Group therapy may be beneficial for heart health following a heart attack

Having a heart attack is a life-changing event even if a person survives it.  Stress can arise from constant worrying about another cardiac event. This accounts for about a 30 percent chance that another one may occur. Even worse is that this may lead to depression.

Most people opt to take medications to decrease the likelihood of another heart attack.

However, a recent study from Sweden published in the Archives of Internal Medicine found out that group psychotherapy is a more effective and safer way to lower the chance of another cardiac event.

The study focused on two groups; one undergoing group psychotherapy and the other having usual medical treatment for heart attacks. After two years, the study reported that subjects who underwent group cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) had a 45 percent decrease in heart attacks and their chances of dying due to a cardiac cause were significantly reduced.

The study reported that group psychotherapy appears to have a significant contribution in preventing people with heart ailments from dying of their illness. Therefore, if a person just suffered a heart attack, seeking social support and education that are being offered by group cognitive behavioral therapies can help in having a longer life.