Tablets or Talk? A Critical Review of the Literature Comparing Antidepressants and Counseling for Treatment of Depression

Antidepressants re generally considered to be the standard treatment for depression, despite a large body of research evidence documenting the equal or superior efficacy of counseling. This article provides a critical review of the literature comparing the efficacy of antidepressants and counseling...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of Mental Health Counseling 2010-04, Vol.32 (2), p.102-124
Main Authors: Hagen, Brad, Wong-Wylie, Gina, Pijl-Zieber, Em
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Antidepressants
Antidepressants, Tricyclic
Care and treatment
Counseling Effectiveness
Depression (Mood disorder)
Depression (Psychology)
Depression, Mental
Drug therapy
Females
Literature reviews
Mental depression
Mental health
Meta Analysis
Modeling (Psychology)
Psychotherapy
Resistance (Psychology)
Studies
Tricyclic antidepressants
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Summary:Antidepressants re generally considered to be the standard treatment for depression, despite a large body of research evidence documenting the equal or superior efficacy of counseling. This article provides a critical review of the literature comparing the efficacy of antidepressants and counseling for adults with depression. Highlighted are several issues that must be considered when reviewing the literature, including methodological problems, the placebo effect, trauma and depression, comparative safety profiles, and the marketing of antidepressants. Implications for mental health counseling practice and research, including the suggestion that counseling alone should be the first treatment of choice for most persons with depression, are discussed.
ISSN:1040-2861
2163-5749
DOI:10.17744/mehc.32.2.al84578m4137768k