“Like antidepressants, a substantial part of the benefit of psychotherapy depends on a placebo effect, or as Moerman calls it, the meaning response. At least part of the improvement that is produced by these treatments is due to the relationship… — Irving Kirsch Copy Share Image
Depression is not caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain, and it is not cured by medication. Depression may not even be an… — Irving Kirsch Copy Share Image
To someone who is not currently on anti-depressants, I would suggest trying other treatments first - for example, psychotherapy. — Irving Kirsch Copy Share Image
“Many of the benefits of CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) can be obtained without going into therapy. There are a number of self-help books, CDs and computer programs that have been used to treat depression and some of these have been tested in clinical trials with positive results. I can particularly recommend these two books. One is 'Control Your Depression', the… — Irving Kirsch Copy Share
Nocebos often cause a physical effect, but it's not a physically produced effect. What's the cause? In many cases, it's an unanswered question. — Irving Kirsch Copy Share Image
“The results of decades of neurotransmitter-depletion studies point to one inescapable conclusion: low levels or serotonin, norepinephrine or dopamine do not cause depression. here… — Irving Kirsch Copy Share Image
Perhaps 10 percent of patients who are prescribed antidepressants are really benefiting from the drugs' active ingredients. — Irving Kirsch Copy Share Image
Patients who trust their doctors and have a psychological expectation of getting better could trigger a reaction in their body. — Irving Kirsch Copy Share Image
Anything that instills a sense of hope will at least temporarily help treat depression. — Irving Kirsch Copy Share Image
“Our analyses of the FDA data showed relatively little difference between the effects of antidepressants and the effects of placebos. Indeed, the effects were so small that they did not qualify as clinically significant. The drug companies knew how small the effect of their medications were compared to placebos, and so did the FDA and other regulatory agencies. The companies… — Irving Kirsch Copy Share
Perhaps anti-depressants should be best reserved for the very extreme cases and, more importantly, for those who do not respond to alternative forms of… — Irving Kirsch Copy Share Image
If doctors just spent more time with their patients so they felt more reassured, that might help. — Irving Kirsch Copy Share Image
There seems little reason to prescribe anti-depressant medication to any but the most severely depressed patients. — Irving Kirsch Copy Share Image
