The use of cognitive behavioral therapy in the treatment of depression

Pinnacle Behavioral Health
3 min readAug 18, 2022

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Research has proven research has shown that Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is highly effective in treating various mental disorders, such as anxiety, depression, and addiction. CBT is a way to increase the power of thinking, beliefs , and actions. CBT is understood by numerous theories. I will focus on three fundamental concepts: core beliefs and the assumptions that underlie them.

What is a fundamental conviction and what does it mean for your life? It’s the way we look at ourselves and our future. It is the lens we use to see the world. The beliefs that we hold are the key for creating automatic thoughts. Automatic thoughts are those that is instantaneous. They are our subconscious impressions that can be caused by specific circumstances. It’s a good idea to keep track of your subconscious thoughts. Sometimes, we don’t think about the negative self-talk that we do every day. Journalism can help you take a step back, reflect and understand what’s happening within your head. When you’re writing, consider some questions like: “What emotion did you have?” What thought caused this feeling of unhappiness? What happened during the period?

The automatic thoughts that are forming in your mind can be recognized and explore further to find the beliefs and assumptions that are at the root of the issue. It’s like cutting off layers of an onion to reveal the root conviction. The metaphor can be explained as follows: automatic thoughts comprise the initial layer, while fundamental assumptions comprise in the middle. Fundamental beliefs constitute the core that make up the onions. The “downward-arrow method” is utilized to treat depression in CBT for depression . It is about exposing the fundamental assumptions.

One belief that is central to the group could be “I’m either not good enough or attractive.” What is the process by which one become convinced of such a notion? This belief, also known as a “schema” is influenced by an underlying assumption. A fundamental assumption is typically stated in the form of an “if…then” statement. These assumptions are rarely challenged by an individual and are regarded as facts rather than opinions of a subjective nature.

Here’s an illustration of an assumption that is underpinning:

“If everybody loves you, that’s an indication that you’re worthy of it, and you’d be happy about yourself.”

It’s difficult to truly love everyone simultaneously. Someone may feel an unworthy person if they’ve got an inaccurate perception of reality. A negative review by someone else could be read as “I’m not accepted , which indicates that something is wrong with me… “I should not be worth it.”

The depressed will not consider or downplay positive interactions and aspects within their lives and concentrate exclusively on “evidence” that confirms the conviction. “being inadequate”). It is possible to use positive thoughts and affirmations, which are repeated every day to help remove a negative, deep-seated conviction.

Learn Further: How to manage my anger

It’s difficult to be a person who has negative schemas or beliefs that say, for example “I’m not loved”. To temporarily ease the mental ache certain people resort to using drugs. Some people’s maladaptive method of coping could turn into an addiction that is complete. The beliefs you hold about yourself could have a major influence on your life as well as major choices. It is essential to acknowledge those beliefs that are not beneficial and to take action to challenge them.

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Pinnacle Behavioral Health

After years of managing inpatient and outpatient facilities and programs, Ms. Hunt founded Pinnacle Behavioral. Visit Us: https://pinnaclebehavioralhealth.com/