5 Ways in Which CBT Helps Depression
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a type of therapy that helps change the negative or unwanted behaviors, feelings, or thoughts a person may hold. Due to its nature, it’s a common therapy option that is highly effective in treating conditions like anxiety, depression, and other mental or physical health issues.
Since depression is a mood disorder that can negatively impact how you act, feel, think, and your worldview, CBT is a well-suited treatment option for individuals experiencing the signs and symptoms of depression.
Let’s learn more about how CBT can be beneficial to individuals having depression. Here are 5 ways that CBT can help depression.
1. Helps to Challenge Negative Thoughts
One of the major benefits of cognitive behavioral therapy is that it helps individuals regain control over their own thoughts again. CBT uses a technique called cognitive restructuring or cognitive reframing to help you challenge those negative thought patterns, tone of voice, or self-talk. These thoughts can appear in your head without even realizing it. CBT enables you to disrupt those negative thoughts to question, challenge, and replace them with more positive ones.
2. Scheduling Activities
A common sign and symptom of depression is withdrawing and isolating from others, even loved ones. Depression can also cause less fulfillment out of previously enjoyable activities. These behaviors can actually lead to worsening signs and symptoms.
It’s important to not be alone and to continue doing those activities that you once enjoyed again, even if you may not feel like it. Another technique that is used during CBT is activity scheduling. This technique encourages individuals to schedule activities in the form of self-care and being social. This technique can help individuals find motivation to get tasks done even when depression is making them not want to even get out of bed.
3. Practicing Mindfulness
Depression can make you focus on the negatives in your life without realizing all of the positives and good things in it. It may cause you to fixate on past actions or behaviors or even worry about future events that haven’t even occurred yet.
By practicing mindfulness, you’ll be able to help keep yourself grounded so you’re able to think and live in the present moment. Mindfulness is another way for individuals to recognize those negative beliefs and thought patterns so they’re able to disconnect from them. Mindful meditation helps the brain, body, and mind work together again instead of against one another.
4. Breaking Down Tasks
When you’re not feeling motivated, it can be extremely difficult to get started on a task. Getting started is the hardest part. CBT can help with the lack of motivation that depression can bring on. It helps individuals learn how to break up their to-do lists into smaller and more manageable chunks. This can help to reduce any added stress, and you’ll feel more motivated being able to cross off smaller items instead of nothing at all.
5. Implementing Coping Mechanisms
One of the major benefits of seeking additional support is learning about coping mechanisms. Coping skills are a variety of strategies that can help to reduce signs and symptoms of depression. Here are a few of the different techniques that you may learn about during CBT:
- Body scan
- Connecting with others
- Creating and sticking to a routine
- Deep breathing
- Eating a balanced diet
- Moving your body
- Setting SMART goals
- Practicing self-love
Next Steps
CBT is just one of the many therapy options for those struggling with depression. If you or a loved one are interested in CBT or another form of therapy, we’re here to discuss your goals for treatment. Reach out today to set up an initial consultation.