Beyond Pharmacology: A Narrative Review of Alternative Therapies for Anxiety Disorders.
Diseases (Basel, Switzerland) September 16, 2024 Zuzanna Antos, Klaudia Zackiewicz, Natalia Tomaszek et al. 9 citations
Anxiety disorders harm quality of life, and standard drugs like benzodiazepines and antidepressants cause side effects, prompting a search for gentler alternatives. This review examined evidence for physical activity, mindfulness, virtual reality, biofeedback, herbal remedies, transcranial magnetic stimulation, cryotherapy, hyperbaric therapy, vagus nerve stimulation, MDMA, electroconvulsive therapy, and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing. From 116 studies, the authors assessed which methods can support standard treatment or stand alone, weighing risks and benefits. Alternative treatments broaden options for patients and clinicians, often as adjuncts. Among them, mindfulness shows the most significant therapeutic potential.