Tackling depression by changing the way you think
Hagen and NTNU colleagues Odin Hjemdal, Stian Solem, Leif Edward Ottesen Kennair and Hans M. Nordahl have ecently published a scientific paper on the treatment of depression using metacognitive therapy (MCT). The study shows that learning to reduce rumination is very helpful for patients with depressive symptoms. Some people experience their persistent ruminative thinking as completely uncontrollable, but individuals with depression can gain control over it," says Hagen. The patients involved in the study were treated over a ten-week period. After six months, 80 per cent of the participants had achieved full recovery from their depression diagnosis. "The follow-up after six months showed the same tendency," says Hagen. Separating thoughts and reality Today, medications and cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) are the recommended treatments for depression and anxiety. In CBT, patients engage in analysing the content of their thoughts to challenge their vali...