Group Therapy 'Beats Depression'

Group-taught meditation is as effective as staying on drug treatments for stopping people slipping back into depression, say UK scientists. Compared to one-to-one sessions, or medication, "mindfulness-based cognitive therapy" (MBCT) is cheaper for the NHS, they say. The trial of 123 people found similar relapse rates in those having group therapy and those taking drugs. The study was published in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. Recent years have seen much more evidence that so-called "talking therapies" can be as effective as drugs in alleviating mild to moderate depression, and health secretary Alan Johnson recently announced millions in new funding for the treatments.

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Chanting Could Help us All Live Longer, Says Medic

Chanting has been associated with certain religions for centuries, but many now believe it has a role to play in improving both our physical and mental health. Dr Clive Wood, who will run a 10-week course next year to teach people how to chant, explains its origins, its benefits and how to do it. ASK most people what they mean by chanting and they might think of a choir of monks, or perhaps a football crowd. But recent research has found that chanting has a more surprising effect that has nothing to do with either religion or sport it can also help to keep us healthy physical and mentally.

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Latest News - Lower Childhood IQ Associated With Higher Risk of Adult Mental Disorders

Researchers have hypothesized that people with lower IQs may have a higher risk of adult mental disorders, but few studies have looked at the relationship between low childhood IQ and psychiatric disorders later in life. In a new, long-term study covering more than three decades, researchers at Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) found that children with lower IQs showed an increased risk of developing psychiatric disorders as adults, including schizophrenia, depression and generalized anxiety disorder. Lower IQ was also associated with psychiatric disorders that were more persistent and an increased risk of having two or more diagnoses at age 32.

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