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Intense Exercise Outperforms Therapy for Panic Disorder
9 Feb
Summary
- Brief intense exercise proved more effective than psychotherapy for panic disorder.
- A 12-week study involved 102 adults with panic disorder, no drugs were used.
- High-intensity sprints with active recovery significantly reduced panic attacks.
A study from the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil, indicates that brief, intense intermittent exercise can be a superior treatment for panic disorder when compared to traditional psychotherapy. This exercise approach involves supervised walking combined with short bursts of high-intensity sprinting and active recovery periods.
The research followed 102 adult participants diagnosed with panic disorder over a 12-week duration, with no participants receiving medication. Sessions three times weekly included warm-ups, 15 minutes of walking, high-intensity sprints with recovery, and a cool-down walk.
Results demonstrated a more significant decrease in panic symptoms and attack frequency among those in the exercise group compared to a control group performing relaxation exercises. The benefits of this exercise-based interoceptive exposure were sustained for at least 24 weeks, suggesting its potential as a natural, low-cost intervention for panic disorder.
