A new study found that an hour in talk therapy with a trained counselor costs much more, and takes more time, than swallowing an inexpensive antidepressant pill. But for people with a new diagnosis of major depression, the costs and benefits of the two approaches end up being equal after five years, a new study shows.
The analysis, conducted using real-world data on treatment costs, positive and negative health effects, and impacts of treatment and depression symptoms on productivity, could help guide future care and insurance coverage.
The study suggests that more people newly diagnosed with depression should have a chance to try individual and group sessions of cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, as their first treatment, if they would prefer therapy over taking an antidepressant medication.
