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medpundit |
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Tuesday, July 31, 2007A growing number of therapists are recommending something surprising for depressed and anxious patients: Read a book. The treatment is called bibliotherapy, and it is gaining force from a spate of research showing that some self-help books can measurably improve mental health. In May alone, the journal Behaviour Research and Therapy published two studies demonstrating the effectiveness of bibliotherapy in patients with depression or other mood disorders. The national health system in Britain this year is prescribing self-help books for tens of thousands of people seeking medical attention for mood disorders. I'd prefer fiction myself, or some other well written book on just about any subject. A good book can transport a reader far from their troubles and the memory of it can linger throughout the day. But, there are plans to study self-help books to determine which are the most effective - an evidence based reading list: Now, mental-health professionals in the U.K., the U.S. and elsewhere are determined to distinguish the most proven offerings. The aim is to recommend books that have been shown to be successful in published trials conducted by reputable, independent researchers. Trials are conducted much the way drug research is done, comparing patients' depressive symptoms before and after treatment, compared with patients who didn't undergo the treatment. For instance numerous clinical trials have shown that "Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy," a 1980 tome by Stanford University psychiatrist David Burns, reduces depressive symptoms in large numbers of readers. How about a study comparing the effects of good literature to self-help books? Bet good literature would win. (But then, I'm biased. I've never met a self-help book I've liked.) posted by Sydney on 7/31/2007 09:12:00 PM 0 comments 0 Comments: |
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