Psychotherapy May Boost Immunity

Psychosocial interventions like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) have always been a boon for emotional and mental health, and a new meta analysis published in JAMA Psychiatry suggests it may provide an immune system boost as well. Researchers conducted a review of 56 clinical trials, representing 4,060 participants that tracked changes in immunity over time during the course of psychotherapy. Shields, et. al, looked at eight different psychosocial interventions, such as CBT, behavioral therapy, cognitive therapy, and psycho-education, as well as seven markers of immune system function, including inflammation, antibody levels, viral load, and natural killer cell activity. They found that across the interventions, there was a strong association with enhanced immune system function, and that persisted for at least six months following treatment. The associations were most significant for CBT or combined interventions, but as a whole, all intervention types provided some level of improvement in immune system function. The main takeaway here is that psychotherapeutic interventions have a variety of beneficial effects on the immune system. There are long-held stigmas attached to people seeking psychotherapy for their mental health. Understanding the numerous benefits can go a long way toward fighting those stigmas and letting people know that therapy can help anyone, even those without a diagnosed mental health condition. The reason that psychotherapy, and particularly CBT, might...
Source: World of Psychology - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: Mental Health and Wellness Research Immune System Immunity psychoeducation Psychotherapy Source Type: blogs