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| Version 18 | Version 19 |
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| When taking pills can be better than talking | When taking pills can be better than talking |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| By Professor Richard Gray University of East Anglia | By Professor Richard Gray University of East Anglia |
| Talking therapies are often cited as the best way of helping people with mental health problems. | Talking therapies are often cited as the best way of helping people with mental health problems. |
| But Richard Gray, a professor of nursing research, says sometimes pills are the answer. | But Richard Gray, a professor of nursing research, says sometimes pills are the answer. |
| Sitting in a village hall with 50 other people listening to a Powerpoint presentation about coping with stress is probably not what you have in mind when you think about receiving a talking treatment. | Sitting in a village hall with 50 other people listening to a Powerpoint presentation about coping with stress is probably not what you have in mind when you think about receiving a talking treatment. |
| But this is the reality for many patients on the NHS's Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) programme. | But this is the reality for many patients on the NHS's Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) programme. |
| Depression and anxiety may affect up to one in four of us at some point in our lives and is a major reason why people are on long term sick leave or are unemployed. | Depression and anxiety may affect up to one in four of us at some point in our lives and is a major reason why people are on long term sick leave or are unemployed. |
| Psychological treatments (such as CBT - cognitive behavioural therapy) and antidepressant medication are very effective in treating these illnesses. | Psychological treatments (such as CBT - cognitive behavioural therapy) and antidepressant medication are very effective in treating these illnesses. |
| But when given a choice most choose a talking therapy over medication. | But when given a choice most choose a talking therapy over medication. |
| Why people prefer psychological treatments is unclear but might be because of the negative media stories and stigma associated with taking pills for a mental illness. | Why people prefer psychological treatments is unclear but might be because of the negative media stories and stigma associated with taking pills for a mental illness. |
| 'Voting with their feet' | 'Voting with their feet' |
| Accessing talking treatments has, for many years, been restricted by the very limited number of qualified therapists that can provide the therapy. | Accessing talking treatments has, for many years, been restricted by the very limited number of qualified therapists that can provide the therapy. |
| The IAPT programme, launched in 2007, sought to address this; making talking treatments available to the many, not just the few. | The IAPT programme, launched in 2007, sought to address this; making talking treatments available to the many, not just the few. |
| The investment of £170m to make talking treatments widely available was aimed at enabling large numbers of economically inactive patients get back to work. | The investment of £170m to make talking treatments widely available was aimed at enabling large numbers of economically inactive patients get back to work. |
| But the end of first year, evaluation suggests that patients on IAPT received, on average, just three sessions of treatment; well below the 16-20 sessions recommended by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) to be effective against depression and anxiety. | But the end of first year, evaluation suggests that patients on IAPT received, on average, just three sessions of treatment; well below the 16-20 sessions recommended by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) to be effective against depression and anxiety. |
| Large numbers of patients are seemingly voting with their feet and walking away early. Does this reflect the quality of therapy or the way it is being offered (back to our of 50 patients in the village hall)? | Large numbers of patients are seemingly voting with their feet and walking away early. Does this reflect the quality of therapy or the way it is being offered (back to our of 50 patients in the village hall)? |
| Improving access to talking treatments is a major campaigning issue for major mental health charities. | Improving access to talking treatments is a major campaigning issue for major mental health charities. |
| And it was striking that the majority of the media coverage surrounding the launch of the recent government mental health strategy also seemed to focus on the single issues of improving access to psychological treatments. | And it was striking that the majority of the media coverage surrounding the launch of the recent government mental health strategy also seemed to focus on the single issues of improving access to psychological treatments. |
| Is it time to question our seeming obsession with talking treatments? | Is it time to question our seeming obsession with talking treatments? |
| 'Troubling and dangerous' | 'Troubling and dangerous' |
| Although it feels like heresy to suggest this I want to stand up for the very important role medication can play in the treatment of mental illness. | Although it feels like heresy to suggest this I want to stand up for the very important role medication can play in the treatment of mental illness. |
| Antidepressants are very effective in treating moderate to severe depression, quickly alleviating distressing and disabling symptoms in about seven out of 10 patients. | Antidepressants are very effective in treating moderate to severe depression, quickly alleviating distressing and disabling symptoms in about seven out of 10 patients. |
| Yes, pills can have side effects but so does CBT. | Yes, pills can have side effects but so does CBT. |
| There are many patients that I have worked with who feel passionately that antidepressants have literally saved their lives. | There are many patients that I have worked with who feel passionately that antidepressants have literally saved their lives. |
