Encouraging depressed people to do the things they used to enjoy, such as going for a walk, could save thousands of rands on treatment, a study has shown.

"Behavioural activation" is a simple form of therapy that encourages positive activities, such as waking up early, getting outdoors and re-engaging with the world, while stopping negative behaviours such as staying in bed all day, drinking too much or taking drugs.It is 20% cheaper and requires far less training to deliver than cognitive behavioural therapy, in which patients are taught to change the way they think about negative situations.Researchers at the University of Exeter found that behavioural activation was just as effective at treating depression."Effectively treating depression at low cost is a global priority," said Professor David Richards, a National Institute for Health Research senior investigator at the University of Exeter."Our finding is the most robust evidence yet that behavioural activation is just as effective as cognitive behavioural therapy, meaning an effective workforce could be trained much more easily and cheaply without any compromise on ... quality."This is an exciting prospect for improving access to high-quality depression therapy, and offers hope for countries struggling with the impact of depression on the health of their peoples and economies." ..