Treating seasonal affective disorder with cognitive behavioural therapy is comparable to light therapy

The overall lifetime prevalence of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) ranges as high as 9.7%.1 Light therapy, where bright artificial light is used to replace diminished sunlight, can be an effective non-drug treatment for SAD.2 However, alternative non-drug treatment approaches are also needed. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is an established and effective treatment for depressive disorders.3 Limited research examining CBT adapted specifically for SAD (CBT-SAD) is available. This paper reports initial findings from a large 5-year randomised clinical trial funded by the National Institute of Mental Health and conducted in Burlington, Vermont. In 2006, over a 6-week period during the winter solstice, 177 adults with a current episode of depression that was recurrent with a seasonal pattern were treated with either two weekly sessions of 90 min CBT-SAD therapy (N=88), or daily 30 min …
Source: Current Awareness Service for Health (CASH) - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news