As the number of people who suffer from depression increases, more and more are using self-help measures as a means of coping with its effects. Self-help books and other resources are popular as they allow the user to address their mental-health issues at a time that is convenient for them, thereby allowing them to undertake their day-to-day activities and routines without disruption.
Interestingly, recent research carried out by the NHS has confirmed that some self-administered forms of therapy can be just as effective as face-to-face encounters with professionals. A therapeutic technique known as CBT or Cognitive-Behavioural-Therapy has become increasingly popular within the mental health community in recent years, and can have a positive impact when its practices are understood with the use of self-help guides. A recent trial found that people who used self-help methods had experienced equally as beneficial effects as people who sort professional help. However the trial was conducted within a highly-specialised setting, which aped the appearance and ambience of a community resource, with respondents recruited from the NHS.
The study was carried out by researchers at the University of Glasgow in association with the NHS in Greater Glasgow and Clyde, and used a controlled panel to assess the effectiveness of CBT guides for people who suffered with depression, whilst also addressing the impact of CBT as a means of self-help in comparison with practice by a mental-health professional. Adults with depression were asked to fill out a questionnaire that assessed the impact of depressive-symptoms, and those who listed 14 or more out of 63 were considered to be suffering from greater levels of depression. The findings revealed that those within the CBT self-help group had a comprehensive understanding and grasp of depression and how to deal with its impact.
As the amount of people who suffer from depression increases, getting the help of a trained therapist may prove to be more difficult, and the amount of people who give self-help methods a go, is likely to increase steadily.
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