Psychotherapy is recognized as an effective, evidence based-treatment. I want to give you an update on some recent study related to the treatment.
A new study from JAMA Psychiatry suggests that this type of therapy may be beneficial to immune system function via lower inflammation markers in our bodies.
The connection between mental and immune health has long been known. Individuals with severe depression, for example, have higher concentrations of inflammatory markers in their blood.
But the question of whether psychosocial interventions like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)-- the best studied psychotherapy--have beneficial effects on immune system health had not been well-studied.
Here’s the kicker: People who had been randomly assigned to psychosocial interventions had an 18% decrease in harmful immune system markers in the blood. Combining CBT with other psychotherapies showed the largest decreases in inflammatory factors.
In other words, the anti-inflammatory effect of CBT is similar to the intended effects of many well-regarded and studied medications. The average time individuals were in therapy was 10 weeks, so the authors suggest that the cost of the observed improvements would be about $1500 per person.
In short, CBT can offer significant health benefits, relatively cheaply.
This study represents an important step in unraveling the complex relationship between immune and psychiatric health.
David Liebers, MD
David Liebers, MD, MPH is a recent graduate of Harvard Medical School
