depression and cbt Flashcards
What is depression
Persistent sadness, discouragement, pessimism and hopelessness
Can depression be adaptive
Yes, sometimes low mood can help to disengage individuals from unproductive efforts
When is depression clinically significant
Unusually severe or prolonged
Results in significant impairment at personal, relational and professional levels
Major depressive disorder
Present five symptoms in a two week period that represents a change in function
Symptoms can present in many different ways making it hard to diagnose
Features of depressive disorders
High comorbidity with anxiety
More prevalent in females than males
High likelihood of reoccurrence - leading to chronic condition
Causes of depression - Monroe & Harkness (2005)
Stressful life events lead to 70% of people with a first onset of depression
Psychodynamic perspective on depression
Depression is anger turned inwards
Departs from the aspect that we have complex relationships with our parents
Freud says it’s a response to symbolic loss
Behavioural perspective on depression
Depression a response to lack of positive reinforcement
If we do a behaviour that results in a positive outcome then we’re more likely to repeat that behaviour, but without reinforcements then we won’t repeat any good behaviour
Behavioural activation treatment
Scheduling daily activities and alternative behaviours to reach goals
End result is to increase levels of positive reinforcement and reduce avoidance and withdrawal
(Dimidjan & Hollon, 2010)
Cognitive perspective on depression
Behind our emotional responses are thoughts at play so we have to change the thoughts which will change the emotional responses
Beck’s cognitive theory
Early experience -> Dysfunctional attitudes and beliefs -> Severe stressful events -> Conditional beliefs -> Negative automatic thoughts -> Depressive symptoms
Diathesis stress in depression
Stressful life events moderate the association between cognitive vulnerability and depression
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
When we change the internal interpretation of the events, we can adjust our emotional reaction to them
CBT helps adjust the distorted and irrational thinking patterns that lead to inaccurate processing of information
ABC model
Activating event
Beliefs
Consequences
Downward arrow technique
Identifying deeper thoughts and underlying beliefs and schemas -> Continuous inquiring about the meaning attributed to thoughts and actions -> Therapist introduces alternative interpretations for the patient to challenge and restructure thoughts
