--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For people who are depressed, and…" description: "\"“For people who are depressed, and especially for those who do not receive enough benefit from medication of for whom the side effects of antidepressan..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/111/irving-kirsch-18763_antidepressants_for-people-who-are-depressed-and-especia_2929254.png" --- # For people who are depressed, and especially for those who… ![“For people who are depressed, and especially for those who do not receive enough benefit from medication of for whom the side effects of antidepressants are troubling, the fact that placebos can duplicate much of the effects of antidepressants should be taken as good news. It means that there are…” quote by Irving Kirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/111/irving-kirsch-18763_antidepressants_for-people-who-are-depressed-and-especia_2929254.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/111/irving-kirsch-18763_antidepressants_for-people-who-are-depressed-and-especia_2929254.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/111/irving-kirsch-18763_antidepressants_for-people-who-are-depressed-and-especia_2929254.png) > ““For people who are depressed, and especially for those who do not receive enough benefit from medication of for whom the side effects of antidepressants are troubling, the fact that placebos can duplicate much of the effects of antidepressants should be taken as good news. It means that there are other ways of alleviating depression. As we have seen, treatments like psychotherapy and physical exercise are at least as effective as antidepressant drugs and more effective than placebos. In particular, CBT has been shown to lower the risk of relapsing into depression for years after treatment has ended, making it particularly cost effective.”” [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. Placebo effects show non‑pharmacological methods can match or exceed antidepressants, highlighting alternatives like therapy and exercise. **In simple terms:** Non‑drug treatments can work as well as meds. Key Takeaway Explore therapy and exercise for depression. Themes mental health treatment alternatives efficacy cost‑effectiveness Mood hopeful analytical Type informative clinical When to use this quote - clinical practice - patient self‑care - health policy Key Concepts psychology neuroscience behavioral therapy Questions to Reflect On - How can clinicians integrate therapy and exercise effectively? - What barriers exist for patients accessing non‑drug treatments? A Different Perspective Placebos may not work for severe cases without professional guidance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alleviating Depression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alleviating-depression-4307974/) [Antidepressants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/antidepressants/) [Cognitive-behavior-therapy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cognitive-behavior-therapy-34391/) [Depression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depression/) [Effective Antidepressant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effective-antidepressant-4307973/) [Effective Placebos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effective-placebos-4307975/) [Effects Antidepressants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effects-antidepressants-2861231/) [Good news](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-news/) [People Who Are Depressed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-who-are-depressed-216541/) [Physical exercise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physical-exercise/) [Placebo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/placebo/) [Placebos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/placebos/) [Psychotherapy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychotherapy/) [Side effects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/side-effects/) ## Related quotes > [To my knowledge, there have been no studies done on the effects of antidepressants and altitude. But it is hugely important to find out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-archer/to-my-knowledge-there-have-been-no-studies-done-on-the-effects-of/) [Dale Archer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-archer/) > [“What about the claim, by the PACE trial, that Graded Exercise Therapy and CBT can treat ME? This is a trial where you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanya-marlow/what-about-the-claim-by-the-pace-trial-that-graded-exercise-therapy/) [Tanya Marlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanya-marlow/) > [“Our thoughts have prepared for us the happiness or unhappiness we experience.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hazrat-inayat-khan/our-thoughts-have-prepared-for-us-the-happiness-or-unhappiness-we/) [Hazrat Inayat Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hazrat-inayat-khan/) > [ “Historically in the literature CBT \[Cognitive Behavioral Therapy\] was inappropriately touted as a cure for patients with ME/CFS if they changed their “belief system”.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-c-bested/historically-in-the-literature-cbt-cognitive-behavioral-therapy-was/) [Alison C. Bested](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-c-bested/) > [I know a lot of people who are depressed, and they walk around, and they're smiling every day, but no one's asking them how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karamo-brown/i-know-a-lot-of-people-who-are-depressed-and-they-walk-around-and/) [Karamo Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karamo-brown/) > [A lot of people who are depressed, I think, are suffering from blocked creativity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-califia/a-lot-of-people-who-are-depressed-i-think-are-suffering-from-blocked/) [Patrick Califia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-califia/) > [“Almost everyone is overconfident--except the people who are depressed, and they tend to be realists.