Treating depression has long-term benefits

EDMONTON, Alberta, Oct. 3 (UPI) -- Getting help for depression and anxiety has significant long-term benefits, a University of Alberta researcher said.

Study leader Ian Colman said most people are not getting the type of treatment they need. The team studied a group of 200 people who were diagnosed with either depression or anxiety, and of this group, 45 were on medication.

The group of 200 had their mental health assessed in 1989 through a series of questions on a survey asking about their illness and what, if any, treatments they were on. Ten years later the group took a similar questionnaire.

Colman said the researcher team was surprised to find those who were not using antidepressants or anti-anxiety medications were three times more likely to be suffering from depression or anxiety 10 years later.

"This is a significant find," Colman said in a statement. "What this tells us is that, if people get treated initially, they are less likely to have a relapse in the future. This could be a significant benefit, not only for the patient but also for the healthcare system as it's estimated the economic costs in Canada associated with depression are $13 billion per year."

The findings are published in The British Journal of Psychiatry.