The Recurrence Dilemma in Depression
Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) emerged primarily to tackle the persistent problem of recurrent depression. The founding researchers—Zindel Segal, John Teasdale, and Mark Williams—initially focused on understanding the patterns of depression recurrence. Their findings revealed a cyclical vulnerability:
- Individuals with a history of depression are more prone to future episodes.
- Each subsequent episode significantly increases the likelihood of another, with a noted 70% to 80% chance of recurrence after two major episodes.