David Baxter PhD
Late Founder
Significant long-term benefits from anxiety, depression drugs
Anxiety Insights
Thursday, 2 October 2008
But getting treatment may be more important than the type of treatment
University of Alberta researcher Ian Colman says most people are not getting the type of treatment they need.
Colman, an assistant professor from the School of Public Health, and his research team investigated the long term effects of taking antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications.
The team studied a group of 200 Britons born in 1946 who were diagnosed with either anxiety and/or depression. Of that group, 45 were on medication.
The group had their mental health assessed in 1989 through a series of questions in a survey asking about their illness and what, if any, treatments they were on. Ten years later the group completed a similar questionnaire.
Colman says the research team were surprised to find those who were not using antidepressants or anti-anxiety medications were three times more likely to be suffering from depression or anxiety 10 years later.
However, the team acknowledge the difference between the two groups may be due to the willingness of those taking medication to seek help rather than the drugs per se.
"This is a significant find," said Colman. "What this tells us is that, if people get treated initially, they are less likely to have a relapse in the future. This could be a significant benefit, not only for the patient but also for the health-care system as it's estimated the economic costs in Canada associated with depression are $14 billion per year."
Colman says depression and anxiety have a stigma attached to them and that people are often afraid to admit they have a mental disorder. But he hopes this new information will help people realize the long-term benefits of getting help right away.
Source: Colman I, Croudace TJ, Wadsworth MEJ, Jones PB. Psychiatric outcomes 10 years after treatment with antidepressants or anxiolytics . Br J Psychiatry. 2008 Oct;193:327-331 [Abstract]
Anxiety Insights
Thursday, 2 October 2008
But getting treatment may be more important than the type of treatment
University of Alberta researcher Ian Colman says most people are not getting the type of treatment they need.
Colman, an assistant professor from the School of Public Health, and his research team investigated the long term effects of taking antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications.
The team studied a group of 200 Britons born in 1946 who were diagnosed with either anxiety and/or depression. Of that group, 45 were on medication.
The group had their mental health assessed in 1989 through a series of questions in a survey asking about their illness and what, if any, treatments they were on. Ten years later the group completed a similar questionnaire.
Colman says the research team were surprised to find those who were not using antidepressants or anti-anxiety medications were three times more likely to be suffering from depression or anxiety 10 years later.
However, the team acknowledge the difference between the two groups may be due to the willingness of those taking medication to seek help rather than the drugs per se.
"This is a significant find," said Colman. "What this tells us is that, if people get treated initially, they are less likely to have a relapse in the future. This could be a significant benefit, not only for the patient but also for the health-care system as it's estimated the economic costs in Canada associated with depression are $14 billion per year."
Colman says depression and anxiety have a stigma attached to them and that people are often afraid to admit they have a mental disorder. But he hopes this new information will help people realize the long-term benefits of getting help right away.
Source: Colman I, Croudace TJ, Wadsworth MEJ, Jones PB. Psychiatric outcomes 10 years after treatment with antidepressants or anxiolytics . Br J Psychiatry. 2008 Oct;193:327-331 [Abstract]
