Brief, intense exercise appears to be more effective than relaxation techniques for treating panic disorder, according to researchers from the University of São Paulo Medical School in Brazil. The study suggests that exercising during a panic attack—rather than using traditional relaxation methods—helps patients build tolerance to the physical sensations that trigger their fear.
The current gold standard for panic disorder treatment is cognitive behavioral therapy, which uses a technique called interoceptive exposure. Therapists have traditionally used artificial methods like having patients spin in a chair or breathe rapidly to trigger panic-like symptoms, helping patients relearn that these sensations are not harmful. The Brazilian researchers propose that brief, intense exercise offers a more natural and effective way to achieve this goal. Lead author Ricardo William Muotri, from the Institute of Psychiatry at the University of São Paulo, explained: “Here we show that a 12-week program of brief intense intermittent exercise can be used as an interoceptive exposure strategy to treat panic disorder patients.”
The research indicates that the exercise-based approach may have additional benefits for patient adherence. Because the exercise group reported enjoying the sessions more than the relaxation group, researchers believe those patients are more likely to stay committed to the treatment long-term. Muotri noted that “health care professionals can adopt brief intermittent intense exercise as a natural and low-cost interoceptive exposure strategy,” adding that because this approach can happen outside of a clinic setting, it brings the exposure closer to the patient’s everyday life and makes treatment more practical and accessible.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://us.headtopics.com/news/brief-intense-exercise-beats-relaxation-for-panic-relief-79634721