Irving Kirsch Quotes

• The doctor-patient relationship is critical to the placebo effect.

  Irving Kirsch

  Placebo Effect, Doctors, Patient

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• Depression is not caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain, and it is not cured by medication. Depression may not even be an illness at all. Often, it can be a normal reaction to abnormal situations. Poverty, unemployment, and the loss of loved ones can make people depressed, and these social and situational causes of depression cannot be changed by drugs.

  Irving Kirsch

  Loss, People, Drug

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• Depression is a serious problem, but drugs are not the answer. In the long run, psychotherapy is both cheaper and more effective, even for very serious levels of depression. Physical exercise and self-help books based on CBT can also be useful, either alone or in combination with therapy. Reducing social and economic inequality would also reduce the incidence of depression.

  Irving Kirsch

  Running, Book, Exercise

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• Depression comes back over time in about 90 percent of people on antidepressants. Studies show that relapses are far less common when people are treated with psychotherapy.

  Irving Kirsch

  People, Common, Study

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• Anything that instills a sense of hope will at least temporarily help treat depression.

  Irving Kirsch

  Helping, Treats, Instill

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• There are a variety of techniques to help people change the kind of thinking that leads them to become depressed. These techniques are called cognitive behavioral therapy.

  Irving Kirsch

  Thinking, People, Technique

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• Antidepressants can have troubling side effects and are addictive for some people.

  Irving Kirsch

  People, Sides, Side Effects

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• Psychotherapy works, and some types of therapy have been shown to be much more effective than antidepressants over the long run.

  Irving Kirsch

  Running, Long, Type

  "Antidepressants: The Emperor’s New Drugs?" by Irving Kirsch, www.huffingtonpost.com. March 31, 2010.

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• I do a lot of research on the placebo effect, not just in depression but in irritable bowel syndrome, pain, arthritis of the knee, migraine, asthma.

  Irving Kirsch

  Pain, Placebo Effect, Research

  "Interview: Irving Kirsch showed power of placebo effect with antidepressant use". Interview with Brian Morton, Kevin Griffin, www.vancouversun.com. September 24, 2013.

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