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Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) can effectively treat common mental disorders, such as depression, anxiety, insomnia and stress-related disorders. However, access to treatment is low and few patients receive adequate treatment. Studies show that CBT is an effective treatment also when delivered as guided self-help, where therapists give support to some …

Research shows that cognitive behaviour therapy can be successfully delivered via the internet or telephone. Across the world, digital mental health services are now being implemented as part of routine care. One such digital mental health service is the Practitioner Online Referral and Treatment Service (PORTS). PORTS was commissioned by …

Major depressive disorder and anxiety disorders are some of the most commonly occurring mental health conditions in the US.  Exercise, particularly at a moderate intensity (like brisk walking), has been found to be effective in reducing depression and anxiety as well as enhancing quality of life. However, it is unclear …

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is an effective treatment for depression but many people still cannot access therapy. Delivering CBT via the internet has the potential to provide a widely accessible and cost-effective solution to improving access to psychological treatment. Whilst some studies have found that computerised CBT is acceptable to …

Treatment of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and the progression to Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) has changed drastically over the past few decades. Indeed, HIV/AIDS has transitioned from a near “death sentence” into a chronic condition that can be managed. Due to treatment advances, people living with HIV/AIDS can live …

Experiential avoidance (EA) refers to a person being unwilling to remain in contact with certain uncomfortable thoughts, bodily sensations, and emotions, and taking steps to escape or avoid these experiences. EA has been linked with several different psychiatric disorders, difficulty identifying one’s emotions, and difficulty with emotion regulation. It is …

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a highly effective form of psychotherapy applied to treat a range of mental illnesses including, but not limited to, depression, anxiety, somatic symptom disorders, substance use disorders, trauma-related disorders and eating disorders. CBT originated as an application of psychological research on learning theory to the …

Many randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have shown that dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) is effective for many different mental health problems. However, one important factor to consider when interpreting findings from RCTs of DBT is patient dropout, as dropout can compromise the validity of trial findings. A greater understanding of patient …

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by unwanted intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviour like excessive checking and cleaning (compulsions). Cognitive theory proposes that everyone (or nearly everyone) has unwanted intrusive thoughts, but that those with OCD hold maladaptive beliefs that lead them to interpret such thoughts as catastrophic. As a …

Sleep disturbances are highly common, particularly among individuals with anxiety symptoms or disorders. In fact, sleep disturbances and anxiety influence each other: sleep problems can serve as a risk factor for the development of anxiety disorders and, conversely, anxiety disorders can contribute to problematic sleep. Anxiety sensitivity, the fear of …