After five years, Dr. Justin Feinstein of the Laureate Institute of Brain Research has published the initial results of his studies on floatation therapy’s affects on people with severe anxiety disorders. And the results are amazing.
Examining the short-term anxiolytic and antidepressant effect of Floatation-REST
“This study found that a single one-hour session of Floatation-REST was capable of inducing a strong reduction in state anxiety and a substantial improvement in mood in a group of 50 anxious and depressed participants spanning a range of different anxiety and stress-related disorders (including PTSD, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorder, Agoraphobia, and Social Anxiety Disorder). The findings from this open-label study suggest that Floatation-REST may be a promising technique for acutely reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression, although the persistence of these effects is presently unknown. With regard to our primary outcome measure, the reduction in state anxiety was evident in every participant regardless of sex or medication status. Moreover, the anxiety reduction was robust across all disorders and subgroups. Beyond the immediate dissipation of anxiety, the float experience also induced a significant decrease in self-reported stress, muscle tension, pain, depression, and negative affect, along with a significant increase in serenity, relaxation, happiness, positive affect, overall well-being, energy levels, and feeling refreshed, content and peaceful, with estimated effect sizes ranging from large to very large across variables.”
Listen to Dr. Feinstein explain the process and results on Art of the Float podcast…
