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Sep 23, 2020, 04:51 PM
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Member Since: Mar 2014
Location: PNW
Posts: 1,394
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I was curious so I looked up "touch therapy" and it sounds like it refers to a range of things, but most of them don't involve naked hugging or anything like that. Some of it does sound kinda pseudo-sciency, or like it is mostly effective in the way that massage can be effective. On the other hand, I can see why therapy involving touch in a safe and healing manner might be good for some people.
ETA I also thought this article on touch in therapy more generally looked interesting, though I haven't read the whole thing yet. Especially this part seems relevant:
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Massage therapy has been shown to reduce aversion to touch and to decrease anxiety, depression and cortisol levels in women who have been sexually or physically abused (Field, Hernandez-Reif, et al., 1997). It decreases diastolic blood pressure, anxiety and cortisol (stress hormone) levels (Hernandez-Reif, et al., 2000). One study examined the effects of massage therapy on anxiety and depression levels and on immune function (Ironson, et al., 1996). The subjects received a 45-minute massage five times weekly for a 1-month period. The findings were that: 1) anxiety, stress and cortisol levels were significantly reduced; 2) natural killer cells and natural killer cell activity increased, suggesting positive effects on the immune system. Bulimic adolescent girls received massage therapy 2 times a week for 5 weeks (Field, et al., 1998). Effects included an improved body image, decreased depression and anxiety symptoms, decreased cortisol levels and increased dopamine and serotonin levels. In a study of children with ADHD, touch sensitivity, attention to sounds and off-task classroom behavior decreased and relatedness to teachers increased after massage therapy (Field, Lasko, et al., 1997). Furthermore, a systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature on ADHD and massage therapy demonstrated more improvement of ADHD symptoms compared to Ritalin as well as marked improvement in anxious and asocial behaviors (Chen et al., 2019). In another study, children and adolescents who had undergone five 30-minute massages demonstrated better sleep patterns, lower levels of depression and anxiety and lower stress hormone levels (Field, et al., 1992). Massage therapy also decreased the anxiety, depression and stress hormone levels of children diagnosed with PTSD, who survived Hurricane Andrew (Field, et al., 1996). Additionally, their drawings reflected less depression.
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