Investigation of the influence of the sense of presence during a Virtual Reality Cue-Exposure Therapy (VR-CET) with alcohol-associated cues on craving and relapse rates.

Study group: abstinent patients (at least 18 years old) with a diagnosed alcohol dependence after completed inpatient withdrawal treatment in the the last 3 months.

Primary hypothesis: the experience of presence during a virtual presentation of alcohol in alcohol-dependent patients is associated with levels of craving for alcohol during VR-CET.

Inclusion Criteria:

• age: 18-65 years
• diagnosis of alcohol dependence according to ICD-10 (F10.2)
• completed in-patient withdrawal treatment during the last 3 months
• history of alcohol craving, confrmed via craving questionnaires
• able to provide written informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• substance dependence other than alcohol and nicotine
• current alcohol intoxication (randomly tested via measurement of breath alcohol concentration)
• unable to understand the study information, consent form or principles of the study
• abstinence for less than 7 days or on-going consumption of alcohol
• severe neuropsychiatric disorder, e.g., schizophrenia spectrum disorders, bipolar afective disorder or substantial cognitive impairment
• somatic diseases for which VR is associated with risks, e.g. photosensitive epilepsy
• acute suicidality or acute endangerment of others
• concurrent pharmacological treatment targeting AUD (i.e. benzodiazepines) or craving (i.e. acamprosate, disulfram, naltrexone, nalmefene)

Patients with alcohol dependence treated in the inpatient or outpatient psychiatric clinics or day clinics of the Psychiatric University Hospital Charité at St. Hedwig-Hospital/ Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences Campus Charité Mitte/ Theodor-Wenzel Werk Berlin / Jüdisches Krankenhaus Berlin / Vivantes Auguste-Viktoria-Klinikum