Cognitive Behavior Therapy

Recent statistics show that we're more dependent on psychiatric medications than we've ever been before. Since 2019, there has been a 48% increase in the use of antidepressants in the population. The mental health decline we're seeing is being perpetuated by the COVID pandemic. With the lockdowns as well, people had to create new at home routines to stay productive for remote work. UK's National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has put a focus on patients experiencing minor or less severe depression from the pandemic to use other therapeutic remedies and therapy. Some of these other activities included exercise, yoga, mindfulness, and other options before recommending medications. More likely to suffer from depression over the last year are young people and women.

Another method increasingly being used is cognitive behavior therapy. The way CBT differs from the other psychiatric methods like medications is that it deals with cooperative discussions with a therapist once or twice a week geared specifically at life organization and situational and less complex mental health issues. It is a way to change a short-term casual negative mindset back to positivity and clarity. NICE states that this is for the better because many times the risk of taking psychiatric medications doesn't out weigh the benefit that would be more effective on more severe anxiety and depression.

After 12 years, NICE has updated its health guidelines to include multiple ways to deal with depression and mental health concerns. Additionally they've worked with businesses when it comes to talking about office workplace wellbeing. Multiple strategies and counseling have been implemented in the country as alternative, more sustainable treatments.

If you'd like to learn more about Cognitive Behavior Therapy, check out the original article here: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/12/cognitive-behavioural-therapy-depression-mental-health/