Effectiveness of Acupuncture and Brief Telehealth Intervention for Individuals With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Lu W, Chen Y, Gao N, Wang K, Srijeyanthan J, Beninato J, Oursler J, Lin KWR, Ben-Ari TZ, Ray S, Caldwell B · Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services · 2024 November

DOI 10.3928/02793695-20240612-02

Objective

To investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of acupuncture with brief therapy (ABT) among individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Conclusions

ABT significantly reduced PTSD symptoms, depression symptoms, anxiety, and improved trauma-related cognition, suggesting that acupuncture combined with a brief telehealth-based treatment program (BREATHE) is beneficial for individuals with PTSD.

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Insights

The combination of acupuncture and brief, telehealth-based therapy greatly diminishes post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms, depression, anxiety, and enhances trauma-related cognition.

The open-trial pilot study involved 27 participants with confirmed PTSD diagnoses. They completed eight sessions of acupuncture and three telehealth sessions of a short treatment program for PTSD termed as Brief Relaxation, Education, and Trauma Healing (BREATHE) prior to the ABT. The results displayed a significant reduction in PTSD symptoms, symptoms of depression, feelings of anxiety, and improvement in trauma-related cognition. The study underscores that acupuncture can play a critical role in mental health recovery, and when combined with a brief therapy delivered through telehealth like BREATHE, it can aid the recovery of individuals suffering from PTSD.