Study Shows Those with Substance Abuse and Depression Benefit from CBT

People in residential treatment for both depression and substance abuse could benefit from cognitive behavioral therapy, according to a new study from the RAND Corp.

Dr. Katherine Watkins and her colleagues studied 300 people in residential treatment centers near Los Angeles. Some received regular care, others received regular care plus cognitive behavioral therapy. After six months, 64% of those who got the extra treatment had minimal symptoms of depression, compared to 44% in the control group.

Dr. Watkins noted that it is important to treat depression along with drug or alcohol abuse. “The consequences of this unmet need are great. The interactive nature of the two disorders leads to poorer depression and substance abuse treatment outcomes compared with the outcomes when only one disorder is treated,” according to her report published in the Archives of General Psychiatry.