Abstract
Objective. A case is presented of successful comprehensive therapy of a female patient with severe recurring depressive disorder.
Case. A 40-year-old woman with recurring depressive episodes received psychiatric treatment over the past few years. She had a difficult family situation and a problem of "co-dependence "from her alcohol dependent husband. His death was followed by the patient 's decompensation leading to a series of suicide attempts and her ineffective hospitalization for over a year. A comprehensive psychotherapy was introduced - group psychotherapy of cognitive orientation (based on the model by A. Beck) within a cognitive-behavioral system of the psychiatric ward functioning. Simultaneously the patient was treated with venlafaxin. A very good treatment outcome was achieved, and amelioration of the patient's psychological state was confirmed at a one-year follow-up.
Commentary. Comprehensive treatment, or a combination of antidepressive psychopharmacotherapy with cognitive-behavioral group psychotherapy yielded a good and stable therapy outcome in this chronic and treatment resistant case.