Antidepressants and psychotherapy for OCD in adults: network meta-analysis

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Alan Underwood summarises a recent network meta-analysis of medication and talking treatments for OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder) in adults.

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Cost-effectiveness of St John’s wort for treatment of depression

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Herbal medicines often represent a cheaper alternative, or a low-cost complement, to standard pharmacotherapy. As a result, improved cost-effectiveness is often touted as a likely benefit of the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). Many, myself included, have been openly critical of CAM research, while others have suggested ways in which CAM research could [read the full story…]

The case for Chinese herbal medicine in the treatment of depression

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More people are seeking alternatives to traditional mental health care and as a result, knowledge about the use of complementary therapies by people with mental illness is increasing – particularly for those experiencing anxiety and depression. A recent survey of women with depression revealed that there is a push for more “natural approaches” that match [read the full story…]

New Clinical Evidence chapter on depression sees no significant changes to drug and physical treatment recommendations

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The BMJ have published an up to date guideline on the treatment of depression with drugs and physical interventions.  It provides a good overview of the effectiveness and safety of antidepressants, electroconvulsive therapy, exercise, lithium augmentation, pindolol augmentation, and St John’s wort. The authors found 88 systematic reviews, RCTs, or observational studies and performed a [read the full story…]