The effect of relaxation techniques and trigger points therapy on stress reduction of patients with mental health disorders in a Greek hospital

Abstract

Background

Patients with mental health disorders usually suffer from high stress levels. Trigger points therapy has been shown to be very effective in providing prompt relief from stress in these patients.

Aim

To investigate the effect of the combined use of relaxation techniques and trigger points therapy on stress levels of patients with mental health disorders.

Method

Thirty-one patients participated in this study, 14 (45.2%) males and 17 (54.8%) females, with a mean age of 39. Out of them, 10 (32.3%) suffered from anxiety disorders, 6 (19.4%) from obsessive compulsive disorder, 10 (32.3%) from depression and 5 (16.1%) from chronic condition stress. Data analysis was conducted with t-test analysis and ANOVA, using the SPSS software.

Results

The findings revealed significant differences on stress levels before and after the use of relaxation techniques and trigger points therapy as t(30) = 18.316, P < 0.0001. Before the use of relaxation techniques and trigger points therapy, individuals reported higher stress levels (M = 6.129, SD = 1.087) compared to after the therapy (M = 1.741, SD = .889). Moreover, significant differences were found in stress reduction with regard to psychiatric illnesses (F(3,27) = 5.027, P = 0.007). More specifically, individuals with depression reported lower reductions in their stress levels after the therapy compared to both those with chronic condition stress (M = –2.1, SD = 0.61, P = 0.013) and anxiety disorders (M = –1.4, SD = 0.503, P = 0.05).

Conclusion

The findings of this study highlight the importance of using trigger points therapy, combined with relaxation techniques, to reduce stress levels of patients with mental health disorders.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.