4 Depression Coping Skills You'll Learn in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Embarking on a cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) treatment plan for depression? You’re on the right path. Cognitive behavioral therapy is one of the most effective and well-researched treatments for not just depression but a number of mental health disorders. The techniques taught in CBT aim to help you leverage the relationship between your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and gain more control over your mood.

1. How to Stop Believing Every Negative Thought

One of the first things you'll learn in cognitive behavioral therapy is how to identify the negative thought patterns that contribute to depression. If you’ve been battling depression for a while, it might seem like you’re trapped in a cycle of self-defeating thoughts that reinforce feelings of hopelessness and sadness.

CBT teaches that simply having a thought does not make it true. In fact, thoughts only hold as much weight as you give them by catastrophizing, overgeneralizing, or using black-and-white thinking. As you get better at identifying these cognitive distortions, you’ll become more comfortable challenging negative thoughts and replacing them with more balanced and realistic perspectives.

2. Why to Do the Opposite of What Your Depression Tells You

Depression is an unreliable narrator. It often tries to convince you that you lack the motivation, desire, and enjoyment to participate in day-to-day activities – even the ones you used to enjoy.

CBT teaches a skill called behavioral activation that trains you to engage in activities even when your energy and motivation levels are low. By starting with small, manageable actions and positive reinforcement, you can slowly reverse the downward spiral of depression and rebuild your momentum.

3. When to Face Your Fears

Anxiety and avoidance behaviors are common symptoms of depression caused by trauma and post traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD). Unfortunately, giving into these behaviors can continue to worsen depression symptoms.

A qualified cognitive behavioral therapist can incorporate exposure therapy into your treatment plan, which involves confronting feared situations or triggers instead of avoiding them indefinitely. This might be done gradually or all at once depending on your needs and wishes. Keep in mind that CBT is a collaborative process, so you’re always in control over how fast or slow your exposure progresses.

4. How to Apply Your New Skills in Real-World Scenarios

Practicing CBT techniques in the security of a therapist’s office is one thing, but your time and effort would be wasted if you didn’t learn how to apply them in practical situations.

Your therapist might help you do this through writing exercises or role playing in which you act out plausible scenarios and practice what to do and say. After enough repetition, you’ll feel much more prepared and confident facing your challenges in real life.