It is common for people experiencing depression to feel like things will never change, or that any gains made during therapy in managing difficult thoughts and feelings will “wear off”.
Recent research is much more optimistic. In one Finnish study, over two-thirds of depressed participants who received ACT treatment, no longer met diagnostic criteria for depression. And when the followed the participants up 3 years later, to see if the gains had worn off, changes achieved made during ACT therapy are still detectible. A similar study found gains achieved during ACT treatment were still detectable 5 years later.
