction. However, it only reaches its full potential in the VR Therapy – because patients can not only imagine the behavior but also actively perform it.
Addiction therapy is receiving a significant boost from digital approaches such as virtual reality therapy. In particular, the integration of the 3P technique—developed by Prof. Dr. Steffen Moritz and his team at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf—is opening up new possibilities for managing cravings and automatic urges to consume.
What is the 3P technique?
> Pull > Pause > Push
The 3P technique aims to actively interrupt automatic consumer impulses and replace them with a contrasting action.
- Pull: The addictive substance is consciously perceived or mentally sought out
- Pause: The signal is interrupted
- Push: The addictive substance is actively rejected
This deliberate counter-movement is intended to neurologically override learned behavior and establish new response patterns.
VR Therapy: Actively experiencing behavior rather than just imagining it
In traditional imagination, the pushing motion often remains abstract and difficult to visualize. This is precisely where the strength of VR therapy lies.
Through realistic scenarios, the addictive substance becomes a visual and emotional experience. Patients can take active steps:
- set aside a bottle
- empty a bottle into the sink
- return a product intentionally
- actively push the addictive substance away
This hands-on experience is far more effective than mere imagination. The behavior is not only understood, but also directly experienced and practiced.
Why VR Makes the 3P Technique Significantly More Effective
The key difference lies in taking action.
In VR therapy, the 3P technique becomes a real-life action. Patients observe their own reactions, make a conscious decision, and act on it immediately.
This creates a learning process that:
- is more emotionally intense
- is more firmly embedded in one's memory
- can be more easily applied to real-life situations
Studies suggest that this form of active training reduces cravings and improves the ability to cope with the urge to use.
Implementation using the VR Coach smartsystem
With the VR Coach smart system, the 3P technique can be specifically integrated into therapeutic scenarios.
Patients experience realistic everyday situations and can actively perform the pushing motion. It is important to note that what is displayed on a screen represents only part of the actual VR experience—the immersion provided by VR headsets is significantly more intense.
VR Therapy in a Group Setting
A particular advantage becomes apparent in a group setting.
The 3P training takes only a few minutes and can easily be incorporated into group sessions. While individual patients perform the exercise using VR headsets, the other participants watch the proceedings on a screen or via a projector.
An additional effect arises from group dynamics:
If the pushing motion is performed under observation and with positive feedback—such as applause—this can significantly enhance the emotional impact and, consequently, the effectiveness of the exercise.
Recommendation for practice
Since daily VR sessions are often difficult to implement in the day-to-day routine of a hospital, a combined approach has proven effective:
→ First contact and an immersive VR experience
→ subsequent repetitions “in sensu” (mental imagery)
In this way, the powerful learning experience gained through VR is carried over into everyday life and further reinforced.
Actively Changing Addictive Behavior (Pull–Pause–Push)