“In the anxiety-depressive disorder, the result is spectacular”. Dr Olivier Dubois did not think the conclusions of his study would be so encouraging. The spa doctor initiated the SPECTh program intended to assess the impact of hydrotherapy on the consumption of psychotropic drugs, and specifically of benzodiazepines.
Benzodiazepines are psychotropic drugs with sedative and hypnotic properties intended primarily to treat anxiety and sleep disorders.
70 patients aged 18 to 85 were followed for six months in four different French spas (Bagnères-de-Bigorre, Néris-les-Bains, Saujon, Ussat-les-Bains).
During their stay, curists consuming benzodiazepines benefited from balneotherapy treatments, medical follow-up as well as personalized psychotherapeutic follow-up.
As a result, after three months, 43% of patients were able to stop their benzodiazepine treatment. In the sixth month, 80% of patients have managed to do without or halve their intake of psychotropic drugs.
Another positive fact, the cessation of benzodiazepines was accompanied in the people concerned by a marked reduction in anxiety and depressive symptoms. “We have twice as much improvement in the group of those who have completely stopped compared to people who have only partially stopped”, welcomes Olivier Dubois, quoted by Pourquoidocteur.
Therapeutic hydrotherapy, an under-exploited field
For this spa specialist, it is clear that balneotherapy is a ally of weight to reduce drugspsychotropic drugs. “The combination of an adapted place, of a necessary duration, of trained professionals and of complementary care, all contributes to the achievement of the withdrawal of benzodiazepines”, assures the doctor.
This study could make health actors think about ways to generalize the prescription of thermal cures to people suffering from psychosomatic disorders. Because the French are still too addicted to psychotropic drugs.
Most consumers are women (60%). The benzodiazepine treatment time is around seven months in France. After the publication of an Inserm study confirming a increased risk of dementia in those over 65, the National Agency for the Safety of Medicines and Health Products (ANSM) reiterated the importance of limiting benzodiazepines to a short duration (4 weeks).
