A recent study in the Lancet reported the following; Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can reduce symptoms of depression in a
person who fail to respond to drug treatment. These are the research findings.
CBT, a
type of psychotherapy, was found to benefit nearly half of the 234 patients who
received it combined with normal care from their GP. Up to two-thirds of people
with depression do not respond to anti-depressants. CBT is a form of talking
psychotherapy to help people with depression changes the way they think to improve
how they feel and alter their behavior. The study followed 469 patients with
treatment-resistant depression picked from GP practices in Bristol, Exeter and
Glasgow over 12 months. One group of patients continued with their usual care
from their GP, which could include anti-depressant medication, while the second
group was also treated with CBT. After six months, researchers found 46% of
those who had received CBT reported at least a 50% reduction in their symptoms.
Start Quot
The
research confirms how these approaches - the psychological and physical - can
complement each other. ” Prof
Chris Williams University
of Glasgow.
This
compared with 22% experiencing the same reduction in the other group. The study
concluded CBT was effective in reducing symptoms and improving patients'
quality of life. The improvements had been maintained for a period of 12 months,
it added.
WHAT IS CBT?
Cognitive
behavioral therapy is:
1. a way of talking about how you think about yourself, the world
and other people
2. how what you do affects your thoughts and feelings CBT can help
you to change how you think (cognitive) and what you do (behavior). Unlike some other talking treatments, it focuses on the
"here and now" instead of the causes of distress or past symptoms.