Treatment Centers

While a number of studies are focusing on the impact an addiction to the Internet can have on a person, there are also studies that are examining the possibilities in Internet-based therapy for specific conditions. In a recent Science Daily release, cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) by way of the Internet is proving an effective method for treating panic disorder.

This therapy is also proving to be as effective as traditional group-based CBT in patients dealing with mild to moderate depression. As depression affects roughly 15 percent of the population, and panic disorder impacts 4 percent, an effective approach to therapy is an important medical focus.

"Internet-based CBT is also more cost-effective than group therapy," said Jan Bergström, psychologist and doctoral student at the Center for Psychiatry Research, in Science Daily. "The results therefore support the introduction of Internet treatment into regular psychiatry, which is also what the National Board of Health and Welfare recommends in its new guidelines for the treatment of depression and anxiety."

While it has been proven in previous studies that CBT is an effective treatment for both panic disorder and depression, there is a very measurable lack of psychologists and psychotherapists that use CBT methods. With Internet-based CBT, a patient undergoes an Internet-based self-help program and has contact with a therapist via e-mail.

When examining CBT over the Internet in comparison with traditional group CBT, both treatments worked very well and there was no significant difference between them. Analysis of the results show that Internet-based CBT is most effective if administered as early as possible.

"Thanks to our research, Internet treatment is now implemented within regular healthcare in Stockholm, at the unit Internetpsykiatri.se of Psychiatry Southwest, which probably makes the Stockholm County Council the first in the world to offer such treatment in its regular psychiatric services," added Bergström.