--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Depression comes back over time in about…" description: "\"Depression comes back over time in about 90 percent of people on antidepressants. Studies show that relapses are far less common when people are treate..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3bd/irving-kirsch-18763_about_depression-comes-back-over-time-in-about_1537914.png" --- # Depression comes back over time in about 90 percent of… ![“Depression comes back over time in about 90 percent of people on antidepressants. Studies show that relapses are far less common when people are treated with psychotherapy.” quote by Irving Kirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3bd/irving-kirsch-18763_about_depression-comes-back-over-time-in-about_1537914.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3bd/irving-kirsch-18763_about_depression-comes-back-over-time-in-about_1537914.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3bd/irving-kirsch-18763_about_depression-comes-back-over-time-in-about_1537914.png) > “Depression comes back over time in about 90 percent of people on antidepressants. Studies show that relapses are far less common when people are treated with psychotherapy.” [Irving Kirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-kirsch/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Antidepressants often lead to relapse, whereas psychotherapy reduces relapse rates significantly. **In simple terms:** Therapy helps maintain mental health better than meds alone. Key Takeaway Prioritize psychotherapy for lasting recovery. Themes mental health relapse medication therapy research Mood informative encouraging Type clinical educational When to use this quote - clinical treatment - patient counseling - healthcare policy - support groups Key Concepts cognitive behavioral therapy long-term outcomes patient adherence Questions to Reflect On - What factors influence therapy effectiveness? - How can access to psychotherapy improve? A Different Perspective Medication may be necessary for acute episodes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Depression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depression/) [Far less](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/far-less/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Psychotherapy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychotherapy/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [I think people on antidepressants often lose sexual feelings. I don't mean that I think sex is only about sadness; it is obviously about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-moody/i-think-people-on-antidepressants-often-lose-sexual-feelings-i-don-t/) [Rick Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-moody/) > [Depression comes in bouts. Like boxing. Dad is in the blue corner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dunthorne/depression-comes-in-bouts-like-boxing-dad-is-in-the-blue-corner/) [Joe Dunthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dunthorne/) > [This is depression, it comes when your blocking. This is expression it comes when you're rocking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-jones/this-is-depression-it-comes-when-your-blocking-this-is-expression-it/) [Grace Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-jones/) > [This depression comes over me whenever the Lord is preparing a larger blessing for my ministry; the cloud is black before it breaks, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/this-depression-comes-over-me-whenever-the-lord-is-preparing-a-larger/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [“Depression comes with a smile, sometimes the brightest smiles hide the deepest pain, people laugh and joke just to cover the battles they fight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/genereux-uwabunkonye-philip/depression-comes-with-a-smile-sometimes-the-brightest-smiles-hide-the/) [Genereux Uwabunkonye Philip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/genereux-uwabunkonye-philip/) > [For me mindfulness is like building a house, so the next time the tsunami that is depression comes I'll have a structure in place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruby-wax/for-me-mindfulness-is-like-building-a-house-so-the-next-time-the/) [Ruby Wax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruby-wax/) > [I've never been one to indulge in out and out depression when it comes to songwriting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kt-tunstall/i-ve-never-been-one-to-indulge-in-out-and-out-depression-when-it/) [KT Tunstall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kt-tunstall/) > [Depressions are very cyclical, they happen once every five years. 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Marcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolph-a-marcus/) > [Whatever the reason, American Muslims appear far less inclined to support the global jihad than their European counterparts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-noah/whatever-the-reason-american-muslims-appear-far-less-inclined-to/) [Timothy Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-noah/) > [For political and bureaucratic reasons, governments at all levels are telling far less to the public than to insiders about how to prepare for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barton-gellman/for-political-and-bureaucratic-reasons-governments-at-all-levels-are/) [Barton Gellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barton-gellman/) ## More by Irving Kirsch > [Depression is not caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain, and it is not cured by medication. Depression may not even be an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-kirsch/depression-is-not-caused-by-a-chemical-imbalance-in-the-brain-and-it/) [Irving Kirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-kirsch/) > [To someone who is not currently on anti-depressants, I would suggest trying other treatments first - for example, psychotherapy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-kirsch/to-someone-who-is-not-currently-on-anti-depressants-i-would-suggest/) [Irving Kirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-kirsch/) > [“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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-kirsch/many-of-the-benefits-of-cbt-cognitive-behavioral-therapy-can-be/) [Irving Kirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-kirsch/) > [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.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-kirsch/nocebos-often-cause-a-physical-effect-but-it-s-not-a-physically/) [Irving Kirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-kirsch/) > [“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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-kirsch/the-results-of-decades-of-neurotransmitter-depletion-studies-point-to/) [Irving Kirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-kirsch/) > [Perhaps 10 percent of patients who are prescribed antidepressants are really benefiting from the drugs' active ingredients.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-kirsch/perhaps-10-percent-of-patients-who-are-prescribed-antidepressants-are/) [Irving Kirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-kirsch/) > [Patients who trust their doctors and have a psychological expectation of getting better could trigger a reaction in their body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-kirsch/patients-who-trust-their-doctors-and-have-a-psychological-expectation/) [Irving Kirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-kirsch/) > [Anything that instills a sense of hope will at least temporarily help treat depression.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-kirsch/anything-that-instills-a-sense-of-hope-will-at-least-temporarily-help/) [Irving Kirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-kirsch/) > [“Our analyses of the FDA data showed relatively little difference between the effects of antidepressants and the effects of placebos. Indeed, the effects were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-kirsch/our-analyses-of-the-fda-data-showed-relatively-little-difference/) [Irving Kirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-kirsch/) > [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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-kirsch/perhaps-anti-depressants-should-be-best-reserved-for-the-very-extreme/) [Irving Kirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-kirsch/) > [If doctors just spent more time with their patients so they felt more reassured, that might help.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-kirsch/if-doctors-just-spent-more-time-with-their-patients-so-they-felt-more/) [Irving Kirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-kirsch/) > [There seems little reason to prescribe anti-depressant medication to any but the most severely depressed patients.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-kirsch/there-seems-little-reason-to-prescribe-anti-depressant-medication-to/) [Irving Kirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-kirsch/) > [“When people recover from depression via psychotherapy, their attributions about recovery are likely to be different than those of people who have been treated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-kirsch/when-people-recover-from-depression-via-psychotherapy-their/) [Irving Kirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-kirsch/) > [One problem I have with drug companies is that they don't make all their data public.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-kirsch/one-problem-i-have-with-drug-companies-is-that-they-don-t-make-all/) [Irving Kirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-kirsch/) > [There seem to be many causes of depression. One cause is profound loss, grief. Economic hardship we know is linked to depression. We don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-kirsch/there-seem-to-be-many-causes-of-depression-one-cause-is-profound-loss/) [Irving Kirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-kirsch/) [Explore all 34 Irving Kirsch quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-kirsch/) ## More About quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. 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As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/) [Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' 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