Pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy in depression - complementarity or exclusion?

PURPOSE: This article attempts to outline the dilemma regarding the use of pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy in the treatment of mental disorders with particular emphasis on depression. Depressive disorder is one of the most common mental disorders suffered by society; it affects from 5% to over 12% of the population [1]. It is also a growing problem as the number of diagnoses has increased over the last decades.

VIEWS: The numerous organisations working to improve mental health have constructed guidelines focused on shaping preventive intervention and therapeutic procedures. However, the method of selecting a procedure remains unclear, with the choice between pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy being particularly troublesome. This begs the question of whether these forms of interaction are complementary or exclusive. The article provides an overview of the current discussion on the legitimacy of using multiple forms of interactions when treating depression. Currently, the treatment of depression is based primarily on pharmacotherapy using antidepressants and psychotherapy as well as combined treatment.

CONCLUSIONS: Although a diverse range of psychotherapeutic approaches are used to treat depression, research indicates that all leading approaches are similarly effective. Pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy offer comparable effectiveness in reducing depressive symptoms and demonstrate similar effects on neuronal activity. Combined treatment may offer optimal effectiveness, especially with moderate and severe symptoms of depression.