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Cognitive Behavior Treatment Plans for Major Depression

Cognitive behavioral therapy is a counseling technique, which focuses on the symptoms and behaviors of mental illness versus the root causes. Cognitive behavioral therapy is often used for treating major depression, with a 75-percent patient improvement rate, according to the University of Michigan Depression Center. Therapists focus on eliminating negative thoughts, encouraging positive activities and helping patients reward themselves for positive actions.

  1. Eliminating Automatic Negative Thoughts

    • A major aspect of depression is the existence of Automatic Negative Thoughts, or ANTS. These thoughts occur automatically during certain situations and are usually persistent. For example, if a depression sufferer hears about a family member being sick, he or she might automatically think that the family member will die.

      Cognitive behavioral therapy gives patients the skills to systematically eliminate those thoughts. A therapist may first explore the actual thought with the patient. He would then address the feelings brought on by the thought and perhaps any behaviors associated with it. Then the therapist would try to associate realistic, positive thoughts with the action or trigger. In the above example, the patient would be encouraged to focus on how the family member has always bounced back from illness, as well as on any positive treatments that would help the family member get well.

    Engaging in Positive Activities

    • Depressed people tend to withdraw from positive activities. They may isolate themselves from these activities for a number of reasons. For some patients, it may be too comfortable staying in their isolation, despite the negative symptoms and increased risk of suicide. Therapists sometimes prescribe homework that encourages mood-enhancing activities. For instance, exercise is known to produce "feel good" hormones. Therapists might assign a patient to rate their general mood before exercise on a scale of one to 10. The patient would then take a 30-minute walk and rate the mood upon return. Over time, the exercise activities a therapist assigns might become a little more challenging and even more social, such as an aerobics class.

    Using Positive Reinforcement

    • Positive reinforcement is another technique that helps improve a depressed person's moods. The therapist and patient would create a take-home plan that sets up miniature goals; upon reaching them, the patient could reward himself with a treat such as new clothes or other gifts. Using the example from above, a client could treat himself to an ice cream outing if he completed all the walks he was assigned during a two-week period.

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