About a year after the Northridge earthquake, when my house shook and my roof split, when a girl at my daughter's school was killed in her house after it had collapsed to the bottom of a hillside and when too many homes in my neighborhood were red-tagged, I remember calling my doctor and telling him that I just didn't feel well but I couldn't explain exactly what was wrong with me. I told him that I wasn't my normal energetic self, I was easily irritable, I found myself feeling sad more often than usual. He responded quickly with this: "That's easy. You're suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. It's very common after experiencing something as upsetting as an earthquake."

That was the first time I had heard of this condition, which is defined by the National Institute of Mental Health as an "anxiety disorder that develops after exposure to a terrifying event or ordeal in which grave physical harm occurred or was threatened." Such events may include a violent personal attack, natural- or human-caused disaster or military combat (which happens to be the most common cause of the disorder in men). In other words, your sense of safety and trust is shattered. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) can develop not only in the person to whom the event occurred but also in those who witnessed it or who came to the rescue and picked up the pieces afterward.

When you suffer from PTSD, you may have frightening thoughts and memories of the traumatic event. You could feel emotionally numb. You might have problems sleeping. You probably feel disconnected from those close to you. You think you'll never feel normal again. Your mind and body are in shock and are unable to make sense of what happened, making it difficult to process emotions.

Experts agree that before a victim of PTSD can overcome the anxieties associated with the disorder, the person must confront those memories and emotions. If the sufferer avoids the painful memories and feelings, the result can be much worse and eventually will harm relationships, the ability to function and the overall quality of life.

There are many ways to treat PTSD, most of which are therapy-based. The popular notion is that the sufferer must confront what happened, so trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy and Family therapy are the most common treatments practiced. Medication is also an option.

But, now, some researchers are discovering that video games can help those suffering from PTSD. Virtual Iraq is a video game that uses components of Pandemic's Full Spectrum Warrior to help veterans suffering from PTSD. Virtual Iraq allows a PTSD patient to confront his memories in a controlled environment. For example, rather than returning the vet to the feared location, the therapist controls a virtual environment via computer keyboard and programmed situations.

During Virtual Iraq, the combat veteran enters a virtual world that simulates combat stress. The vet is exposed to the visuals and sounds of battle - manipulated by the therapist - while sitting in a chair that simulates movement and wearing 3D goggles that offer realism. During the therapy session, patients are able to confront their emotions without reliving the experience for real.

The game so far is showing some positive results. Therapists have found that military veterans often have a difficult time opening up and discussing their emotions and confronting their feelings. So, part of the success of this unorthodox form of therapy is the fact that video game playing is more widely accepted by younger generations that grew up on gaming. Also, Virtual Iraq represents an additional treatment option for veterans who may not respond well to more traditional exposure-therapy treatments. It's still a bit early to proclaim it a success but a handful of research trials are being conducted to chart the advantages and disadvantages of this treatment, including one conducted by the US Air Force.

Meanwhile, for PTSD sufferers who are prone to flashbacks (a "hallmark of PTSD"), researchers have discovered that a very different video game can have beneficial effects for them. In a study conducted by the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Oxford, PTSD sufferers were shown a traumatic film consisting of scenes of real injury and death followed by a 30-minute structured break. Participants then were assigned randomly to either "a no-task or visuospatial condition" for the following 10 minutes. Those who were assigned to the visuospatial condition played the video game Tetris. It was discovered that the Tetris players had a significant reduction of flashbacks in the week after the study. Researchers concluded that "playing Tetris after viewing traumatic material reduces unwanted, involuntary flashbacks to that traumatic film, leaving deliberate memory recall of the event intact."

So, while many people may consider video games a waste of time, it's clear from these studies that new uses are being devised for them. The fact that they are currently being utilized to reverse or obliterate symptoms caused by Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is only one of the positive effects that video gaming is having on our society.