There’s a mental health shift.
A new study indicates that Americans are increasingly turning to talk therapy rather than relying solely on medication to support their mental health.
Findings published in early May in the American Journal of Psychiatry reveal a growing preference for psychotherapy as part of outpatient mental health care, signaling a shift away from medication-only treatment.
Dr. Mark Olfson, a professor at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health and the study’s lead author, noted, “After years of emphasizing medication in mental health treatment, we’re now seeing a move back toward therapy.”
The study found that the percentage of people using only psychotherapy rose from under 12% in 2018 to 15% in 2021. Meanwhile, the number of patients relying solely on psychiatric medications — such as antidepressants, stimulants for ADHD, and antipsychotics — dropped from 68% to 62% over the same period.
Despite the overall increase in therapy use, the proportion of patients receiving therapy specifically from psychiatrists fell from 41% to 34%. According to Olfson, this change suggests that psychiatrists may be more frequently referring patients to licensed therapists such as counselors or social workers.
Interestingly, social workers and counselors accounted for a growing share of therapy services, while the role of psychologists remained relatively unchanged. In addition, patients seemed more committed to ongoing therapy: the share of individuals attending more than 20 therapy sessions rose from under 14% in 2018 to over 17% in 2021. Conversely, the number of people who ended therapy after just one or two visits dropped from 34% to 28%.
“There’s clearly a trend toward greater acceptance and persistence with psychotherapy among Americans,” Olfson said.
The research team based their conclusions on data drawn from four national surveys, analyzing responses from nearly 18,000 participants who had sought outpatient mental health services.
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