Using Bilateral Stimulation (A Pre-existing Trauma Technique) After Eating to Reduce Anxiety in People Recovering From Eating Disorders

The goal of this clinical trial was to evaluate whether bilateral stimulation (BLS) could reduce anxiety and emotional distress after eating in people recovering from eating disorders in outpatient treatment with the primary researcher. The main question it aimed to answer were: Did bilateral stimulation reduce anxiety, depression, and/or eating disorder thoughts when used after eating a fear food? Researchers compared participants who received standard treatment alone to those who received standard treatment plus bilateral stimulation after meals to determine whether BLS reduced emotional distress and negative thoughts related to eating. Participants: * Completed surveys assessing anxiety, depression, and eating disorder symptoms at the beginning and end of 4 consecutive sessions (4-12 weeks in total depending on the frequency of client appointments). * Chose to participate in either a standard treatment group or an intervention group Participants in the intervention group also: * Ate 1 meal per week before or during session, including a "fear food" (defined as food avoided out of fear of what might happen, i.e., weight gain, vomiting, guilt/shame). * Completed brief questionnaires about their thoughts and feelings after eating * Participated in 3-5 minutes of bilateral stimulation (side-to-side tapping) guided by the researcher * Reported on changes in their thoughts and emotions following the intervention The intervention was delivered over 4 consecutive sessions alongside standard treatment.

NCT Number	NCT07600970
Lead Sponsor	San Francisco State University
Conditions	Eating Disorders, Eating Disorders Symptoms
Enrollment	8 participants
Start Date	2023-05-30
Primary Completion	2023-10-16 (estimated)
Study Completion	2023-12-08 (estimated)
Updated on ClinicalTrials.gov	2026-05-27