title: Balneotherapy Together with a Psychoeducation Program for Benzodiazepine Withdrawal: A Feasibility Study.
abstract: Benzodiazepines should be prescribed on a short-term basis, but a significant proportion of patients (%) use them for more than 6 months, constituting a serious public health issue. Indeed, few strategies are effective in helping patients to discontinue long-term benzodiazepine treatments. The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility and the impact of a program including cognitive behavioural therapy, psychoeducation, and balneotherapy in a spa resort to facilitate long-term discontinuation of benzodiazepines. We conducted a prospective multicentre cohort study. Patients with long-term benzodiazepine use were recruited with the aim of anxiolytic withdrawal by means of a psychoeducational program and daily balneotherapy during 3 weeks. The primary efficacy outcome measure was benzodiazepine use 6 months after the program, compared to use at baseline. A total of 70 subjects were enrolled. At 6 months, overall benzodiazepine intake had decreased by 75.3%, with 41.4% of patients completely stopping benzodiazepine use. The results also suggest a significantly greater improvement in anxiety and depression symptoms among patients who discontinued benzodiazepines compared to patients who only reduced their use. Our findings suggest that balneotherapy in association with a psychoeducative program is efficient in subjects with benzodiazepine addiction.
authors.affiliation: Service Hospitalo Universitaire de Santé Mentale et de Thérapeutique, Université Paris Descartes, Centre Hospitalier Sainte Anne, Paris, France; INSERM UMR 894, PRES Sorbonne Centre de Psychiatrie et Neurosciences, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: De Maricourt
authors.affiliation: INSERM UMR 894, PRES Sorbonne Centre de Psychiatrie et Neurosciences, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France.
authors.forename: P
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-1845-3676
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gorwood
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Psychopathologie et Processus de Santé (EA 4057), Institut de Psychologie, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Th
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hergueta
authors.affiliation: Service Hospitalo Universitaire de Santé Mentale et de Thérapeutique, Université Paris Descartes, Centre Hospitalier Sainte Anne, Paris, France.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Galinowski
authors.affiliation: Institute of Public Health, Epidemiology and Development "ISPED", Bordeaux University, Bordeaux, France.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Salamon
authors.affiliation: Institute of Public Health, Epidemiology and Development "ISPED", Bordeaux University, Bordeaux, France.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Diallo
authors.affiliation: Le Manoir Clinic, 09400 Ussat les Bains, France.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vaugeois
authors.affiliation: APHP, Département de Psychiatrie et de Médecine Addictologique, Hôpital Fernand Vidal, Paris, France.
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Lépine
authors.affiliation: Service Hospitalo Universitaire de Santé Mentale et de Thérapeutique, Université Paris Descartes, Centre Hospitalier Sainte Anne, Paris, France; INSERM UMR 894, PRES Sorbonne Centre de Psychiatrie et Neurosciences, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France.
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Olié
authors.affiliation: Saujon Clinic, BP 30, 17600 Saujon, France.
authors.forename: O
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-1295-9820
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Dubois