DrConnected

Depression is easy enough to treat with anti-depressant medication and counselling in some cases but the problem tends to lie in the conditions perseverance in recurring. The answer to how to keep depression at bay permanently once it has been treated successfully is as yet undiscovered but some recent findings from The Center for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto show that it may not be too far away.

Zindel Segal, who is based at the center, carried out a study comparing mindfulness based therapy and maintenance anti-depressant therapy with some interesting results. 166 random patients between the ages of 18 and 65 who suffered from major depressive disorders, were invited to testing at two outpatient centres in Canada. Three groups were created – one who were treated with mindfulness based cognitive therapy, one with antidepressant maintenance therapy and third with a placebo. The patients who received cognitive therapy continued with their normal use of antidepressants and attended eight weekly group sessions.

The treatment effects on the 51% of patients who were assessed as unstable remitters at the end of the study were examined. The findings stated that the two groups who received treatment had a reduced risk of relapse whereas the placebo group had no change. Relapse rates were 28% for mindfulness cognitive therapy, 27% for antidepressant maintenance therapy and 71% for the group who received a placebo.  ”For patients whose acute-phase remission was marked by periodic symptom flurries, discontinuing antidepressants and receiving cognitive therapy, or continuing with antidepressants significantly lowered relapse/recurrence risk compared with discontinuation to placebo” was stated in the report.

This findings are in line with findings in previous studies regarding remission however, it was decided that further study is needed before a conclusive result can be found.