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A pioneering research endeavor led by specialists at the Laureate Institute for Brain Research (LIBR) located in Tulsa, Oklahoma, has achieved significant advancements in the treatment of anorexia nervosa (AN), a eating disorder marked by low body weight, body image concerns, and anxiety.
The study, titled “Exploring the Effects of Floatation Therapy on Body Image and Anxiety in Anorexia Nervosa: A Randomized Clinical Efficacy Trial,” is featured in the peer-reviewed scientific journal eClinicalMedicine, which is affiliated with The Lancet Discovery Science initiative.
The researchers discovered various immediate and long-term effects of FloatationREST (Reduced Environmental Stimulation Therapy) in anorexia nervosa inpatients. Floatation-REST, also known as “float therapy,” is a non-pharmacological treatment that involves floating effortlessly in a shallow pool of warm water saturated with Epsom salt, in a lightproof, soundproof, humidity- and temperature-controlled environment, and it is increasingly used as a stress reduction tool by the general public. In the study, anorexia nervosa inpatients who were randomly assigned to receive floatationREST reported immediate and repeated reductions in body image dissatisfaction and improved anxiety compared to a control group of anorexia nervosa inpatients whose symptoms remained unchanged. Furthermore, the body image improvements in the floatation-REST group persisted following treatment and lasted for up to six months.
“This breakthrough introduces a novel therapeutic approach for addressing anorexia nervosa, a psychiatric condition renowned for its complex prognosis and elevated mortality rate,” stated psychiatrist Sahib Khalsa, MD, PhD, who serves as the Director of Clinical Operations at LIBR and is the senior author of the study. He further elaborated, “Anxiety frequently accompanies anorexia nervosa, and it often doesn’t respond effectively to conventional anxiety-relieving medications like benzodiazepines. The substantial reduction in anxiety observed through float therapy in these patients suggests a potent avenue for treating anxiety without pharmacological interventions in the context of anorexia nervosa. Further research is necessary to explore the anxiolytic effects of float therapy in relation to other eating disorders.”
“These findings also pave the way for innovative treatment methods for eating disorders that, when combined with traditional therapies, could potentially alleviate the more challenging diagnostic aspects of AN, such as body image issues,” noted co-first author Emily Choquette, PhD, a clinical psychologist and postdoctoral scholar at LIBR. She added, “The consistent and lasting impact of floatation-REST on body image dissatisfaction indicates its potential as a tool for enhancing the efficacy of traditional psychotherapies.”
Due to the severity and enduring nature of anorexia nervosa, the pursuit of effective treatments remains ongoing. Dr. Scott Moseman, MD, CEDS, the Medical Director of the Laureate Eating Disorders Program, emphasized, “This study underscores the significance of consistently exploring innovative approaches and expanding the boundaries of available therapeutic alternatives.” He continued, “These discoveries could potentially lead to novel treatment modalities like float-assisted psychotherapy, designed to amplify the advancements in body image and anxiety achieved through established evidence-based interventions.”
