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[personal profile] electricland
Apparently, swimming with dolphins for two weeks in Honduras helps alleviate depression! Who ever would have imagined it?

http://bmj.com/cgi/content/full/331/7527/1231

Swimming with dolphins is an effective treatment for mild to moderate
depression, say researchers in this weeks BMJ.

Their findings support the theory of biophilia, which shows how human
health and wellbeing are dependent on our relationships with the natural
environment.

The study was carried out in Honduras and involved 30 patients diagnosed
with mild or moderate depression. Half were assigned to the experimental
group and half to the control group.

Over a two-week period, participants in the experimental group swam and
snorkelled in the water with dolphins for one hour a day. Participants in
the control group were assigned to the same water activities, but in the
absence of dolphins, to control for the influence of water and the natural
setting.

All participants discontinued antidepressant drugs or psychotherapy at
least four weeks before entering the study, and were not allowed to take
drugs during the study. Depression scores were measured before the study
and at the end of treatment.

Although some participants dropped out of the study, the average severity
of the depressive symptoms was more reduced in the experimental group than
in the control group.

Animal facilitated therapy with dolphins is more effective than water
therapy in treating people with mild to moderate depression, say the
authors. Despite some study limitations, the effects exerted by the animals
were significantly greater than those of just the natural setting.

The echolocation system, the aesthetic value, and the emotions raised by
the interaction with dolphins may explain the mammals healing properties,
they suggest.

Three months after the study, participants in both groups also reported
lasting improvement and did not require treatment. This suggests that in
patients with mild or moderate depression, using drugs or conventional
psychotherapy may not be necessary when biophilic treatment with animals is
used, they conclude.
I heart the BMJ.

Date: 2005-11-25 10:51 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] lilactime.livejournal.com
Yeah, but... what do the dolphins think of it? (http://www.wdcs.org/dan/publishing.nsf/allweb/975B92D775D79222802568DD0030A3B4)

Date: 2005-11-25 11:06 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] raithen.livejournal.com
we should do a similar study with horses! though EAGALA has some REALLY troublesome approaches to their equine assisted therapy.

Date: 2005-11-26 08:54 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] slammerkinbabe.livejournal.com
Mariska Hargitay runs a program wherein she flies rape survivors to like the Caribbean or somewhere and they all swim with dolphins together. I thought it was the most well-intentioned idiot idea I'd ever heard, but maybe not.

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