The Research

Over 1,500 high quality studies confirm that depression can be successfully helped…not just in the short-term, but in the long-term as well.

Our experts performed a scientific review* of every clinical trial for depression treatments (since 1927). The research uncovered:

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is one of the best antidotes to depression.
Exercise is an effective way to not only diminish, but also stave off depression.

Both of these things can be done on your own. With ShiftAside’s help, you can have a daily dose of bite-sized cognitive and behavioral lessons and exercises that really work.

What the research says about CBT:

Developed in the late 1950’s, CBT has been successfully used to treat not only depression, but also anxiety, anger, stress-related disorders (Beck, 2016).
CBT teaches skills that can be used throughout your life, improving your quality of life (Beck, 2016).
CBT is effective for helping with depression in a number of formats. In fact, one study demonstrated that an Internet-based CBT program was nearly 8 times faster at helping those with depression when compared to in-person therapies. (Andrews, 2018).
Even for people who have tried antidepressant medication in the past and saw only partial improvement in their depression with this treatment, CBT reduced the rate of recurrence of depression symptoms and provided additional benefit (Paykel et. al, 1999).
The benefits of CBT for depression have been shown to persist for several years after the end of the therapy, offering an enduring benefit in reducing the risk of a recurrence of depression (Paykel et. al, 2005).
People who participated in CBT were no more likely to experience a recurrence of depression after completing that therapy than those who continued to take antidepressants for depression (Hollon et. al, 2005).
When CBT was offered to people who had not experienced any improvement to their depression with medication, they reported improvements in their quality of life as well as improvements in their depression (Wiles et. al, 2013).
One study demonstrated that CBT generated similar levels of symptom improvement in depressed people as antidepressant medication in just 8 weeks, without the risk of side effects that can develop with medication treatments (DeRubeis et. al, 1999).
CBT self-help intervention programs have been deemed effective in reducing depression in people with concurrent chronic medical and pain conditions (Garnefski, Kraaij, & Schroevers, 2011).

Additionally, there are no known side effects with CBT.

What the research says about exercise:

Exercise has been examined in multiple randomized studies. These studies show exercise reduces or eliminates depressive symptoms, improves a person’s overall sense of well-being and increases physical function. (Mather 2002; Brenes 2007; Singh 2005; Penninx 2002; Huang 2015; Schuch 2015; Knubben 2007; Ho 2014; Blumenthal 2007).
Both aerobic and strengthening exercises are effective for depression, however, evidence suggests aerobic exercise is the more important of these two types of exercise (Penninx 2002).
Benefits of exercise are greater when the exercise is more frequent and of greater intensity. (Penninx 2002; Trivedi 2011; Greer 2015; Babyak 2000).
Two studies comparing exercise to antidepressant medication found either exercise was superior (Babyak 2000) or they had equivalent efficacy (Blumenthal 1999).

*A scientific review is when researchers look for and analyze every relevant, peer-reviewed article related to a subject. The researchers then synthesize the evidence from the articles and begin to understand what is more effective, what is less effective and what isn't effective. A scientific review is a comprehensive, unbiased look at the entire picture. It is vastly different from a more common review practice where only select articles are sought and included, with the intent to support someone’s opinion(s).

REFERENCES

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Babyak, M., et al., Exercise treatment for major depression: maintenance of therapeutic benefit at 10 months. Psychosom Med, 2000. 62(5): p. 633-8.
Blumenthal, J.A., et al., Effects of exercise training on older patients with major depression. Arch Intern Med, 1999. 159(19): p. 2349-56.
Blumenthal, J.A., et al., Exercise and pharmacotherapy in the treatment of major depressive disorder. Psychosom Med, 2007. 69(7): p. 587-96.
Brenes, G.A., et al., Treatment of minor depression in older adults: a pilot study comparing sertraline and exercise. Aging Ment Health, 2007. 11(1): p. 61-8.
DeRubeis, R. J., Gelfand, L. A., Tang, T. Z., & Simons, A. D. (1999). Medications versus cognitive behavior therapy for severely depressed outpatients: mega-analysis of four randomized comparisons. American Journal of Psychiatry, 156(7), 1007-1013.
G. Andrews, A. Basu, P. Cuijpers, M.G. Craske, P. McEvoy, C.L. English, J.M. Newby, Computer therapy for the anxiety and depression disorders is effective, acceptable and practical health care: An updated meta-analysis, Journal of Anxiety Disorders, Volume 55, 2018, Pages 70-78, ISSN 0887-6185, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.janxdis.2018.01.001.
Garnefski, N., Kraaij, V., & Schroevers, M. (2011). Effects of a cognitive behavioral self-help program on depressed mood for people with acquired chronic physical impairments: A pilot randomized controlled trial. Patient Education and Counseling, 85(2), 304-307.
Greenberger, D., & Padesky, C. A. (2015). Mind over mood: Change how you feel by changing the way you think. Guilford Publications.
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