Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, also known as CBT, is a preferred treatment approach due to its benefits and fast results. CBT doesn’t involve deep diving into the past, nor does it follow the concept that external factors heavily influence behaviors and feelings.
Instead, CBT revolves around the idea that your thoughts control your feelings and behaviors. You’re more in control of your emotions and behaviors than you think.
When you’re struggling with depression, by CBT logic, you’re more in control of turning matters around and healing from it. In fact, studies have shown CBT to be more effective for long-term depression management compared to solely taking medication.
Here are a few benefits of CBT for depression.
Change Negative Thought Patterns
A key characteristic of depression is a negative mindset and thought process. Not only does it contribute to depression’s onset, but it also fuels its persistence.
The CBT process focuses on changing your thinking and behavior to improve your quality of life and mental well-being. During CBT, you’ll work to identify your own negative thought patterns with the help of a therapist. You’ll challenge these negative beliefs and assumptions.
As you progress, you’ll learn to replace those with more positive thoughts and reframe your thinking. Coincidentally, you’ll start changing behaviors to be more supportive of the positive mindset.
Teach New Coping Skills
During CBT, you’ll learn new coping skills that will enable you to manage your depression symptoms and stress responses more effectively. CBT teaches you how to identify situations or external factors that trigger you. When you understand your own patterns, you’ll be better equipped to develop coping strategies.
CBT may include relaxation techniques, problem-solving skills, cognitive restructuring, and mindfulness. Behavioral experiments are also incorporated to trial your newly learned coping strategies. Your therapist may guide you in role-playing to give you additional practice in responding to challenging situations.
You’ll be given homework assignments to complete outside of the therapy sessions for further practice and to drill into these new skills.
Improves Self-Awareness
Another area that CBT helps with is gaining self-awareness and managing your emotions. CBT helps first with understanding your emotions and what is going on to cause your depression. When you understand your emotions, you can move on to processing them more effectively.
CBT involves analyzing your beliefs and values, which can also guide your understanding of your emotions and reactions. Homework assignments may include journaling to monitor what triggers you, how you want to respond, or your emotions.
Improves Problem-Solving
Much of CBT revolves around improving your problem-solving skills to help you overcome your depression. You learn to identify and replace your negative thought patterns with new, positive ones. You learn how to break down larger problems into smaller ones that are more manageable.
Depression can impact your cognitive processing and make problem-solving more difficult. With the implementation of CBT, newly learned coping skills and homework assignments can make taking on problem-solving bigger issues easier.
Improves Self-Esteem
Depression can often coincide with reduced self-esteem. Poor self-esteem can fuel negative thoughts and create a negative cycle. During CBT, you work to disrupt your negative thinking and challenge any false assumptions you’ve been living with.
CBT works to create positive thought patterns and instill realistic beliefs about yourself. With practice and time, you will be able to overcome some of the negativity that works with your depression.
Are you currently struggling with depression? If you’d like to learn more about the benefits of CBT and how it can help you personally, contact us today for more information about CBT or depression therapy.
