Treatment hope for people with recurring depression
3 December 2008
Research shows for the first time that a group-based psychological treatment, Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), could be a viable alternative to prescription drugs for people suffering from long-term depression.
In a study published in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, MBCT proved as effective as maintenance anti-depressants in preventing a relapse, and more effective in enhancing peoples’ quality of life. The study also showed MBCT to be as cost-effective as prescription drugs in helping people with a history of depression stay well in the longer-term.
Funded by the Medical Research Council (MRC), the study was led by Professor Willem Kuyken at the Mood Disorders Centre, University of Exeter, in collaboration with colleagues at King’s College London, Peninsula Medical School, Devon Primary Care Trust and the Medical Research Council Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, Cambridge.
The randomised controlled trial involved 123 people from urban and rural locations who had suffered repeat episodes of depression and were referred to the trial by their GPs. The participants were split randomly into two groups. Half continued their on-going anti-depressant drug treatment and the rest participated in an MBCT course and were given the option of coming off anti-depressants.
Over the 15 months after the trial, 47% of the group following the MBCT course experienced a relapse compared with 60% of those continuing their normal treatment, including anti-depressant drugs. In addition, the group on the MBCT programme reported a higher quality of life, in terms of their overall enjoyment of daily living and physical well-being.
The study also compared the cost of providing MBCT programmes, compared with the cost of maintenance anti-depressant treatment. The findings suggest that MBCT provides a cost-effective alternative to anti-depressant drugs. Unlike most other psychological therapies, MBCT can be taught in groups by a single therapist, and patients then continue to practise the skills they have learned at home by themselves. Therefore, MBCT is not dependent on having the large number of trained therapists needed for one-to-one psychological treatments, so it could help the National Health Service shorten its waiting lists for psychological therapies.
Professor Willem Kuyken of the University of Exeter said: “Anti-depressants are widely used by people who suffer from depression and that’s because they tend to work. But, while they’re very effective in helping reduce the symptoms of depression, when people come off them they are particularly vulnerable to relapse. MBCT takes a different approach – it teaches people skills for life. What we have shown is that when people work at it, these skills for life help keep people well.”
Dr Gavin Malloch, MRC Programme Manager for Mental Health and Addiction, said: “Thanks to this research, we have new evidence that the quality of life of people with a long history of depression might be significantly improved by a cost-effective treatment that does not involve taking anti-depressants. Further research will help us to work out how this therapy works.”
Original research paper: Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy to Prevent Relapse in Recurrent Depression is published in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology.
- MBCT was developed by a team of psychologists from Toronto (Zindel Segal), Oxford (Mark Williams) and Cambridge (John Teasdale) in 2002 to help people who suffer repeated bouts of depression. It focuses on targeting negative thinking and aims to help people who are very vulnerable to recurring depression stop depressed moods from spiralling out of control into a full episode of depression. MBCT is becoming more widely available as part of psychological treatment services in the NHS.
- During the eight-week trial, groups of between eight and fifteen people met with one therapist. They learned a range of meditation exercises that they could continue to practise on their own once the course ended. Many of the exercises were based on Buddhist meditation techniques and helped the individual take time to focus on the present, rather than dwelling on past events, or planning for future tasks. The exercises worked in a different way for each person, but many reported greater acceptance of, and more control over, negative thoughts and feelings.
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