Do Self Help Groups Work?
This article is taken from ‘You need to have been there: Do self-help groups help, and how?’ published in Mental Health Today, (July-August 2007). Self-help groups are among a range of methods used to alleviate depression and anxiety. These conditions are some of the most common reasons for GP consultations in the UK. Depression is thought to affect more than 300,000 people in Scotland alone; an estimated 272,000 patients are seen by their GP for depression in Scotland. The largest single group to report depression is in the age range 25-44. True figures are likely to be considerably higher, since these figures only reflect the numbers who actually report symptoms of depression to their GP. National Institute for Clinical Excellence guidelines, which aim to improve the treatment of people with depression and anxiety, recommend that access to information, including support groups, is a valuable part of any package of care. They encourage medical staff to ‘inform patients, families and c
