Research suggests that playing a visually engaging game like Tetris may help reduce intrusive thoughts, distressing mental images, flashbacks, and nervous system activation related to stressful or traumatic experiences.

Avoidance, shutdown, emotional overwhelm, and impulsive reactions are often viewed as signs of resistance or unwillingness to change. However, neuroscience increasingly suggests these behaviors may reflect protective nervous system responses shaped by stress, trauma, learning, and past experiences.