Drug-free after basal exposure therapy

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Psychotherapy
• Mental Health Treatment

Background:

• Vestre Viken offers basal exposure therapy for inpatients with severe, complex mental health disorders and low functioning.
• Treatment includes support for patients wishing to become medication-free.
• The core therapeutic element is exposure to unwanted internal experiences, termed existential catastrophe anxiety.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the long-term psychosocial functioning of patients after inpatient basal exposure therapy.
• To assess the impact of becoming medication-free on recovery.
• To evaluate the role of exposure intensity in treatment outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Longitudinal study of 33 discharged patients (out of 36).
• Data collected on psychotropic medication use, Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) scores, education, work, and living ability at admission and follow-up.
• Exposure levels were assessed at discharge.

Main Results:

• At a mean follow-up of 5.3 years, 16 patients were medication-free, and 17 used psychotropic medication.
• Medication-free patients had an average GAF score of ~65 (mild symptoms/social challenges), while those on medication averaged ~41 (severe problems).
• Medication-free patients with high exposure levels demonstrated superior psychosocial functioning, with 7 achieving full recovery.

Conclusions:

• Patients who engaged in basal exposure therapy, reduced psychotropic medication, and became medication-free exhibited better long-term psychosocial functioning.
• This suggests that confronting existential anxiety and reducing medication can lead to improved outcomes in severe mental illness.