CBT plus medication reduces depression relapse even after treatment has ended

Researchers evaluated the combination of continued fluoxetine plus cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) aimed at relapse prevention for major depressive disorder (MDD). They wanted to see if the combined medication and CBT would prevent relapse beyond the treatment phase. They found that it did, significantly. Even though patients were no longer going to therapy, those who had gone earlier in treatment had a significantly lower relapse rate, and for those who did relapse, it took three months longer than it did for those who did not get CBT.