Key result
A three-day forest-thermal combined therapy reduced perceived stress and state anxiety compared to usual routine in adults attempting to quit smoking.
Why the study?
Smoking is used to cope with anxiety and stress, prompting this evaluation of forest-thermal combined therapy on anxiety and depression among smokers attempting to quit.
Does a three-day forest-thermal combined therapy program reduce anxiety and stress in smokers attempting to quit?
Does a three-day forest-thermal combined therapy program reduce anxiety and stress in smokers attempting to quit?
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
A three-day forest-thermal combined therapy program effectively reduces self-reported anxiety and stress in smokers attempting to quit, though it does not significantly alter physiological stress markers.
Purpose: Smoking is a way of coping with anxiety and stress. This study aimed to identify the effects of forest-thermal combined therapy on anxiety and depression in smokers who desire to quit smoking. Methods: Thirty participants were included in the study, 15 in the experimental group and 15 in the control group. Those in the experimental group participated in a three-day forest-thermal combined therapy program. The program includes forest walks, meditation and thermal therapy in the charcoal kiln. Results: Before and after the program, physiological indicators such as cortisol, heart rate variability, and serotonin anxiety level using the state-trait anxiety inventory (STAI), and stress level using the psychosocial well-being index (PWI) were measured in both groups. The differences in STAI (p=.012) and PWI (p=.006) scores between the experimental and control groups were statistically significant. However, cortisol, heart rate variability, and serotonin were not significantly different between the two groups after the program. Conclusion: These results show that forest-thermal combination therapy effectively reduces anxiety and stress in smokers. It suggests that forest-thermal therapy can potentially increase smoking cessation rates.
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Chae et al. (2022) studied Anxiety and stress in smoking cessation attempters (n=30). Forest-thermal combined therapy vs. Usual daily routine was evaluated on Change in stress level (PWI-SF score) from baseline (p=0.006). A three-day forest-thermal combined therapy reduced perceived stress and state anxiety compared to usual routine in adults attempting to quit smoking.
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