Therapy Might Prevent Repeat Depression
By kathy77
@kathy77 (7485)
Australia
February 23, 2007 11:35am CST
Continuing psychological counseling after an episode of depression may significantly reduce relapses into major depression, even without the aid of antidepressant medicines. Researchers focused on the potential benefits cognitive therapy had for patients. Cognitive therapy is a
form of psychological counseling that helps patients understand and change unhealthy thinking patterns. Psychiatrists studied 156 volunteers with depression, ages 18 to 65, who were randomly divided into two groups -- one that received continued therapy for eight months, and the other that didn't. Patients who continued therapy showed a 10 percent relapse rate into depression, while the other
group had a 31 percent relapse rate. The researchers followed the volunteers for an additional 16 months, and found continued therapy proved even more effective in younger patients and for those whose improvement was unstable.
2 responses
@ossie16d (11821)
• Australia
24 Feb 07
Yes Kathy, I agree that continuing psychological counselling is essential for anyone who has suffered from severe depression. It can be done with or without anti-depressant medication because once that initial period of depression is dealt with, often the counselling will help the person understand what caused it and what can be done in the future to prevent a relapse.
I believe we are very lucky here in Australia as many towns actually have counselling available for depression, even if it is a self-help group. I know of a couple of friends who are in a support group for people who suffer from depression, actually they are the wives of veterans, and they have found it very useful in that they talk about all sorts of things other than their husbands at their sessions. LOL
So, yes counselling combined with some sort of support network is the way to go. For that reason, with the services that are available here in Australia, we are very lucky although not all countries have the same sort of facilities available as we do here. Of course there are some areas which do not have full time psychologists but visiting ones. I am not really surprised that they found the therapy was more effective in the younger ones, because when people are older they are less inclined to seek assistance. Also if they have been suffering from depression for many years, it is so well established, that only so much progress can be made. However, they should still have the treatment that is available to them.
Thanks very much for sharing this information with us Kath, as there are a lot of people who do suffer from severe and/or chronic depression.
@Ravenladyj (22902)
• United States
24 Feb 07
As much as I tend to agree that continued therapy is a good idea...unfortunately, many ppl just cant afford it...I need to get back into therapy but even with our copay its $40 a session and I have to go a couple times a week..its expensive here in the U.S...When all four of us were going we were each goin once a week (I was goin twice) at $40 each..do the math, it adds up...in fact thats why I stopped goin..I felt it was more important for my husband and kids to go at that time and all four of us goin each week was too costly...
so yes continued therapy is a great idea...but many of us just cant afford it which is crappy on all levels IMO
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