Psychotherapy more effective for treating mild depression

While severe depression always warrants an antidepressant treatment, people afflicted by mild depression react better to psychotherapy or personal counseling with a psychotherapist, suggest the findings of a new study.

The findings, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, are based on an assessment of 800 patients. The researchers clearly established that an active antidepressant treatment helps combat depression only in people with severe depression.

On the other hand, patients with mild depression who were administered antidepressants ‘do just as well or just about as well with a placebo’, Robert DeRubeis, primary author of the analysis and a psychologist at the University of Pennsylvania remarked.

“Our data should give some pause to doctors who are considering prescribing antidepressants. They should give some consideration to other alternatives,” said Robert DeRubeis added.

According to the estimates of the National Institute of Mental Health, nearly 14.8 million American adults aged 18 and above are affected by depression annually.

Mild depression may not warrant an antidepressant

January 7: Patients with severe depression are the ones who actually profit from treatment with antidepressant medications; suggest the findings of a new study. On the other hand, people afflicted by mild depression may react better to some other form of treatment. Read more

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