Art-therapy in Complex Treatment of Major Depressive Disorder

Introduction Art therapy is one of the least studiedmethods of psychotherapy. Aims Studied the effectiveness of art therapy in thecomplex treatment of patients with major depressive disorder (DDR). Objectives Thestudy involved 150 patients of both sexes (87 women, 63 men) aged 18 to 55years, with major depressive disorder of varying degrees of severity. Methods Clinical examination, HDRS, HARS. Results The study revealed that (70%) reduced thelevel of anxiety; y (75%) patients showed improvement in mood between sessions;77% of patients improved self-esteem, 80% of patients had sustained remission;68% – there was a positive outlook for the future; 65% reduced the level ofanhedonia and 80% of patients with marked regression of depressive symptoms. Patients with DDR with the current episode mild effectiveness of AT was high. Patients with DDR with the current episode of moderate severity was averageefficiency. In patients with recurrent episodes of DDR-severe AT efficiency wasminimal. Patients with melancholic clinical variants AT had enough positiveeffect already from the 4th session; with a disturbing one – art therapeuticeffect was observed after the first session, briefly, then resumed anxiety; withhypochondriacal option – AT had no effect and apathetic one effect was alsoabsent due to reduced motivation of patients. Conclusions Art therapy is an effective method ofpsychotherapy in an integrated treatment of recurrent depressive disorder, preferably at a dreary and alarming clinicopathological variants of recurrent depressive disorder and lesseffective in hypochondriacal.