Depression: Therapy is as good as drugs

01 August 2005

Cognitive therapy works just as well as drugs in cases of even the most severe depression. Researchers assigned 240 patients with severe depression to receive either drugs or cognitive therapy for 16 weeks. Both groups fared equally as well, and each was helped far more than those in the placebo group (Arch Gen Psychiatry, 2005; 62: 409-16).

Related WDDTY Content

When the drugs don’t work

Not only is cognitive therapy (CT) free from the potential side-effects of antidepressants, it also brings longer-lasting benefits. One study looking...

Suicidal patients: cognitive therapy works better than drugs

Suicidal patients are likely to attempt suicide again and so they are given very powerful drugs to suppress their feelings It s a brave psychiatri...

Counselling is better than drugs

There's a certain machismo attached to psychiatry. Friendly counselling may be fine when you have a patient with mild depression, but cases of severe...

'Talking cure' works better than drugs for anxiety

Are you worried or stressed? Don’t turn to drugs – instead try one of the ‘talking cures’ such as cognitive behavioural therapy, which works even bet...

Alternatives to drugs for depression

There are many better alternatives than drugs for depression. Here's a short summary. For more detailed information, see WDDTY, vol 6 no 6, and the WD...

Psychiatry: - Closed doors, closed minds

Anyone who sees medicine as a closed group, especially to 'troublemakers' who want to complain, might have to adjust their superlatives should they ev...