Individuals who suffer from depression are more likely to experience other health issues. Does this imply that treating depression could shield these people from other long-term illnesses? In order to answer this question, researchers examined the potential effects of psychotherapy, or talk therapy, on an individual’s risk of cardiovascular disease. In psychotherapy, a patient works with a therapist to address issues, recognize negative thought patterns, and assist in controlling unpleasant emotions and actions.
It is frequently used as a first-line depression treatment. Researchers examined data on 636,955 individuals who had finished psychotherapy, met certain criteria for depression, and had no cardiovascular illness. Patients whose depression symptoms improved during treatment had a 12% lower risk of having a heart attack or stroke three years later than those whose symptoms remained the same.
The researchers noted that reducing depression symptoms through treatment has no direct impact on the risk of cardiovascular disease. Rather, they hypothesized that treatment probably assisted patients in making better lifestyle choices, such changing their food and increasing their physical activity, which enhanced their heart health. The findings were published in the European Heart Journal on May 7, 2023.