Adolescent Substance Abuse Articles
Peer support may reduce depressive symptoms
By Staff Writer
Major depressive disorder affects approximately 14.8 million adults in the U.S. in a given year, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. However, the results of a recent study show that peer support programs may be an effective form of treating depression.
In the new study, researchers from the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System and University of Michigan Health System found that patients who shared information with others played a role in reducing depressive symptoms. The researchers reached this conclusion after analyzing 10 randomized peer support trials from 1987 through 2009.
Though peer support is used as a form of substance abuse help, it is less likely to be incorporated into treatment for depression, according to the researchers. Despite this, they found that this low-cost strategy was as effective as cognitive behavioral therapy.
According to the study, this is due in part to the fact that peer support treatment has the ability to decrease isolation, reduce stress and promote the sharing of health information. Researchers believe that peer support programs should be incorporated into primary care for depression.
