A Series of Panic Disorder Cases Treated with Detached Mindfulness.

Detached mindfulness (DM) as a standalone therapy reduced panic severity, anxiety, and depression in patients with panic disorder. In an open study of 11 patients (7 female, 4 male), Panic Disorder Severity Scale, Beck Anxiety Inventory, and Beck Depression Inventory scores all decreased significantly from baseline to end of treatment. Attendance and homework completion were good. The authors suggest DM is effective and easy to apply for panic disorder, but note that results need confirmation in larger studies.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Studies evaluating the efficacy of detached mindfulness (DM) as a standalone intervention for patients with panic disorder are lacking in the literature. In this context, the aim of this open study was to evaluate the efficacy of DM in patients with panic disorder. The study was conducted in 11 patients (7 females and 4 males). The DM therapy process was applied to the patients. The clinical course was followed using the Panic Disorder Severity Scale (PDSS), the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Patients' attendance at therapy and completion of DM homework were found to be quite good. Patients' PDSS scores decreased significantly at the end of treatment compared to baseline. A similar change was seen in the BAI and BDI scores. In conclusion, it can be stated that DM is an effective, easily applicable, and highly therapeutic method for the treatment of patients with panic disorder. However, the present study needs to be supported by future studies with larger samples.