CBT

• Cognitive

  • Negative or faulty thinking causes depression
  • Aim of therapy is to change thoughts to rational thinking to reduce depression
• Behaviour

  • CBT aims to change behaviour through changing thinking
  • Therapist uses behavioural activation where a pleasant activity is planned each day
  • Creates positive emotions and increases mood
• How the therapist tackles irrational thinking

  • They will dispute the irrational thoughts
  • Irrational thought could be 'everybody hates me'
  • Therapist would dispute this and ask for evidence of this thought
• How the patients tackles irrational thinking

  • Patient keeps a thought diary where they record unpleasant emotions
  • Asked how much they believe that irrational thought
  • Asked to produce a rational response to irrational thoughts
• Irrational thoughts

  • Thought not based on logic
  • E.g, thinking your friend hates you because they were whispering to somebody else
• Evaluation of CBT (1)

  • Strength
  • Long-lasting
  • CBT aims to change thinking for good.
  • Patient can use techniques to overcome irrational thoughts multiple times
  • Prevents depression from worsening in the future
• Evaluation of CBT (2)

  • Strength
  • Considered a complete treatment
  • E.g, therapy focuses on treating most aspects of depression rather than just low serotonin levels
  • Treatment is more likely to work
• Evaluation of CBT (3)

  • Weakness
  • Requires a lot of effort from the patient
  • E.g, involves meeting multiple times
  • Depressed people have low energy levels so they could struggle
  • therapy isn't suitable for everybody