Cognitive Behavioral Therapy attacks the root of depression, Distorted Thinking.
When we are depressed, our thinking becomes muddled. Waking up in the morning with depression and looking at the day ahead, we want to dive back under the covers. The simplest tasks become totally insurmountable and the most minimal imperfection is magnified 1000 percent.
To dig deeper into how this can work, let’s consider John’s Story…
John is 36 years old, married with two children and owns two restaurants. He experienced serious depression 10 years ago and is now experiencing a second episode. The first episode lasted about 6 months and was treated with medication. Now, ten years later, this episode is worse and he needs both psychotherapy and a possible change in medication. As he and his doctor work together in adjusting medication, he and I work to counter his distorted thinking and anxiety.
I ask John to write down at least 10 upsetting thoughts and corresponding feelings he has been having prior to a session. Three thoughts and feelings are listed below:
Thought: “I’m a failure. I never succeed at anything.” Feeling: Fear.
Thought: “I’m a rotten father. I scream at my kids and they are afraid of me. Feeling: Sadness.
Thought: “I’m letting everyone down.” Feeling: Guilt.
For each of the upsetting thoughts John wrote about, he and I took time to examine his automatic negative thought. We then looked at how that thought was distorted. Finally, we challenged that thought with a more rational response. This process of examining his thinking and substituting more rational and less emotional thoughts, helped John see that his life was not as bad as he might have imagined.
Let’s look at John’s first thought, “I’m a failure. I never succeed at anything.”
The distortion here falls into the over-generalization category. John has, in fact, succeeded at many things in his life. He opened a restaurant, grew it into such a success that he was able to open a second location and has great reviews and loyal customers. He may be having some difficulty right now with personnel but that does not mean he never succeeds at anything. Instead, John might substitute the thought that he has generally done very well in his business but these new personnel issues are causing him some difficulty and he might need more help from Stacy, his assistant manager in managing shifts and personalities. She is really good at those things and wants to help.
Exploring John’s Fear
To explore the fear associated with this thought, we can talk about John’s experience watching his father fail in businesses and how that created havoc in his family when growing up. Separating that feeling from his current situation and exploring how to manage fear of failure, John can attack business challenges without the added emotional charge from his youth. We can look at ways for John to manage that fear, that anxiety using other techniques such as Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction.
Now Let’s Look at Your Thoughts and Fears
You’ve read a bit about John, what about you? How can I help you examine distorted thinking and recast your automatic assumptions? We can work together to analyze your negative thoughts and beliefs and replace them with more realistic assessments. The thoughts can and will change and you can find a more positive and life affirming approach to your life. Call me today to schedule a free consultation so we can begin changing your life for the better.