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-t-hallinan/almost-everyone-is-overconfident-except-the-people-who-are-depressed/) [Joseph T. Hallinan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-t-hallinan/) > [A new study found that people who are depressed have a greater risk of stroke. Well that should cheer them up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/a-new-study-found-that-people-who-are-depressed-have-a-greater-risk/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) ## 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 Antidepressants quotes > [Antidepressants are the biggest fraud in the world. Number one, Prozac gives you a royal soft-on like you wouldn't believe, and number two you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-evans/antidepressants-are-the-biggest-fraud-in-the-world-number-one-prozac/) [Robert Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-evans/) > [Antidepressants sure kill your sexual life...Now, THAT'S depressing!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ozzy-osbourne/antidepressants-sure-kill-your-sexual-life-now-that-s-depressing/) [Ozzy Osbourne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ozzy-osbourne/) > [I actually have a great deal of respect for antidepressants; I think they can be enormously mighty tools toward recovery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/i-actually-have-a-great-deal-of-respect-for-antidepressants-i-think/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [“Sylvie wishes the anti-depressants had been around when she was in her early twenties, not only to rescue her from the dark tunnels that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-lia-block/sylvie-wishes-the-anti-depressants-had-been-around-when-she-was-in/) [Francesca Lia Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-lia-block/) > [One the one hand, the simple fact that there are children and that I do have an effect on them has been one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-solomon/one-the-one-hand-the-simple-fact-that-there-are-children-and-that-i/) [Andrew Solomon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-solomon/) > [“Lord. How many antidepressants can one person take? However much it is, I'm going to need the maximum dose if I make it out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baylee-crush/lord-how-many-antidepressants-can-one-person-take-however-much-it-is/) [Baylee Crush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baylee-crush/) > [Like most people, I woke up one day to find that everyone I knew was taking antidepressants, and since I wasn't, I figured that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/like-most-people-i-woke-up-one-day-to-find-that-everyone-i-knew-was/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) > [I notice a lot of people think they can solve their problems with antidepressants. That, I noticed, being like a bigger issue, like, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-way/i-notice-a-lot-of-people-think-they-can-solve-their-problems-with/) [Gerard Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-way/) > [All the commercials on TV today are for antidepressants, for Prozac or Paxil. And they get you right away. "Are you sad? Do you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/all-the-commercials-on-tv-today-are-for-antidepressants-for-prozac-or/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) > [Imagine a society that subjects people to conditions that make them terribly unhappy then gives them the drugs to take away their unhappiness. Science…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-kaczynski/imagine-a-society-that-subjects-people-to-conditions-that-make-them/) [Theodore Kaczynski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-kaczynski/) > [Nature is often overlooked as a healing balm for the emotional hardships in a child's life. You'll likely never see a slick commercial for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-louv/nature-is-often-overlooked-as-a-healing-balm-for-the-emotional/) [Richard Louv](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-louv/) > [I was terrified when my doctor told me that I had a unique and interesting personality trait, but then he told me about new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-stanhope/i-was-terrified-when-my-doctor-told-me-that-i-had-a-unique-and/) [Doug Stanhope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-stanhope/) > [The recent discovery of highly specific antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications would not have been possible without the use of animal models](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herb-pardes/the-recent-discovery-of-highly-specific-antidepressants-and-anti/) [Herb Pardes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herb-pardes/) > [“Those antidepressants Dr. Huang gave her were some kind of miracle drug. I considered giving them a try, but I didn't think they'd work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-standiford/those-antidepressants-dr-huang-gave-her-were-some-kind-of-miracle/) [Natalie Standiford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-standiford/) > [“We have pills for headaches. We have antidepressants for sadness. We had God for believers. We have nothing for autism.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-genova/we-have-pills-for-headaches-we-have-antidepressants-for-sadness-we/) [Lisa Genova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-genova/) [Browse all 71 Antidepressants quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/antidepressants/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“For people who are depressed, and especially for those who do not receive enough benefit from medication of for whom the side effects of antidepressants are troubling, the fact that placebos can duplicate much of the effects of antidepressants should be taken as good news. It means that there are other ways of alleviating depression. As we have seen, treatments like psychotherapy and physical exercise are at least as effective as antidepressant drugs and more effective than placebos. 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