Cognitive Distortions Present in Depression
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Cognitive distortions can be described as negative biases in things that are theorized to portray vulnerability factors for dysphoria and depression. People experience automatic thoughts on occasions, which, in return, leads to emotional and behavioral responses. This paper focuses on three central cognitive distortions present in depression. That is, catastrophizing, emotional reasoning, and overgeneralization. Also, it will highlight techniques therapy of modifying cognitive distortions discussed.
Catastrophizing is when an individual assumes that the worst will happen. It includes believing that you are in the worst position than you were previously. (Hampton et al., 2020). An excellent example of catastrophizing is when a student worries that they may fail an exam. They may believe that failing an exam means they are poor students and are bound never to succeed, get a degree, or get a job. People with depression will experience an increased risk of reduced cognitive function due to the advanced speed with their brain’s ages (Mitchell, Tafrate & Hogan, 2018). Scholars insisted that middle-aged individuals are at the top of the bell curve for depression, although the people at each end of the curve, both young and old, may be at risk of severe depression. Refereeing to (Rodríguez et al. 2020), children catastrophize are more likely to have an anxiety disorder. The researcher argued that in managing anxiety, there was the fact that a strong relationship between catastrophizing and depression exists. The ways in which a patient can counteract catastrophizing is by first by accepting themselves, learning to self soothe, and also taking control by establishing a worry regular time. According to (Qu & Sas 2018), anxiety is energy, and if one is anxious, they should celebrate.
Overgeneralizing is another cognitive distortion present in depression. Overgeneralization is a way of thinking where one applies one experience to all experiences, including those in the future. It frequently affects individuals with anxiety or depression disorder (Darnall,2017). People end up generalizing by making a broad assumption of something from limited experiences. However, generalization can take many shapes. For instance, we can predict the result of something grounded on one occurrence of it. Also, we overgeneralize after attending for a job and fail to get it by thinking we will never get a job, and as a result, we feel hopeless. After interacting with a different person from another ethnic group, we may make conclusions about the group based on this one person’s behavior. According to (Qu & Sas 2018,) overgeneralization is accurate and can be limiting. Among the principles that can help in enhancing developing means of promoting generalized behavior change are, minimizing the need for generalization as much as possible and conducting a generalization probe before and after the instructions.
Cognitive restructuring is a common therapy practice employed in identifying and undo cognitive distortions. It is often applied when a person is depressed and has overgeneralization as a cognitive distortion. The affected person and therapist attempts to identify a stressful incident as reported by the client. According to (Wright et al.,2017), cognitive therapy sessions are meant to help the client eliminate and undo ‘automatic thoughts’ or simply overgeneralization, such as a person with dating issues. A therapist can help the client with more realistic cognition, such as telling them that it is within their control to ask girls out and helping them to know that there are things they can do to influence the other party without assuming. Another technique appropriate to modify overgeneralization is to examine their thinking in a more balanced manner and rational perspective. This is done by coming up with several investigative questions to help one come up with rational thoughts. These questions are pivotal to help one stop overgeneralizing (Wright et al.,2017).
As catastrophizing is closely related to mental health, therapy can be the only close technique to treat this cognitive distortion effectively. (Mullins, 2017). Argues that cognitive-behavioral therapy is the most common method used to treat catastrophizing. This technique helps address a person’s thinking and behavioral patterns. This therapist helps the patient identify irrational thoughts and replace them with more reasoning and sound thoughts. With cognitive behavioral therapy/ both the patient and the therapist work in conjunction to identify a faulty thinking pattern leading to a given problem and application of new techniques to help reshape those thoughts (Mullins, 2017).
For a case of a student who might have a sense of ‘I will fail exam ‘which in any case as an irrational thought, a therapist one can help to replace thought with a rational one. For instance, one might say, ‘I will be sitting for my exam; if I work hard, I will pass.’ Mindfulness is another technique that can help patients be associated with catastrophizing. Being mindful will help one identify thoughts that are rational and ones that are out of human control. Research studies have shown that being mindful can largely treat and reduce catastrophizing. If all this persists, one can also be advised to take the appropriate medication (Mitchell& Hogan, 2018)
In conclusion, the major cognitive disorders, such as catastrophizing and overgeneralization, results from depression and can appropriately be reverted by therapy sessions. The above text explains catastrophizing and generalization as the main cognitive disorder with examples and how one can avoid them. Also, it furthers on elaborating on how this cognitive biases result in depression among people. Additionally, it discusses the various therapies applied to a patient to control cognitive biases in them.
References
Qu, C., & Sas, C. (2018, July). Exploring memory interventions in depression through a lifelogging lens. In Proceedings of the 32nd International BCS Human-Computer Interaction Conference 32 (pp. 1-6).
Rodríguez-Menchón, M., Orgilés, M., Fernández-Martínez, I., Espada, J. P., & Morales, A. (2020). Rumination, Catastrophizing, and Other-Blame: The cognitive-emotional Regulation Strategies Involved in Anxiety-Related Life Interference in Anxious Children. Child Psychiatry & Human Development, 1-14.
Hampton, S. N., Nakonezny, P. A., Richard, H. M., & Wells, J. E. (2019). Pain catastrophizing, anxiety, and depression in hip pathology. The bone & joint journal, 101(7), 800-807.
Darnall, B. D., Sturgeon, J. A., Cook, K. F., Taub, C. J., Roy, A., Burns, J. W., … & Mackey, S C. (2017). Development and validation of a daily pain Catastrophizing scale. The Journal of Pain, 18(9), 1139-1149.
Wright, J. H., Brown, G. K., Thase, M. E., & Basco, M. R. (2017). Learning cognitive-behavior therapy: An illustrated guide. American Psychiatric Pub.
Mullins, C. D. (2019). Cognitive-Behavioral Group Therapy for Blind and Visually Impaired Adults: Acceptance, Problem-solving, and Cognitive Distortions.
Mitchell, D., Tafrate, R. C., & Hogan, T. (2018). Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in Forensic Treatment. In New Frontiers in Offender Treatment (pp. 57-84). Springer, Cham.