Positive Health Online

Abstract

BOZHKO and TIUVINA from Russia studied and evaluation non-drug therapies, including psychotherapy, herbal medicine and acupuncture, in patients with neurotic anxiety disorders.

Background

The objective of this work was to compare effectiveness of non-medicamentous methods for the treatment of patients with neurotic anxiety disorders.

Methodology

The study included 193 patients at the age from 18 to 40 years. They were offered the following methods of non-medicamentous therapy: psychotherapy, phytotherapy, and reflexotherapy (acupuncture). Psychotherapy was the first-line treatment while phytotherapy and reflexotherapy were used as adjuvant modalities. Patients of the control group received psychotherapy alone.

Results

The study has demonstrated relatively high efficiency of non-medicamentous therapies in the patients with neurotic anxiety disorders. It was shown that psychotherapy not only provides a solid basis for application of the second treatment modality but can also be used as a self-contained method. The best results were obtained by combined treatment based on cognitive and behavioural psychotherapy, hypnosis, and autogenic training as its major components.

Conclusion

CONCLUSIONS: Their most important outcomes were modification of basic skills, habit patterns, and mode of thinking as well as self-care education of the patients.

References

Bozhko SA and Tiuvina NA. [Comparative efficacy of non-medicamentous methods for the treatment of patients with neurotic anxiety disorders]. [Russian]. Voprosy Kurortologii, Fizioterapii i Lechebnoi Fizicheskoi Kultury (6):18-22. Nov-Dec 2008.