Effect of Integrated Yoga as an Adjuvant to Standard Care for Panic Disorder: A Randomized Control Trial Study.
Vishwa Sree Yadla, Patil Nj, Prabhakar Kamarthy, Mohan Reddy Matti
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 64 |
| Population | Adults diagnosed with panic disorder according to DSM-5 criteria |
| Intervention | Yoga |
| Duration | 12 weeks |
| Topics | Anxiety Meditation |
| Keywords | Complementary therapies Hamilton-anxiety rating scale Holistic intervention Mental health Well-being Yoga |
| Citations | 5 |
| Key findings | Yoga as an adjuvant to standard care led to a significantly greater reduction in anxiety and improvement in quality of life compared to standard care alone in patients with panic disorder. |
Abstract
Individuals wrestling with panic disorder (PD) know all too well its debilitating impact. Sudden, intense fear episodes disrupt lives and erode well-being. Fortunately, integrating complementary therapies like yoga with standard treatment offers a glimmer of hope for improved outcomes. Yoga's unique blend of physical postures (asanas), breathing exercises (pranayama), and meditative practices holds promise for mitigating anxiety and fostering a sense of inner peace, potentially making it a valuable tool in the fight against panic disorder. This study investigated the effect of yoga as an adjuvant to standard care for panic disorder. Sixty-four panic disorder patients of both genders previously diagnosed with panic disorder according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) criteria were randomly assigned to the yoga group (n = 32) and the control group. The yoga group participated in integrated yoga sessions lasting 60 minutes, five days a week, for 12 weeks. Both groups received standard care. Pre- and post-intervention data were collected for HAM-A and WHOQOL-BREF. The yoga group exhibited a significant reduction in HAM-A scores (Pre: 49.13 ± 4.55, Post: 13.53 ± 5.54, p < 0.001) with a substantial effect size of 7.02. Quality of life significantly improved across all domains (physical, psychological, social, and environmental) in the yoga group (p < 0.001), demonstrating effect sizes ranging from 4.11 to 4.57. Control group participants also experienced improvements, though less pronounced. Between-group comparisons revealed significant differences in anxiety reduction (p = 0.042) and quality of life enhancement (p < 0.001), favouring the yoga group. The results suggest that yoga can be a valuable complementary or alternative approach to traditional treatments for anxiety disorders.