The Mindful Way Through Depression
The incidence of mental health illness appears to be on the rise worldwide, with depression being a leading cause of disability. Research on effective treatment options continues and non-pharmaceutical interventions such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy are often recommended as a form of treatment for patients suffering from mental health disorders.
For many, depression looms like a heavy cloud that is difficult to shake off. A recent study involving 410 patients compared two forms of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy:
- Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy self-help (MT) vs.
- Practitioner-supported cognitive behavioural therapy self-help (CBT)
The findings may surprise you.
Details of the Research Study:
The study recruited patients from 10 publicly funded psychological therapy service clinics in England who were split into MT and CBT treatment groups. Patients received either a MT or CBT based self-help workbook, and were supported by six structured phone or in-person sessions with a trained psychological well-being practitioner. Depression symptom severity was measured after 16 weeks.
Clinical Outcomes:
Between MT and CBT patient groups, a clear difference emerged. Patients from the MT group saw significant improvements in their depression and anxiety symptoms compared to the CBT group.
Long-Term Follow-Up:
At the 42-week check-in, the MT group maintained superior results in both depression and anxiety symptoms, however, the gap had narrowed a bit. The researchers noted that this could be the result of patients from CBT group having greater access to post-intervention psychological therapy
Cost Comparison:
Another notable difference was that MT treatment cost £526 less (approximately $886 Cdn) per patient. These cost savings are significant at an individual level and in terms of overall health care cost savings.
Conclusion:
MT intervention not only provided better clinical outcomes but was also a more cost-effective treatment option compared to CBT for individuals suffering from mild to moderate depression. From a mental health management perspective, MT could be a game changer.
Eager to learn more about the mindful way through depression? Get in touch with your primary health care provider. Many treatment options exist, and our team is available to help you find the right option for you. Share this post to educate others on the latest research, and let’s step into a brighter mental space together.
For reference, original article: https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/990298