Research Journal Article Summary

Leander Beaver

1/31/18

This week in class my group is presenting on psychotropic medications including

antidepressants, antipsychotics, and benzodiazepines. I specifically researched benzodiazepines because
of the increasing number of people developing anxiety disorders, and their prevalence and severity
within the psychiatric mental health care field. While researching more about these drugs, I came across
an article from the Journal of Nursing & Interprofessional Leadership in Quality & Safety discussing the
use of a non-pharmacological treatment education program to aid patients in reducing their reliance on
benzodiazepine medications for their anxiety. This study was conducted through a private mental health
clinic, and used twenty patients who expressed a desire in relieving their symptoms but who also
wanted to lower their use of benzodiazepines.

One of the underlying motivations for conducting this study was the fact that prescribers see
that many individuals showing symptoms of an anxiety disorder usually want immediate relief of those
symptoms, therefore underutilizing non-pharmacological techniques that give a safer, more natural way
to deal with stress (Kearney & Wardell, 2017). However, if these individuals knew ways they could cope
with stressors in their life and had more information available to them, it is believed they would have
less rebound anxiety while trying to discontinue anti-anxiety medications. The nurse practitioner and
psychiatrist in charge of the study selected a group of non-pharmacologic anti-anxiety techniques that
would promote safe management of anxiety disorders and gold standard treatment including: guided
imagery, mindfulness meditation, deep breathing, thought field therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy,
progressive muscle relaxation, and exercise (Kearney & Wardell, 2017). Each of the twenty patients
attended four clinical visits, each four weeks apart from each other. The first visit consisted of
information about benzodiazepine use and risk as well as instructions regarding non-pharmacological
techniques, and they were asked to document their participation in these as well as their anxious
moments and triggers in a journal. In the three visits that followed, the patients described their anxiety
management and reported any changes. Along with alternative therapies, a selective serotonin reuptake
inhibitor (SSRI) was initiated as their first line treatment for anxiety disorders instead of the
benzodiazepines (the reasoning behind this decision was not stated).

The results showed that 85% of the participants, so 17 of the 20, reported a decrease in the use
of their benzodiazepines (Kearney & Wardell, 2017). 11 of the 20 participants reported cognitive
behavioral therapy as the most effective technique to decrease their stress, making it number one for
the study. Number two was exercise, followed my mindfulness. Another interesting addition was the
majority reported to using deep breathing the most on a daily basis to cope with anxiety triggers. I really
enjoyed reading this study because I felt it directly related to so many things we learn about as nursing
students. Specifically, in the way we do our best to treat our patients using a holistic approach, one that
recognizes their body, soul, spirit, and mind. Using non-pharmacological treatments along with
medications is doing just that. A way I can use this information as I progress in my career as a nurse is by
always making patient education a priority. We often make the mistake of assuming our patients know
much more than they actually do about their disease or ways they can help treat it without the use of
prescription drugs, with anxiety patients being the perfect example here. I also want to encourage as
many possible treatments that could benefit my patient like the ones used in this study, making sure
they serve my patient in the safest and therapeutic way.

Reference

Kearney, K. D., & Wardell, D. (2017). Education Program using Non-Pharmacologic Support during
Benzodiazepine Reduction in Patients with Anxiety Disorders. Journal of Nursing & Interprofessional
Leadership in Quality & Safety, 1 (2). Retrieved from
http://digitalcommons.library.tmc.edu/uthoustonjqualsafe/vol1/iss2/1