A treatment for anxiety and depression usually prescribed to young adults has been shown to have positive long-term effects for people over 65.
Macquarie University researchers found that even though significant life changes experienced by older people were triggers for depression and anxiety, both conditions were under-diagnosed in older people, with symptoms often labelled a natural part of ageing.
Macquarie University Associate Professor of Psychology Carly Johnco said cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) was the gold standard treatment for anxiety and depression in all age groups, and even though it had been shown to be effective for people aged over 65, it was prescribed far less often than in younger adults.
Professor Johnco said a new study revisited people 10 years after they took part in one of two programs designed for late-life depression and anxiety, one using CBT and one a discussion group focusing on social support and mental stimulation.
She said while both had previously been shown to be effective in the short-term, there was no data about whether their benefits could also be long lasting.
“The results showed that 10 years later, the CBT group had significantly lower rates of anxiety and depressive disorders compared to the discussion group.
“The people in the CBT group came to us with an average of four anxiety and/or depression disorders, but 10 years after treatment, 58 percent were in remission from all of their disorders compared to 27 per cent of the discussion group,” she said.
“Eighty-eight percent of the CBT group were in remission from all depressive disorders, compared to 54 percent of the discussion group, and 63 percent of the CBT group were in remission from all anxiety disorders, compared to 35 percent of the discussion group.
Professor Johnco said when it came to their primary disorder – the one that was causing them the most distress and that they sought treatment for in the first place – almost 70 percent of the CBT group were in remission compared to 42 percent of the discussion group.”
She said another important measure of effectiveness was how many people in each group had relapsed since their original treatment.
“Just one third of the CBT group went on to experience symptoms in any of their disorders after the completion of their program.
“In contrast, between 50 and 80 percent of the participants in the discussion group had symptoms return on at least one occasion.”
