CBT as Effective as Drugs for Schizophrenia

Sharon Moore February 06, 2014

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) may be as effective as drugs in helping people deal with schizophrenia, a new study found.

The research, published in the journal Lancet, indicates that CBT could help the many who refuse antipsychotic medication. According to the researchers, four in 10 schizophrenic patients benefit from taking drugs. However, these drugs do not work for the majority and may cause side effects like type 2 diabetes and weight gain. Because of these, about half of patients end up not taking medications at all.

The current study involved 74 schizophrenic patients who went through cognitive behaviour therapy. The therapy works by identifying an individual patient’s problem – such as hearing voices, paranoid thinking or no longer going out of the house, and developing techniques to deal with them.

‘Safe and effective’

Findings revealed that CBT led to reductions in schizophrenia symptoms and improvement in the personal and social function of the participants. What’s more, it is a ‘is a safe and effective therapy’, the researchers note.

CBT worked for 46 per cent of the patients – approximately the same as for antipsychotics although a study comparing the two has not been made yet.

"One of our most interesting findings was that when given the option, most patients were agreeable to trying cognitive therapy." said Douglas Turkington, professor of psychiatry at Newcastle University. He added that drugs and cognitive therapy combined were the best treatment.

But whilst nearly everyone will be offered drugs, only a small proportion has access to cognitive behaviour therapy. Prof Robin Murray from the Institute of Psychiatry at King’s College London said many people don’t like antipsychotic drugs in the long-term because of the side effects. "So what to do for patients with continued psychotic symptoms who don’t want to take antipsychotics?” Prof Murray said the study provides a better option for treating schizophrenia.

Source of this article:

Schizophrenia: Talking therapies ’effective as drugs