Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Techniques Used For Depression

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a psychological treatment that effectively treats depression, anxiety, and drug misuse. It plays a vital role in improving the quality of your life and the functioning of your body. Cognitive-behavioral therapy helps you challenge your negative thoughts about the world that ultimately changes your unwanted behavior patterns. It involves working with a mental health counselor in an organized way where a limited number of sessions are conducted.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy encompasses different techniques used by psychiatrists to achieve the desired results.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Techniques

• Cognitive Rehearsal

Cognitive rehearsal is a therapeutic technique in which the patient is prepared for a situation that usually makes them anxious or depressed. The counselor and the patient work closely to find ways that help in addressing a problem positively. For example, a patient is asked to imagine a situation that produces anxiety. Several positive coping mechanisms or statements are taught to the patient to deal with such situations. Therefore, the patient is then asked to rehearse or repeat those appropriate behaviors. In this way, the patient learns not to feel anxious in a stressful situation and deal with it positively.

• Relaxation & Stress Reduction Techniques

In cognitive-behavioral therapy, your therapist teaches you some relaxation techniques that reduce stress. Some common methods include: 

• Deep breathing exercise
• Muscle relaxation 
• Imagery 

All these techniques help you increase your self-control and effectively tackle phobias and self-anxiety.

• Guided Discovery 

The psychiatrist adopts your viewpoint and asks you questions about your beliefs in this technique. These questions are made to challenge your ideas so that you can broaden your thinking.

If you believe in a certain idea, you will be asked to provide evidence that supports your perception. In addition to this, evidence that negates your thoughts will also be demanded. During this whole activity, you will learn to view things from different angles, especially those you did not consider before. 

• Journaling

A technique of cognitive-behavioral therapy known as journaling involves writing. You all would agree that writing your thoughts is a very therapeutic activity. In psychiatry, this particular activity is utilized to help patients improve their behaviors. 

During the session with your therapist, you will be asked to enlist the negative thoughts that appear in your mind along with the positive ones that can be chosen instead. In this way, you get in touch with your thoughts and improve them.

Another way of journaling is to write down the new thoughts and behaviors you practiced since your last session with therapists. It helps you keep a record of your progress. 

• Exposure Therapy 

Another effective CBT technique is exposure therapy, mainly used to treat fears and phobias. It involves slowly exposing the patient to the things that induce fear in them and guiding them on how to cope with it. 

Exposure therapy can be performed in small increments. The purpose of this exposure is to make you feel less vulnerable. 

Key Takeaways 

Cognitive-behavioral therapy is a practical approach to depression. It motivates a person to overcome his fears and challenge his beliefs. All the techniques mentioned above have shown promising results in treating depression. If you also feel depressed and want professional help, visit Euromed Clinic Center. Our highly experienced and compassionate psychiatrists would love to help you out. They are highly professional and make their patients feel comfortable during the treatment. Book your appointment today by filling in the form or calling us.