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CBT - Cognitive behavioral therapy and depression

reefedjib

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I have been a big fan of CBT for 4 or 5 years now. This is an effective way to deal with Depression. Perhaps others have experience with CBT they would like to share?

At its core CBT recognizes that self-talk, whether automatic thoughts or merely talk reinforcing self-image, is often distorted. These cognitive distortions are particularly prevalent with self-talk as we tend to be much more critical of ourselves than others.

We have a self-image, maintained by our automatic thoughts about ourselves. Automatic thoughts come unbidden when life events occur. They are often filled with cognitive distortions. Example: I spill coffee on myself – I automatically think “I can’t do anything right. I always spill things on myself” – The distortions are All or Nothing thinking “I can’t do anything right” and Overgeneralization “I always spill things on myself”. These are plainly false, so the distortions are untrue, so the automatic thoughts are lying to yourself and building a false self-image. This is all negative. Negative distortions, negative automatic thoughts, negative self-image.

It is better to have balanced thoughts. “I goofed and spilled on myself, but I am ok, **** happens sometimes.” “People care for me and how I am doing, which means that I am loved.”.

Develop a positive self-image and talk sweetly to yourself about yourself. Stop distorted thinking in its tracks: “STOP!” “It isn’t as bad as I am making it out to be.”

Cognitive Distortions - here is a list of common cognitive distortions,and more about them can be read here.

  1. ALL-OR-NOTHING THINKING
  2. OVERGENERALIZATION
  3. MENTAL FILTER
  4. DISQUALIFYING THE POSITIVE
  5. JUMPING TO CONCLUSIONS
  6. MAGNIFICATION (CATASTROPHIZING) OR MINIMIZATION
  7. EMOTIONAL REASONING
  8. SHOULD STATEMENTS
  9. LABELING AND MISLABELING
  10. PERSONALIZATION
 
Cognitive behavioral therapy is only one strategy to fight depression. I think it can be used with medications to help treat depression.

Also, let's face it, life sucks for some people. No amount of CBT and medication will help a person who works 12 hour days and only get 2 days a month off of work at a business owned by a verbally and emotionally abusive asshole who is the only guy hiring because the town is so small job opportunities are the slimmest pickings. Some people, I think, deserve to be depressed about their life. It seems disingenuous to dismiss their struggles by saying, "Well, all you have to do is look at the world differently."
 
Cognitive behavioral therapy is only one strategy to fight depression. I think it can be used with medications to help treat depression.

Medications can help as well, especially in conjunction with CBT.

Also, let's face it, life sucks for some people. No amount of CBT and medication will help a person who works 12 hour days and only get 2 days a month off of work at a business owned by a verbally and emotionally abusive asshole who is the only guy hiring because the town is so small job opportunities are the slimmest pickings. Some people, I think, deserve to be depressed about their life. It seems disingenuous to dismiss their struggles by saying, "Well, all you have to do is look at the world differently."

I want to say that life sucking for someone is no reason to be depressed. I have known of many people in tough situations that are not depressed. They may be angry and frustrated, but not depressed. When you think of human history and the struggles people went through, there are certainly instances of "Melancholia" but by no means is everyone so afflicted when in dire circumstances. It is a disease and merely being in such a tough situation is no reason someone will be so afflicted.

I have known many people in tough situations who found joyfulness in their existence.
 
I have been a big fan of CBT for 4 or 5 years now. This is an effective way to deal with Depression. Perhaps others have experience with CBT they would like to share?

At its core CBT recognizes that self-talk, whether automatic thoughts or merely talk reinforcing self-image, is often distorted. These cognitive distortions are particularly prevalent with self-talk as we tend to be much more critical of ourselves than others.

We have a self-image, maintained by our automatic thoughts about ourselves. Automatic thoughts come unbidden when life events occur. They are often filled with cognitive distortions. Example: I spill coffee on myself – I automatically think “I can’t do anything right. I always spill things on myself” – The distortions are All or Nothing thinking “I can’t do anything right” and Overgeneralization “I always spill things on myself”. These are plainly false, so the distortions are untrue, so the automatic thoughts are lying to yourself and building a false self-image. This is all negative. Negative distortions, negative automatic thoughts, negative self-image.

It is better to have balanced thoughts. “I goofed and spilled on myself, but I am ok, **** happens sometimes.” “People care for me and how I am doing, which means that I am loved.”.

Develop a positive self-image and talk sweetly to yourself about yourself. Stop distorted thinking in its tracks: “STOP!” “It isn’t as bad as I am making it out to be.”

Cognitive Distortions - here is a list of common cognitive distortions,and more about them can be read here.

  1. ALL-OR-NOTHING THINKING
  2. OVERGENERALIZATION
  3. MENTAL FILTER
  4. DISQUALIFYING THE POSITIVE
  5. JUMPING TO CONCLUSIONS
  6. MAGNIFICATION (CATASTROPHIZING) OR MINIMIZATION
  7. EMOTIONAL REASONING
  8. SHOULD STATEMENTS
  9. LABELING AND MISLABELING
  10. PERSONALIZATION

CBT would be the treatment of choice, in a lot of cases for extreme anxiety. It really does well in combatting irrational thinking. For depression it can be effective, but I prefer psychodynamic techniques for those kinds of disorders... interspersed with CBT.
 
CBT would be the treatment of choice, in a lot of cases for extreme anxiety. It really does well in combatting irrational thinking. For depression it can be effective, but I prefer psychodynamic techniques for those kinds of disorders... interspersed with CBT.

psychodynamic techniques looks interesting. It really works? How do you go about unblocking emotions that help someone with depression?
 
I thought it had been decided that depression was mostly chemical, and best treated with medication.
 
I thought it had been decided that depression was mostly chemical, and best treated with medication.

All the studies I've seen (which is quite a few at this point) show that medication alone is less effective than Medication + therapy.
 
I thought it had been decided that depression was mostly chemical, and best treated with medication.

We've had Miltown back as far as the fifties. Milton Berle even praised it, but it phased out after a while Other anti depressants s replaced it over the years and also died out. I don't know why or what the negative effects were, but I'm sure there were many... still are...

ricksfolly
 
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