How Can Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Help to Treat Depression?

If you are suffering from depression, you might want to consider enlisting the help of a cognitive behavioural therapist to help you cope.

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is one of the most effective psychological treatments for moderate to severe depression and can be just as effective as antidepressants.

What is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)?

In order to understand how it can help, first it is important to have a clear idea of what cognitive behavioural therapy entails. Generally speaking, CBT takes a look at a person’s thoughts, feelings and behaviours and how these can be directed toward more constructive patterns which increase emotional and psychological wellbeing. It is usually a short-term, goal-orientated treatment that takes place over the course of several weeks or months. The NHS has increased the provision of access to this therapy in primary care, due to its effectiveness in helping people manage issues such as anxiety, OCD and depression. As the name implies, this type of therapy has two components: cognitive and behavioural.
 

The cognitive component

The cognitive part of CBT involves identifying negative thought patterns. Depressed people often don’t realise that their thoughts are distorted. This type of therapy sheds light on how your thoughts are leading to negative feelings. A cognitive therapist will show you how to restructure your thought patterns so that you can look at your life and interpret your situations in a more positive light.
 

The behavioural component

If you have negative feelings, they can colour your view of situations and interactions and often lead you to behave in ways that make you feel even worse. Having a selection of alternative behaviours to choose from so you don’t default into using a more familiar but unhelpful behaviour, is one of the keys to successful therapy outcomes.

Here are a few of the behavioural strategies a cognitive behavioural therapist might recommend:

• Role playing
• Thought records
• Keeping a journal
• Mental distractions
• Relaxation techniques

The exact nature of your “homework” will depend on your individual situation, but this is a very important aspect of recovery and positive change and should therefore be taken seriously.
 

Putting it all together

In essence, CBT helps you make sense of your problems by breaking them down into smaller parts. You will take a look at your situation, thoughts, feelings, actions, and emotions and identify strategies you can use to change them for the better.

It is important to note that although you might opt to discuss past events in your life with your therapist at some point, CBT does not dwell on the past. Instead, it focuses on helping you find ways to deal with the “here and now”.
 

What to expect

Cognitive behavioural therapy will teach you how to identify problematic beliefs and help you practice new skills for dealing with problems. Your CBT therapist will serve more as a guide or advisor. Think of CBT as the difference between giving a man food and teaching him how to fish; your therapist will not solve your problems for you but will instead show you how to deal with them yourself. This is a useful skill that you will be able to apply to other problems that might arise in the future.

You will likely be assigned homework outside of your sessions in line with the behavioural component of CBT. For example, your therapist might encourage you to engage in positive activities to increase your enjoyment of life, and he or she might even make suggestions about how you can improve your sleeping patterns. You might also be asked to write down the thoughts that pop into your mind so patterns can be identified.

As a goal-orientated therapy, CBT is not something you will do every week for the rest of your life. Once you have conquered your depression, your therapist will help you decide when the therapy should end. This is usually a matter of weeks or months.
 

Is everyone a candidate?

This type of therapy works best for people who are reasonably comfortable with the idea of introspection. It will force you to take a look at any destructive thoughts you might be having and take an active role in changing them. Many people feel empowered once they master this skill, but it is important to realise ahead of time that you will be playing an active role in your treatment.

If you are suffering from depression, cognitive behavioural therapy could be the answer you’ve been looking for. The coping techniques that you learn can really improve your quality of life, making it a sound choice for many depression sufferers.