Depression has become a common word in our vocabulary currently. While many surge through it daily, some simply use the word lightly every time they meet a small hurdle without understanding the severity of the context. Nonetheless, depression is a severe mental illness that affects the daily lives of people suffering from it by hampering their minds and bodies in many ways. Depression can lead to negative thoughts, lethargy, isolation from the world, and unwillingness to participate in societal obligations and life in general. All these factors contribute to an altruistic perspective where the person slowly dives deep into the void and detaches himself from the world. 

In many cases, it becomes difficult to identify the symptoms of depression as people are good at masking their feelings. They may look fine from the outside, but mental health issues fester through their brain, making them unable to sustain themselves and push through the demands of modern life. Many times, people suffering from depression do not recognize the problem, and even if they do, they feel hesitant to reach out for help. It is important to seek professional help to counter the adverse effects of depression and psychotherapy has become a great tool to counter depression. Let’s understand how:

Cognitive Therapy

At the core of cognitive therapy is a detailed focus on the thoughts that can hamper our emotions and negatively influence them. For instance, if we look at life from an optimistic lens with hope, our thoughts stay positive and counter depression. Focusing too much on the negatives of life can create a breeding ground for negative thoughts in your brain, leading up to anxiety and depression. Cognitive therapy can help people understand their mental patterns of negative thoughts to help them get out of that feedback loop of negative thoughts and feelings. 

Behavioral Therapy

While cognitive therapy focuses largely on thinking patterns and the brain, behavioral therapy focuses on changing behavioral patterns that adversely impact emotions. By focusing on behavioral activation, behavioral therapy contributes to changing one's lifestyle to be more optimistic. Behavioral therapy includes engaging patients in activities that help them change their lifestyles and feel better by countering depression. 

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

This form of treatment combines cognitive therapy and behavioral therapy to deal with various issues such as depression and anxiety. This approach of cognitive behavioral therapy focuses on dealing with negative thought patterns and negative behavioral patterns that lead to depression. 

For instance, your Houston therapist for depression might suggest maintaining a daily journal to keep a record of your feelings and your daily life to maintain track of any self-deprecating thoughts or negative emotions to the events that you may face. Continua negative thoughts linked to events of your daily life, known as automatic negative reactions, are one of the patterns that CBT attempts to deal with. Various kinds of thought and behavior patterns that CBT attempts to counter include all-or-nothing thinking, overgeneralization of emotions and feelings, and other distortions related to cognitive thinking. 

Once you have indulged in the exercises and activities that your therapist has asked you to do, you can practice other important skills like positive self-talk and consult your therapist for better homework, which can include relaxation activities, reading, worksheets, and goal-achieving activities. 

Conclusion 

While depression can hamper life and lifestyle, it is important to indulge in cognitive therapy, behavioral therapy, or a combination of both to deal with your mental health issues efficiently without coming across roadblocks to your healing journey. Start practicing your homework and take constant suggestions from your psychotherapist for bettering your life by dealing with depression effectively.