Antidepressants No Better Than Placebo
Until a few years ago, research showed that antidepressants were no better than placebo in their effectiveness. A television station did a news story on this subject (from 2009):
We have many articles in our Research section that suggest the same outcomes.
Recent research has found similar results. For instance, the study “Response to acute monotherapy for major depressive disorder in randomized, placebo controlled trials submitted to the US Food and Drug Administration: individual participant data analysis” found only 15 percent of people gain a large effect from the antidepressant drug that they would not have received from the placebo. The authors write:
“The observed advantage of antidepressants over placebo is best understood as affecting a minority of patients as either an increase in the likelihood of a Large response or a decrease in the likelihood of a Minimal response.”
They continued:
“About 15% of participants have a substantial antidepressant effect beyond a placebo effect in clinical trials.”
This means that a very small percentage of people get a benefit from antidepressants when compared to that of a placebo.
In another study, “Results of the European Group for the Study of Resistant Depression (GSRD) — basis for further research and clinical practice,” researchers found those with more severe depression, those with comorbid anxiety, and those who were suicidal were least likely to benefit from the drugs.
As you can see, antidepressants are largely ineffective compared to placebo for anxiety and depression.
However, research consistently shows that therapy is the most effective treatment with long-lasting results.[1][2][3][4][5]
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Common Anxiety Symptoms
Additional Resources
- For a comprehensive list of Anxiety Disorders Symptoms Signs, Types, Causes, Diagnosis, and Treatment.
- Anxiety and panic attacks symptoms can be powerful experiences. Find out what they are and how to stop them.
- How to stop an anxiety attack and panic.
- Free online anxiety tests to screen for anxiety. Two minute tests with instant results. Such as:
- Anxiety 101 is a summarized description of anxiety, anxiety disorder, and how to overcome it.
Return to our Anxiety Frequent Questions archive.
anxietycentre.com: Information, support, and therapy for anxiety disorder and its symptoms, including Antidepressants No Better Than Placebo.
References
1. Ezegbe, Bernedeth, et al. "Impacts of cognitive-behavioral intervention on anxiety and depression among social science education students - A randomized controlled trial." Medicine, April 2019.
2. van Dis, Eva, et al. "Long-term Outcomes of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Anxiety-Related Disorders - A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis." JAMA Psychiatry, 23 Nov 2019
3. Hofmann, Stefan G., et al. “The Efficacy of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: A Review of Meta-Analyses.” Cognitive Therapy and Research, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 1 Oct. 2012.
4. Leichsenring, Falk. “Is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy the Gold Standard for Psychotherapy?” JAMA, American Medical Association, 10 Oct. 2017.
5. DISCLAIMER: Because each body is somewhat chemically unique, and because each person will have a unique mix of symptoms and underlying factors, recovery results may vary. Variances can occur for many reasons, including due to the severity of the condition, the ability of the person to apply the recovery concepts, and the commitment to making behavioral change.