| Unlike talking treatments, prescribing a medication guarantees patients will get the full "dose" of treatment. | Unlike talking treatments, prescribing a medication guarantees patients will get the full "dose" of treatment. |
| When it comes to severe mental illnesses such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder I think it is even more important to stand up for medication which, I believe, should be viewed as the foundation for effective treatment. | When it comes to severe mental illnesses such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder I think it is even more important to stand up for medication which, I believe, should be viewed as the foundation for effective treatment. |
| I have been quite taken aback recently to hear a number of experienced psychiatric colleagues promoting psychological therapies as the preferred treatment choice for patients with these illnesses. | I have been quite taken aback recently to hear a number of experienced psychiatric colleagues promoting psychological therapies as the preferred treatment choice for patients with these illnesses. |
| This is a troubling and dangerous consequence of our talking treatment obsession. | This is a troubling and dangerous consequence of our talking treatment obsession. |
| CBT can be helpful against schizophrenia and bipolar depression (but not mania), but requires patients to be taking medication first. | CBT can be helpful against schizophrenia and bipolar depression (but not mania), but requires patients to be taking medication first. |
| Both psychological therapies and medication have a role to play in helping people move on with their lives and recover from mental illness. | Both psychological therapies and medication have a role to play in helping people move on with their lives and recover from mental illness. |
| There are, I think, real challenges facing those implementing IAPT in guaranteeing that patients get the quality of talking treatments they require; surely not mass CBT in the village hall. | There are, I think, real challenges facing those implementing IAPT in guaranteeing that patients get the quality of talking treatments they require; surely not mass CBT in the village hall. |
| Taking medication means that patients get a treatment that has been shown to be effective in treating their symptoms. | Taking medication means that patients get a treatment that has been shown to be effective in treating their symptoms. |
| Is it time to think about Improving Access to Pharmacological Therapies? | Is it time to think about Improving Access to Pharmacological Therapies? |
| Professor Gray has written a book on treating psychosis with CBT, and has given lectures on behalf of a number of pharmaceutical companies. | Professor Gray has written a book on treating psychosis with CBT, and has given lectures on behalf of a number of pharmaceutical companies. |
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| IAPT is based on a stepped care model. 16-20 sessions of CBT are for moderate/ severe patients,.Treatment tends to be one to one. Those with mild disorders may be treated within pychoeducational groups as described in this article .The model allows for stepping up and stepping down patients. CBT has also been shown to be more effective at reducing relapse rates than medication alone. | |
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| I have schizophrenia where I used to hear voices and was forced into taking medication. After years of medications all I achieved was gaining a lot of weight (a common side effect of anti-psychotics). After a few months of talking therapies my voices disappeared. Talking therapies helped me more than any medication ever did. | |
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| it seems that the choice here is not over using medication or talking to help paitients, but over pushing pills. Why - because as the article states the majority only recieve 2 or 3 talking treatments a year as opposed the 16 or so required.Perhaps professor Gray's advice might be more useful if he tried the pills himself for a number of years.There is nothing like personal experience. | it seems that the choice here is not over using medication or talking to help paitients, but over pushing pills. Why - because as the article states the majority only recieve 2 or 3 talking treatments a year as opposed the 16 or so required.Perhaps professor Gray's advice might be more useful if he tried the pills himself for a number of years.There is nothing like personal experience. |
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| DozR, don't give up, you deserve help with this. See each doctor in the GP practice, if none are helpful register at another practice!GPs are regularly accused of handing out SSRIs like smarties, I'm sure you'll stumble across one who'll suggest a trial on medication to see if it helps. You could also check for other counselling services in your area or a supportive forum online. Good luck. | DozR, don't give up, you deserve help with this. See each doctor in the GP practice, if none are helpful register at another practice!GPs are regularly accused of handing out SSRIs like smarties, I'm sure you'll stumble across one who'll suggest a trial on medication to see if it helps. You could also check for other counselling services in your area or a supportive forum online. Good luck. |
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| When I went to the doctor suffering from anxiety they sent me to one of their funded Councilors. A couple of sessions with a Councilor was never going to solve the problem. Now I feel that I have to just cope with it on my own as the doctors are so reluctant to give medication. It affects my life but I don't see any other way. | When I went to the doctor suffering from anxiety they sent me to one of their funded Councilors. A couple of sessions with a Councilor was never going to solve the problem. Now I feel that I have to just cope with it on my own as the doctors are so reluctant to give medication. It affects my life but I don't see any other way. |
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