Abstract

Anxiety and depression are highly prevalent disorders that result in human suffering. The consequences to the individual include increased health care utilization, disability, and decreased income; depression, at its current prevalence, impacts global economic output as well. Access Bars, a noninvasive energy therapy technique, was evaluated for its effects on anxiety and depression using both subjective self-report and objective brain-scanning measures.

Methods:

Participants, N = 7, aged 25–68, were assessed as having mild to severe anxiety and/or depression. The assessment methods were standardized self-report measures: Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Beck Depression Inventory–II (BDI II), State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and the Maryland State and Trait Depression (MTSD) scale. Electroencephalogram (EEG) data were acquired for objective analysis of brain function via QEEG and sLORETA. Evaluations were performed prior to one 90-minute Access Bars session and immediately following the session. All participants tested positive for trait anxiety on pretest.

Results:

Lower scores were reported in all self-report measures post session. BAI mean scores dropped from 23.3 to 3.6 (–84.7%), p = 0.004. BDI II mean scores were reduced from 22.3 to 3.9 (–82.7%), p = 0.02. STAI-S (State) means dropped from 38.9 to 25.9 (–33.5%), p = 0.027. MTSD-S (State) means were reduced from 23.6 to 4.7 (–80%), p = 0.015. Brain maps derived from QEEG results showed notable changes in frequency bands from 6 Hz (theta) to 21 Hz (beta). These frequency bands in pretest results showed extreme values of –3 to –1 standard deviations (SD) below the norm and changed toward normal in posttest results. QEEG FFT (Fast Fourier Transform) Z Score coherence paired t-tests demonstrated an improvement in QEEG coherence, p < 0.05.

Conclusion:

Treatment with Access Bars was associated with a significant decrease in the severity of symptoms of anxiety and depression and an increase in EEG coherence. These results suggest that Access Bars may be useful as a treatment for anxiety and depression.

Keywords: Access Bars, anxiety, depression, QEEG

Full Article

Highlights:

The research accomplished through the exploration of properties of the Bars Process allowing stuck energy to flow again, heal and be realigned in the body offering an exciting perspective at this point in time.
• 85% of the participants in this study had a change in their QEEG coherence
• 63% of the participants, after receiving the Bars Process were in an emotional and/or physical transition
• Of the 63% in transition, 42% of the participants were in emotional transition, while 40%
were in a physical transition

96% of the participants had elevated 1 Hz activity (3 standard
deviations above normal, while 63% of those
participating in this research project had elevated activity (3 standard deviations above normal,
at 22 Hz 

Abstract:

Police officers in the United Kingdom (UK) have clinical levels of anxiety and depression and comorbid presentations of major depression and anxiety, at rates significantly higher than reported in the general population. Risk of stress is significant and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among police officers is now at a crisis level in the UK, affecting one in five officers. Complex PTSD (the result of chronic exposure to trauma) affects 12% of the working police population, resulting in a diminishing number of working officers. Access Bars, a noninvasive energy technique was evaluated for its effects on depression, anxiety, stress, and PTSD, presented either singularly or in a comorbid state using subjective self-report measures.

Methods:

This case series included participants (n = 4) aged between 36 and 52 years who were police officers referred for treatment with a clinical diagnosis of one or more of depression, anxiety, stress, or PTSD. All participants had been previously treated with standardized methods and continued to present with mild to severe symptoms. Treatments were provided by a licensed Access Bars Facilitator at a naturopathic clinic in Hampshire, UK. The primary measure was the standardized self-report method, the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale–21 (DASS-21), with the addition of the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) to evaluate PTSD in one participant. All were evaluated prior to receiving seven 60-minute sessions over seven weeks, with post evaluations upon completion of the last session.

Results:

All methods of evaluation showed a decrease in scores for all post measurements. DASS-21 depression scores had the highest pre scores, with 75% in the extremely severe category. Mean scores declined from 31 to 7.5 (75%, p = 0.02). Mean anxiety scores decreased from 20 to 12 (59%, p = 0.007) and mean stress scores declined from 24 to 8.5 (64%, p = 0.002). A secondary classification of a single participant classified as “acute needs” (AN; n = 1) had additional psychometric evaluations using BAI and PCL-5. BAI scores decreased from 26 to 16 (38%, p = 0.001) and PCL-5 scores declined from 38 to 18 (20 points or 51%, p < 0.001). An 18-point decrease for PCL-5 is considered a clinically significant change.

Conclusion:

Treatment with Access Bars showed a significant decrease in depression, anxiety, and stress in police officers where significant symptoms remained after standardized treatments. Simultaneous improvement was demonstrated in comorbid anxiety, depression, and stress. These results suggest that Access Bars shows promise as a treatment for depression, anxiety, and stress and may contribute to clinical improvement in PTSD.

Keywords:

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