
Is ‘Brain Zapping’ the Future of Addiction Treatment?
As addiction rehabilitation faces critical challenges in 2025, Rehabs UK offers an expert analysis of how tech innovation will shape recovery pathways in the new year and beyond – from AI smoking apps to ‘zapping’ the brain with ultrasound waves to reduce cravings.
In October, the UK government allocated £12 million of funding to technology-driven projects aimed towards reducing drug-related deaths. Alongside the development of new vaccines and innovative treatments, tech is also being used for teletherapy (around one in three mental health treatments in England being delivered online in 2023), wearables and smartphone applications such as the NIHR-funded “Quit Sense”. Yet, while these developments hold promise, Rehabs UK founder Lester Morse underscores the need for systemic changes;
“Substance use disorders are symptoms of a socioeconomic disease,” Morse explains. “Until we address underlying societal issues and provide meaningful mental health care, progress will remain limited.”
Technology at the forefront
The integration of wearables, virtual reality (VR) therapy, and teletherapy into addiction treatment is set to continue reshaping addiction recovery in the new year and beyond. Wearable tools like PneumoWave ALERT, which detects opioid overdoses and alerts emergency services, and apps that support post-rehabilitation care are among the innovations transforming outcomes.
While VR has not taken hold for entertainment, the Global Augmented and Virtual Reality (AR/VR) in Healthcare market is projected to expand from $3.3 billion in 2023 to $19.1 billion by 2033. Currently, AR/VR is used for meditative experiences and physical therapy, but a team of researchers at King’s College London is investigating whether virtual reality can enhance ‘cue exposure treatment’ that can be tailored to each patient’s experiences to address craving and prevent relapse.
There are over 350,000 healthcare apps on the global market, including both patient-facing and clinician-facing applications. This trend is expected to continue to flourish as AI and new innovations improve the services available. Good examples of this in the area of addiction rehabilitation come from NIRH-funded projects. ‘Quit Sense’, which uses AI to help people quit smoking based on their proximity to areas where they would often have smoked in the past, and an interactive app which aims to improve the continuity of post-release care for former prisoners working to stay drug-free.
Medical Breakthroughs
Innovations in medical intervention are also gaining traction and could see a boost in 2025 due to additional government funding and continued advancements in technology and research. Projects such as naloxone wafers and skin patches are being developed by King’s College London and MESOX Limited respectively, to make life-saving treatments more accessible, while a groundbreaking fentanyl vaccine in the US moves closer to human trials.
A more futuristic and experimental approach is being developed by doctors at West Virginia University’s Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute. They are researching whether ‘brain zapping’ with ultrasound waves can help decrease the craving for addictive substances.
Community-led solutions are the key to success
While innovation excites, Rehabs UK’s experts warn that technology alone cannot address addiction’s root causes. Lester Morse stresses, “The best approach relies on strong, well-equipped recovery communities that can foster mind recovery and relationship building. Genuine human connections are essential to healing.”
Programs like the University of Birmingham’s “Better Than Well” initiative (as discussed by Luke Trainor on Rehabs UK’s Altered Attitudes podcast,) exemplify the power of community-driven recovery.
Ultimately, combining technology and support systems with personal development opportunities offers a holistic approach to rehab. “Detox accessibility in the UK is hindered by high costs and underfunded local services,” says Morse. “Flexible, affordable options like home detox have become a necessity for many facing the challenging journey to sobriety.”
“We cannot hope to eradicate addiction until we treat the deeper issues affecting our society, and until we provide meaningful and comprehensive mental health care to everyone that needs it.”
Rehabs UK is not alone in calling for increased funding for community-led rehabilitation services. Rehab professionals across the UK have published similar concerns, including addiction advocacy and campaigning service FAVOR UK, Professor of Neuropharmacology at the University of Central Lancashire Colin Davidson, and the world’s first Professor of Addiction Recovery David Best.
A call to action
With drug-related deaths surpassing 2,400 in the first half of 2024 alone, the stakes for effective addiction treatment have never been higher. For every £1 spent on effective rehabilitation, the UK sees a £4 return but cuts to local authority funding in recent years have left vital addiction services in dire straits. As technology continues to evolve in 2025, there is hope that its implementation alongside community-led solutions will mean that rehabilitation treatments will become more accessible and personalised.
As Morse concludes, “We are spending more money on addiction treatment than ever before in history, yet many approaches are worsening the problem. It’s time to invest in evidence-based, community-centric solutions that truly make a difference.”