Study in Journal of Mental Health and Clinic Psychology Confirms Freespira Drastically Reduces Panic Disorder Severity
Freespira, Inc., the maker of the first FDA-cleared digital therapeutic to significantly reduce or eliminate symptoms of panic attacks, panic disorder (PD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in only 28 days, today announced that the Journal of Mental Health and Clinical Psychology published data demonstrating that PD severity can be significantly reduced with its first-of-its-kind treatment. Crossover Health conducted the study with eligible employees at its Midtown, New York City health center.
The study found that 82% of participants experienced significant reductions in PD severity after undergoing Freespira’s medication-free, digital treatment. The study also found that participants were highly engaged and adherent to the treatment, which reduced utilization of behavioral health services after the program. This finding is critical because a strong engagement illustrates that the program was tolerable to patients with minimal to no side effects. This data is consistent with prior studies, which found high satisfaction rates (84%) and adherence rates (88%) in patients treated with Freespira.
“This study is yet another data point to confirm that Freespira is incredibly effective and life-changing for patients – and we’re thrilled to be part of the solution for employers that are prioritizing the mental health of their team members,” said Dean Sawyer, Freespira’s CEO. “Crossover is helping employers to not only provide much-needed support to employees and improve their well-being but also to create a culture of caring where mental health is not to be judged but rather embraced and tackled just like a clinical problem.”
The results are significant considering that over 27 million people in the United States had a panic attack in 2019, and 17.1 million people reported having frequent panic attacks. Panic attacks and PD can be debilitating with symptoms like chest pain, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, or abdominal distress. In addition, mental health challenges represent some of the most prevalent short and long-term disability claims. According to the CDC, an estimated 200 million workdays are lost each year due to behavioral health conditions like anxiety, costing employers between $17 billion and $44 billion.
“Addressing mental health has been a growing priority for employers, particularly as COVID has exacerbated the widespread issue and shone a light on the importance of caring for mental health, ” said Stephen Ezeji-Okoye, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Crossover Health. “By integrating mental health care into every individual’s care team from day one, and through the adoption of digital wellness offerings, we continue to help employers implement scalable solutions to keep workforces healthy and engaged in their overall health outcomes.”
As an alternative to medications and therapy, Freespira’s at-home, twice daily, 17-minute treatments normalize breathing patterns to reduce or eliminate symptoms. Freespira addresses the underlying physiological cause of PD by normalizing breathing irregularities in response to carbon dioxide (CO2) hypersensitivity, which contributes to the symptoms. Freespira provides users with real-time physiological feedback-based training and telehealth coaching helps to guide patients through the care journey to deliver maximum benefits.