Understanding CBT and the CBT Triangle
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) involves using your thoughts to help manage your emotions, which in turn affect the way you either impulsively react or appropriately respond to a crisis or any situation. This is considered to be the CBT triangle: Thoughts, Feelings, and Actions.
Recognizing Depression
Depression may be described as feelings of “emptiness,” “hopelessness,” or “sadness.” There are many different experiences of depression as there is uniqueness in people.
Be aware of the following symptoms of depression:
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Physical/Bodily Symptoms: aches and pains that don’t respond to traditional medical treatments, exhaustion, overeating or unintentional weight loss, excessive sleeping or trouble sleeping, feeling more fidgety.
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Psychological Symptoms: feelings of hopelessness and emptiness, anxiety, and suicidal ideations are not unusual.
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Social Symptoms: loss of interest in usual activities and avoiding others.
CBT-Based Strategies for Managing Depression
CBT is very useful in helping manage symptoms of depression. The following strategies are CBT-based and can be incorporated into your daily routine:
Focus on Your Strengths
One way to manage depression is to make an effort to focus on your strengths. List your greatest strengths, a hardship you have overcome, how you got through that hardship, what others have complimented you on (either small or big), and a positive event that happened in your life.
Create a Hope Box or Collage
Take an evening or afternoon during your free time to make a collage of inspirational quotes, poems, and songs that inspire you. You can extend this project further by making a hope box that includes positive things you enjoy, like calming essential oils, photos of positive memories, inspirational books, or anything that makes you feel even a little better.
Include Physical Activity
Even if you don’t feel like it, make sure to include physical activity in your daily routine. This can mean a 15-minute walk on your treadmill or, better yet, in the fresh air outside, a 5-minute yoga routine from YouTube (even using a chair), or doing soothing body stretches. Pinterest has great resources for this.
Engage in Relaxing Activities
Relaxing can be hard at times. Try to focus on “doing” activities such as reading an interesting book, attending weekly therapy, getting a massage, walking or dancing, window shopping while making a mental list of things you wish to buy later, taking care of plants and pets, or volunteering for a cause you believe in.
Depression can be addressed and managed. Seek help from your primary care practitioner to rule out any medical causes, see a therapist to talk out your thoughts, maintain a healthy lifestyle (eating healthy, body movement, sleeping adequately, and going for regular checkups) and embrace your social support. Need more support? Click here.
