Virtual reality cue-exposure therapy in reducing cocaine craving: the Promoting Innovative COgnitive behavioral therapy for Cocaine use disorder (PICOC) study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Cocaine craving is a central symptom of cocaine use disorders (CUD). Virtual reality cue-exposure therapy for craving (VRCET) allows more immersive, realistic, and controllable exposure than traditional non-VR cue-exposure therapy (CET), whose efficacy is limited in treating substance use disorders. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and acceptability of VRCET, as a stand-alone and add-on intervention (i.