Investigation of Non-Pharmacological Distant Energy Therapy in Adults with Self-Perceived Mental and Psychological Health Problems: Proof-of-Concept Randomized Controlled Trial.

Abstract

Background: Biofield therapies like Reiki, blessing, and healing touch are non-invasive techniques that aim to enhance well-being-mental, emotional, and physical. They can be conducted both in-person and remotely. However, a literature review found no evidence of distant/remote blessing therapy's effectiveness in improving mental health symptoms in adults.

Primary study objective: To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of non-pharmacological distant blessing (biofield energy healing) therapy for psychological and mental health management.

Methods/design: One hundred seventeen participants with psychological symptoms were studied. On days 0 and 90, the biofield (blessing) therapy group (n = 38) received two sessions of distant blessing energy therapy, each lasting about 5 minutes. A sham control group (n = 40) received similar treatment from a sham practitioner to nullify the baseline responses, while a control group (n = 39) received no intervention. Participants were assessed using a standard psychological questionnaire and safety parameters.

Setting: A placebo-controlled, three parallel groups, single-center, double-blinded, and randomized controlled trial.

Participants: Adult human subjects (male and female) with one or more psychological symptoms.

Intervention: Distant (remote) biofield energy healing/blessing therapy.

Primary outcome measures: Psychological questionnaires scoring.

Results: Perceived psychological symptoms/scores (fatigue/tiredness, sleep disturbances, stress, cognitive impairment, loss of memory, mental restlessness, emotional trauma, anxiety, depression, confusion, lack of relationships, and social behaviors) were significantly improved in the blessing group compared to control and sham control groups (P < .0001). Study intervention did not show any study-related adverse effects in all three groups throughout the trial.

Conclusion: The findings from this study suggest that distant (remote) blessing therapy/biofield energy healing session(s) significantly improved psychological and mental health-related symptoms without affecting safety concerns and improved overall health and quality of life. Therefore, the present study recommends a larger-scale intervention study to further investigate various health outcomes and this therapy's underlying mechanisms of action.

Trial registration: The trial was registered in the Clinical Trials Registry - India (Reg. no. CTRI/2022/07/043736) dated 05/07/2022.