Cognitive Behavior Therapy
PSY 511
It is believed that cognitive behavior approaches can help risk relapse for people suffering from major depressive disorder (Fava, et.al. 2014). Several psychologists conducted an experiment where forty-five patients who were seen in an outpatient setting in the Affective Disorders Program out of the University of Bologna (Fava, et al., 2014). After meeting the criteria, the patients were treated with tricyclic antidepressants in which the doses were gradually increased.
The patients were divided into two groups. The first group received pharmacotherapy and cognitive behavior treatment. The second group received pharmacotherapy and clinical management (Fava, 2014). The cognitive behavior treatment contained such features as treating lingering symptoms of major depression, lifestyle modification and well-being therapy (2014). The patients were assessed every 3 months for 72 months. Out of 40 patients, 8 that had the cognitive behavior treatment and 18 that were part of the clinical management group relapsed.
It was determined that cognitive behavior treatment was effective in helping decrease lingering symptoms of depression. This includes such symptoms such as anxiety and irritability. It was also found that by a patient making lifestyle modifications such as reducing extra work in the workplace and an increase in rest could help those with depression. The cognitive behavior treatments helped decrease a relapse by almost 40% during a six year study. The use of this treatment after pharmacotherapy helped improve the lives the patients and even gave them the possibility of minimizing their medication.
References
Fava, M.D., Giovanni A., Ruini, Ph.D., Chiara, Rafanelli, M.D., Chiara, Finos, Ph.D., Livio, Conti, M.D., Sandra & Grandi, M.D., Silvano. Six-Year Outcome of Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Prevention of Recurrent Depression. (2014). Retrieved from http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/doi/pdf/10.1176/ajp.161.10.1872 on February 6, 2016.