Mindfulness-based therapy ‘prevents depression relapse’
December 7th, 2010 - 2:17 pm ICT by ANIWashington, Dec 7 (ANI): Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy has the same effect as antidepressant medication for preventing relapse among patients treated for depression, say researchers.
The current standard for preventing relapse is maintenance therapy with a single antidepressant.
“Alternatives to long-term antidepressant monotherapy, especially those that address mood outcomes in a broader context of well-being, may appeal to patients wary of continued intervention,” he said.
Zindel V. Segal, of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, and colleagues studied 160 patients age 18 to 65.
After eight months of treatment, 84 achieved remission. Patients in remission were then randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups: 28 continued taking their medication; 30 had their medication slowly replaced by placebo; and 26 tapered their medication and then received mindfulness-based cognitive behavioural therapy.
In this therapy, patients learn to monitor and observe their thinking patterns when they feel sad, changing automatic reactions associated with depression into opportunities for useful reflection.
“This is accomplished through daily homework exercises featuring (1) guided (taped) awareness exercises directed at increasing moment-by-moment nonjudgmental awareness of bodily sensations, thoughts, and feelings; (2) accepting difficulties with a stance of self-compassion; and (3) developing an ‘action plan’ composed of strategies for responding to early warning signs of relapse/recurrence,” wrote the authors.
During the 18-month follow-up period, relapse occurred among 38 percent of those in the cognitive behavioral therapy group, 46 percent of those in the maintenance medication group and 60 percent of those in the placebo group, making both medication and behavioral therapy effective at preventing relapse.
“For those unwilling or unable to tolerate maintenance antidepressant treatment, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy offers equal protection from relapse during an 18-month period, wrote the authors.
The findings were reported in the Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. (ANI)
- Mindfulness meditation as good as antidepressants: Study - Dec 08, 2010
- Magnets may help treat major depression - Oct 12, 2010
- Tai chi 'cuts depression in elderly people' - Mar 17, 2011
- Depression recurs in about half of treated adolescent patients - Nov 02, 2010
- Anti-depressants use found to have long-term benefits - Apr 08, 2011
- Antidepressants could help with stroke recovery - Apr 08, 2011
- Diabetes drug may boost power of anti-depressants - May 03, 2012
- Brain-stimulation method may help fight depression - May 04, 2010
- Combo therapy shows promise for early-stage schizophrenia - Sep 07, 2010
- Pill poppers invite more cycles of depression - Jul 20, 2011
- Omega-3 'of no use for depressed heart patients' - Oct 21, 2009
- Arsenic could improve survival for leukaemia patients - Nov 12, 2010
- Psychotic-like symptoms linked to poor outcomes in depression patients - Dec 07, 2010
- Placebo can trick brain into taking it for real - Mar 27, 2012
- Antidepressant may help improve cognitive function after stroke - Feb 02, 2010
Tags: addiction and mental health, age 18, bodily sensations, cognitive behavioral therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy, compassion, early warning signs, eight months, homework exercises, maintenance medication, maintenance therapy, medication, mindfulness based cognitive therapy, moment by moment, placebo group, recurrence, relapse, therapy group, thoughts and feelings, treatment groups