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Help-Seeking in Depressed Out-patients Following Maintenance Therapy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

Myrna M. Weissman  and
Stanislav V. Kasl
Myrna M. Weissman*
Affiliation:
Yale University School of Medicine and Connecticut Mental Health Center, Depression Research Unity 904 Howard Ave, Suite 2A, New Haven, Connecticut 06519
Stanislav V. Kasl
Affiliation:
Yale University School of Medicine, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, 408 LEPH, 60 College Street, New Haven, Connecticut 06510
*
Requests for reprints should be addressed to Dr Weissman.
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Summary

This paper reports on the clinical status, help-seeking and subsequent treatment experiences of 150 women one year after they had completed out-patient maintenance treatment by amitriptyline and/or psychotherapy for a depressive episode.

While the majority of patients were asymptomatic at follow-up, a substantial minority had a return of acute symptoms and 2 per cent made minor suicide attempts during the year. Admission to hospital was rare. However, only 30 per cent of the patients did not seek any treatment during the year and the majority received some psychotropic medication.

The findings support the long-term need for prompt access to treatment by patients who have recovered from an acute depression.

Type
Research Article
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 129 , Issue 3 , September 1976 , pp. 252 - 260
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1976 

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