Therapy Gets 75% Back to Work, Saves Norway Millions

Imagine being so overwhelmed by anxiety or depression that you can't work, then finding relief in just 10 hours of therapy. That's becoming reality for thousands of people in Norway.

Researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology tested a treatment combining metacognitive therapy with job counseling on 236 people on mental health leave. The results stunned even the scientists.

Of those who started treatment immediately, 42% returned to work within 12 weeks. Compare that to just 18% of people who had to wait 10 weeks for the same therapy. Every patient who got early treatment saved an average of 22 sick days in their first year.

The math gets even better. Treatment costs about $2,500 per person but saves roughly $7,200 in reduced sick leave. That's three dollars saved for every dollar spent.

"Metacognitive therapy doesn't work that much with the content of your thoughts. Instead, it works on how you relate to your thoughts," explains Professor Odin Hjemdal, who led the study. The key difference? This therapy teaches people to stop fighting their anxious thoughts and let them pass naturally instead.

Traditional therapy helps about 50% of people, and half of those relapse. This approach helps 70% recover with far fewer relapses. After completing treatment, nearly 87% of participants were working full time one year later.

The therapy sessions also include practical job counseling. Therapists ask questions like: What's stopping you from returning to work? Do you need accommodations? Are there workplace issues like bullying that need addressing?

The Ripple Effect

Norway's mental health sick leave has exploded 47% since 2017, now affecting 327,000 people annually. At $66 billion per year in costs from anxiety and depression alone, the country desperately needed solutions that actually work.

This study involved just 121 people who got early treatment, yet saved $880,000 in one year. Scale that nationwide and the impact becomes staggering, not just in dollars but in lives restored.

The treatment works especially well for anxiety and depression, the exact conditions driving most mental health absences. That means the people who need help most are the ones most likely to benefit.

Other countries are watching closely. Mental health sick leave is rising globally, and few treatments can claim both high recovery rates and cost savings. This Norwegian breakthrough might offer a template the world can follow.

Getting the right help at the right time transforms everything: 75% of all participants eventually recovered or saw major symptom relief.