Cognitive Behavioral Therapy News and Research

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New film on depression, drugs and alternative paths to better mental health

A new film on depression, drugs and alternative paths to better mental health will premiere Wednesday, May 12th at UltraStar Cinemas in Del Mar, CA. An answer to the pharmaceutical industry's media blitz, Living Life Films' "Changing Our Minds" questions society's values while revealing interesting and disturbing truths about psychiatry and the drug industry.

6 May 2010

Cognitive behavior therapy works better as couples therapy for alcohol-dependent women

Barbara McCrady and Elizabeth Epstein wanted to know whether cognitive behavior therapy worked better for alcohol-dependent women when delivered as couples therapy than when delivered as individual therapy. They reported recently that both treatment methods worked well, but women treated in couples therapy maintained their gains a bit better than those in individual therapy. Also, women suffering from depression in addition to alcohol-dependence did better in couples therapy. Their paper appeared recently in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology.

22 Apr 2010

Concerns over safety and effectiveness of "natural" treatments for treating anxiety

In a broad-based review of studies focused on drugs that treat anxiety, a Saint Louis University doctor found no evidence supporting the use of so-called "natural" treatments in combating the effects of anxiety.

7 Apr 2010

People with depression and anxiety disorders can benefit from exercise program

Exercise is a magic drug for many people with depression and anxiety disorders, and it should be more widely prescribed by mental health care providers, according to researchers who analyzed the results of numerous published studies.

6 Apr 2010

Binge eating: Helping to stop binging while saving money

A new study finds that a self-guided, 12-week program helps binge eaters stop binging for up to a year and the program can also save money for those who participate. Recurrent binge eating is the most common eating disorder in the country, affecting more than three percent of the population, or nine million people, yet few treatment options are available.

1 Apr 2010

Perception, rather than actual sleep quality may predict postpartum mood disturbances in new mothers

A study of healthy new mothers in the April 1 issue of the journal Sleep found that the perception of poor sleep and the conscious awareness of its impact on daytime functioning might be stronger predictors of immediate postpartum mood disturbances than actual sleep quality and quantity.

1 Apr 2010

Combining cognitive behavioral therapy with medication bupropion helps women quit smoking

For women smokers worried about their weight, combining cognitive behavioral therapy addressing weight concerns with the medication bupropion appears more effective than counseling alone to help them quit smoking, according to a report in the March 22 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

23 Mar 2010

Treatment options available for GAD

A little worry is normal, but people who constantly worry about daily concerns, even when times are good, may have generalized anxiety disorder.

22 Mar 2010

Combination therapies effective for treating depression

Even after she left her alcoholic, abusive husband behind, Patrice, a nurse in Florida, couldn't summon the energy to keep her house straight, couldn't sleep.

24 Feb 2010

Effective smoking cessation treatments

With the national trend toward quitting smoking flat, psychologists are finding some success with treatments aimed at helping smokers from underserved groups, including racial and ethnic minorities and those with psychiatric disorders.

15 Feb 2010

Cognitive behavioral therapy effective for insomnia and chronic pain

Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia significantly improved sleep for patients with chronic neck or back pain and also reduced the extent to which pain interfered with their daily functioning, according to a study by University of Rochester Medical Center researchers.

11 Feb 2010

FoP in patients with chronic arthritis or cancer: Group psychotherapy may help

A controlled study by a group of German investigators published in the current issue of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics indicates that brief group psychotherapy is helpful for clearing fears of disease progression (FoP) in patients with chronic arthritis or cancer. The interventions comprised either cognitive-behavioral group therapy or supportive-experiential group therapy. The investigators tested whether these generic interventions would prove effective in different illness types.

10 Feb 2010

New federal law expands mental health coverage

The Los Angeles Times reports on the federal Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, which went into effect on Jan. 1. "Passed as part of the federal stimulus package, the act requires that insurers provide mental health coverage that's no less restrictive than traditional medical coverage. In theory, the act should enable patients needing lengthier therapy to receive it.

12 Jan 2010

Findings suggest abuse is a risk factor for chronic headache

Researchers from the American Headache Society's Women's Issues Section Research Consortium found that incidence of childhood maltreatment, especially emotional abuse and neglect, are prevalent in migraine patients.

5 Jan 2010

Two-year trial to test effectiveness of behavioral psychotherapy for young adolescents with autism

The USF Health Rothman Center for Neuropsychiatry in St. Petersburg, FL, is conducting a two-year federal trial testing the effectiveness of behavioral psychotherapy in treating anxiety among young adolescents with autism.

28 Oct 2009

New systematic study for managing treatment-resistant bipolar depression

Depression in bipolar illness is often difficult to treat and life-threating. Frequently it fails to respond to standard treatments. In the current issue of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics a new drug combination is suggested.

27 Oct 2009

Five research teams receive $2.4 million to help breast cancer survivors

A total of $2.4 million has been awarded to five research teams in the Canadian Breast Cancer Research Alliance/Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation Special Research Competition on Psychosocial Aspects of Breast Cancer.

15 Oct 2009

WCMC-Q program highlights the importance of mental health to overall physical health

Mental health professionals from Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar and the community highlighted the importance of mental health to overall physical health during a presentation Sunday as part of the medical college's recognition of World Mental Health Day.

12 Oct 2009

Cognitive behavioral therapy effective for bulimia and binge eating disorders

Although most people with bulimia and binge eating disorders wait many years before seeking help, a new review shows that psychological treatment can make a large difference — and that cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is the most effective talk therapy for these disorders.

6 Oct 2009

Telephone program to mange depression offers significant benefits at moderate increase in costs: Study

Patients who participate in a structured telephone program to manage their depression appear to experience significant benefits and only a moderate increase in health care costs when compared with those who receive usual care, according to a report in the October issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

6 Oct 2009