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Alpha-Stim AID Cranial Electrotherapy Stimulation (CES) anxiety and depression treatment for adults in a social prescribing service: anxiety and depression outcomes
Griffiths, Chris Smart, David Galvin, Sinead Macmillan, Helen Terry, Debbie Jiang, Harmony Walker, Kate
Griffiths, Chris
Smart, David
Galvin, Sinead
Macmillan, Helen
Terry, Debbie
Jiang, Harmony
Walker, Kate
Abstract
Background: Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) is common and can negatively impact people’s wellbeing and functioning. GAD treatment includes psychotherapy and/or anti-anxiety medication, which are not acceptable to or effective for many people experiencing GAD. Alpha-Stim AID cranial electrotherapy stimulation (CES) has evidence of effectiveness in the treatment of anxiety and depression. Purpose: Evaluation of Alpha-Stim AID on anxiety and depression for adults with GAD symptoms using a social prescribing service. Methods: An open-label patient cohort design with no control group. Twenty-six adult patients, 22 females and 4 males, with an age range of 24 to 68 years and an average age of 49 years, completed 6 weeks of Alpha-Stim AID use. Pre- and post-intervention assessments were undertaken using participant self-report measures: Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) and Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). Results: Reliable improvement and remission rates were 42% and 19% for GAD-7; 38% and 27% for PHQ-9. GAD-7 and PHQ-9 significantly improved with large effect sizes. Conclusions: A social prescribing service can offer, and patients will choose to use Alpha-Stim AID, which may be useful in the treatment of anxiety and depression. This study addresses the need for real-world data on Alpha-Stim AID in relation to response rates. It contributes to how Alpha-Stim Aid can be used in social prescribing services, including through a group-based pathway.
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2025-02
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Griffiths, C., Smart, D., Galvin, S., Macmillan, H., Terry, D., Jiang, H., & Walker, K. (2025) Alpha-Stim AID Cranial Electrotherapy Stimulation (CES) Anxiety and Depression Treatment for Adults in a Social Prescribing Service: Anxiety and Depression Outcomes. Open Journal of Depression, 14, 1-12. doi: 10.4236/ojd.2025.141001
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Copyright © 2025 by author(s) and
Scientific Research Publishing Inc.
This work is licensed under the Creative
Commons Attribution International
License (CC BY 4.0).
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/