Depression is one of the most common mental illnesses in Germany and many other countries. Although psychology has made significant strides in treating depression, the relapse rates remain high. More than half of the people who have experienced a severe depressive episode suffer from further depressive moods in their lifetime, often relapsing within two years of recovery. Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) have published a meta-study that suggests people who have overcome depression tend to engage in negative thoughts and information longer than those who have never experienced such a phase. This could increase the risk of relapse.
The study analyzed 44 studies with 2,081 participants who had experienced severe depressive disorders and 2,285 people without such a history. The studies examined the reaction times of the participants to negative, positive, or neutral stimuli. The results suggest that people with recurring severe depressive disorders not only have less control over the information they process than healthy people but also have a stronger tendency to focus on the negative rather than the positive or neutral. The findings have implications for the treatment of depression, suggesting that it may not be enough to focus solely on reducing the processing of negative information to prevent a relapse. Patients may also benefit from strategies that increase the processing of positive information.
The study’s lead author, Alainna Wen, said, “Our results suggest that people with a history of depression spend more time processing negative information, such as sad faces, than positive information, such as happy faces. And this difference is greater compared to healthy people without such a history. Since more negative thinking and feeling and less positive thinking and feeling are characteristic of depression, this could mean that these people have a higher risk of a new depressive episode.” Understanding the risk factors that favor severe depression is crucial to improving treatment and preventing relapses.
