Yoga as an adjunct treatment for alcohol dependence: A pilot study.


Author: Hallgren M1, Romberg K2, Bakshi AS3, Andréasson S4.

Affiliation: 1Department of Public Health Sciences, Section of Epidemiology and Public Health Intervention Research (EPHIR), Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden. Electronic address: Mats.hallgren@ki.se. 2Riddargatan 1: Alcohol Treatment Clinic, Stockholm, Sweden. Electronic address: Karin.romberg@sll.se. 3Department of Public Health Sciences, Division of Social Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden. Electronic address: Ann-Sofie.Bakshi@ki.se. 4Riddargatan 1: Alcohol Treatment Clinic, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Public Health Sciences, Division of Social Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden. Electronic address: Sven.andreasson@ki.se.
Conference/Journal: Complement Ther Med. 
Date published: 2014 Jun
Other:
 Volume ID: 22   ,  Issue ID: 3   ,  Pages: 441-445   ,  Special Notes: doi: 10.1016/j.ctim.2014.03.003   ,  Word Count: 229  
    

OBJECTIVES:

This pilot study explores the feasibility of yoga as part of a treatment program for alcohol dependence.

DESIGN:

Eighteen alcohol dependent patients were randomized to receive either treatment as usual or treatment as usual plus yoga. Assessments were taken at baseline and six month follow-up.

SETTING:

'Riddargatan 1': an outpatient alcohol treatment clinic located in Stockholm, Sweden.

INTERVENTIONS:

Treatment as usual consisted of psychological and pharmacological interventions for alcohol dependence. The 10-week yoga intervention included a weekly group yoga session. Participants were encouraged to practice the yoga movements at home once per day.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:

Alcohol consumption (timeline follow-back method, DSM-IV criteria for alcohol dependence, and the Short Alcohol Dependence Data questionnaire), affective symptoms (the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), quality of life (Sheehan Disability Scale) and stress (the Perceived Stress Scale and saliva cortisol).

RESULTS:

Yoga was found to be a feasible and well accepted adjunct treatment for alcohol dependence. Alcohol consumption reduced more in the treatment as usual plus yoga group (from 6.32 to 3.36 drinks per day) compared to the treatment as usual only group (from 3.42 to 3.08 drinks per day). The difference was, however, not statistically significant (p=0.17).

CONCLUSIONS:

Larger studies are needed to adequately assess the efficacy and long-term effectiveness of yoga as an adjunct treatment for alcohol dependence.

Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

KEYWORDS:

Alcohol dependence; Physical exercise; Substance abuse; Treatment; Yoga



PMID: 24906582