CBT & DEPRESSION

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a goal-based therapy practice that has been proven to be effective in treating varying degrees of depression.
CBT aims to reduce the negative or intrusive thoughts and behaviors that are common in those who suffer from depression through practical problem-solving skills.

What Is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)?

CBT is one of the most evidence-based forms of therapy available for depression. The very foundation of CBT is the connection between emotions, thoughts, and actions. The goal of this approach is to help you understand cognitive patterns and apply various coping mechanisms that continue to challenge repeated negative thoughts, actions (especially harmful behaviors), belief systems, and attitudes. The core focus of CBT is being able to help you take what you learn in the sessions and apply those skills to your everyday life.

What Types of Depression Can CBT Treat?

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is an empirically supported therapy style that can be used to treat and lessen the severity of a variety of mental health disorders. Study reviews have indicated that this therapy approach can be very effective for depressive disorders and impactful episodes, especially for those who fall in the mild to moderate range of symptoms.

CBT can be effective in treating these types of depression:

• Major depressive disorder

• Persistent depressive disorder (PDD)

• Seasonal affective disorder

• Postpartum depression

• The depressive episodes of bipolar disorder

• Situational depression

• Schizoaffective disorder, depressive type
  

Cognitive Methods to Change Depressive Thinking Patterns

Cognitive methods can teach you to challenge and then rationalize your negative thoughts, this will eventually reduce their power over you. Techniques like “cognitive restructuring” can help you to understand your own thought patterns better, the emotion or triggers behind them, and finally the actual reality of the situation. Then, your therapist can present a more rational or realistic point-of-view, or perspective to consider that will help you reduce those cognitive distortions.

One of the most common cognitive distortions among those with depression is “mind-reading,” this is where you assume that you know what others are thinking. When you challenge this and other depressive thoughts, you are able to build a healthier pattern of thinking and self-perspective.

Behavioral Methods to Improve Energy & Motivation

Behavioral techniques that are most highly effective in treating depression involve rewarding yourself for small behavioral changes. For example, it’s common for depression to cause an overall lack of motivation or low energy. But by rewarding yourself for engaging in a task like taking the trash out, you effectively change the chemical outputs in your brain. Just by adding a reward, this action makes you more likely to repeat the behavior in the future.

CBT employs several other similar behavioral methods to reduce the power of avoiding behaviors as well.

7 Common CBT Techniques for Depression

Some common CBT techniques used for depression include basic cognitive restructuring, thought journaling, and mindful meditation.
Many of these techniques are used together to show the connections between thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.

Here are seven common CBT techniques for depression:

1. Cognitive Restructuring

In challenging your own thought patterns, tone, and self-speak, you will learn about potential cognitive distortions and embedded, unhealthy thought patterns that could become increasingly depressive emotionally or could develop into suicidal thoughts or ideation. Cognitive restructuring can help you learn to form healthier patterns, can help you reduce cognitive errors, and teach you to practice ways to rationalize those distortions.

2. Activity Scheduling

Activity scheduling is a system that involves rewarding yourself for setting up low-level activities that help encourage positive regard and self-care. When you schedule these activities and rewards, you will learn how to motivate yourself to complete the necessary tasks of everyday life even when you are feeling low. It also helps increase the chances of continuing to complete these tasks after you end your formal therapy sessions by establishing healthy patterns and habits.

3. Thought Journaling

By journaling about your emotions, thoughts, and behaviors, you create a space to process and identify any potential triggers, as well as how your thoughts influenced your behavior. This can increase self-awareness and help you learn coping techniques to use in the future.4

4. ABC Analysis

Very similar to journaling, this skill set is solely focused on the act of breaking down the behaviors that relate to depression, such as snapping at people for no reason or sleeping in all day.

The ABC model adopts the following structure:

1. The “Activating” event/occurrence

2. Your “Beliefs” about that what happened

3. The “Consequences” of the event that took place, including your feelings and behaviors about the event

In analyzing both your triggers and consequences, you can explore those “consequential” behaviors and try to find the common causes of your depressive triggers.

5. Fact-Checking

This technique is one that encourages you to review and analyze your thoughts to understand that, even though you may be stuck in a depressive or harmful thought pattern, these intrusive thoughts are not facts but opinions based on your emotions (e.g., “I am worthless”). Fact-checking is a tool that can also help you understand what behaviors you may unknowingly engage in, due to your opinions or emotions, instead of the actual facts.

6. Successive Approximation / “Breaking It Down”

Breaking down large projects into smaller goals, or more achievable tasks will help you to feel less overwhelmed as easily. By learning how to practice successive approximations, you will become more likely to finish your tasks and become better able to handle the idea of large tasks in the future, even during times when your depression might be heightened.

7. Mindful Meditation

By engaging in meditation for depression, you will learn to reduce focus on negative thoughts and increase your ability to remain in the present. Meditation can help you recognize and learn to accept your negative thought patterns and detach from them instead of letting them take over.


If you’re ready to put some of these practices to work for you, if you’re ready to give Cognitive-Behavioral therapy a try to address your depressive issues, KMC Counseling is here to help!