Cognitive treatment for unipolar depression (CBT)

developed from Beck's cognitive model of depression. Faulty thinking patterns including negative automatic thoughts, are regarded as arising from shemata that are built through early experiences. Depression can be treated by helping the individual to focus on their negative and then to consider new ways of thinking. From a list of possible faulty ways of thinking, the client is encouraged to consider which, if any, apply to them. The CBT practitioner then offers a number of different tools to help cope with negative automatic thoughts, including indentifying the triggers for these thoughts so that the cycle can be broken.

Cognitive model suggests some ways of thinking that are found in those who are depressed;

• all-or-nothing thinking-something that goes wrong is taken to indicate that everything will always be wrong
• catastrophising-a single negative event is blown up into the percursor of disaster
• crystal ball thinking-guessing negatively what someone else will do or say or what will happen
• over-generalisation-e.g. loneliness means that you are dislikes
• negative mental filter-negative aspects of a situation are focused upon, while positive ones are 'filtered out'
• disqualifying the positive-when someone gives a…