Cognitive Approach To Treating Depression

• CBT


  —CBT assists patients to identify irrational thoughts and change them.—As behaviour is seen as being generated by thinking, the most logical and effective way of changing maladaptive behaviour is to change the irrational thinking underlying it.
• CBT


  —Therefore, CBT involves cognitive and behavioural elements:—Cognitive – identifying and challenging irrational thoughts—Behavioural – once irrational thoughts have been identified, coping strategies are developed (behavioural change)—
• Cbt: Ellis’ rebt


  •REBT works by identifying and challenging irrational thoughts to show the client how irrational their thoughts are, and replacing them with more effective and rational beliefs.••For his therapy, Ellis extended his ABC model to ABCDE where:–D = disputing irrational thoughts–E = effect
• REBT


  Logical disputing involves the therapist challenging irrational thoughts to show that they do not logically follow from the information available/facts
• REBT


  Empirical disputing involves the therapist challenging irrational thoughts to show that they may not be consistent with reality. The therapist would also present evidence to act as a counterargument
• REBT

  Behavioural activation

  •CBT often involves a specific focus on encouraging depressed clients to become more active and engage in pleasurable activities. This is based on the common-sense idea that being active leads to rewards that act as an antidote to depression. Such activity then provides more evidence of the irrational nature of the client’s thoughts.•
• —There are two main biological explanations for OCD:

  —Neural explanations – the occurrence of OCD through abnormal functioning of neural (brain) mechanisms and neurotransmitters.
• —There are two main biological explanations for OCD:

  Genetic explanations – hereditary influences through genetic transmission from parent to offspring
• Abnormal levels of neurotransmitters

  –Dopamine levels are thought to be abnormally high in people with OCD.
• Abnormal levels of neurotransmitters


  –Lower levels of serotonin activity (an inhibitory neurotransmitter) in the brain are also associated with OCD.
• One explanation for OCD concerns the role of the neurotransmitter serotonin, which is believed to help regulate mood.
• Neurotransmitters are responsible for relaying information from one neuron to another.

  If a person has low levels of serotonin then normal transmission of mood-relevant information does not take place and mood and sometimes other mental processes are affected.
• •This in turn may be associated with abnormal functioning of the lateral (side bits) of the frontal lobes of the brain.•The frontal lobes are responsible for logical thinking and making decisions.
• •There is also evidence to suggest that an area called the left parahippocampal gyrus associated with processing unpleasant emotions, functions abnormally in OCD.
• —OFC – sends signal to the thalamus about things that are worrying.—Thalamus – leads to impulse to act and then to stop activity when the impulse lessens.—Caudate nucleus  - normally suppresses signals from the OFC. If damaged,  it fails to do this and so the thalamus is alerted about minor ‘worry’ signals. It sends signals back to the OFC acting as a worry circuit.