Effect of Integrated Yoga as an Adjuvant to Standard Care for Panic Disorder: A Randomized Control Trial Study.

Adding yoga to standard care substantially reduces anxiety and improves quality of life for people with panic disorder. Sixty-four adults diagnosed with panic disorder were randomly assigned to either a yoga-plus-standard-care group or a standard-care-only control group. The yoga group practiced integrated yoga (postures, breathing, meditation) for 60 minutes, five days a week, for 12 weeks. Anxiety scores on the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale dropped from an average of 49.13 to 13.53 in the yoga group, while quality of life improved significantly across physical, psychological, social, and environmental domains. The control group also improved but less. Yoga appears to be a valuable complementary treatment for panic disorder.

Study at a glance

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.