Research shows the approach is especially helpful for those who aren’t aided by drugs.
Depression is more than just a bit of the blues. The classic sadness, despair, and slowed mental functioning can be accompanied by physical symptoms, including aches and pains, heart palpitations, tremors, fatigue, and nausea. People who have depression are at higher risk for cardiovascular disease and possibly dementia.
Only a third of patients with depression respond fully to antidepressant medication. But treatment isn’t limited to drugs. “Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is as effective as any individual antidepressant would be,” says Dr. Michael Craig Miller, assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.
CBT is based on the idea that our thoughts make us suffer as much as external things do. Changing unhealthy thinking can bring relief in a way that medication can’t. “Whatever medication is doing to enhance your brain’s ability to regulate mood, there may still be patterns in your life that are undermining your sense of well-being,” explains Dr. Miller.
A CBT therapist will help you identify automatic negative thoughts and understand why the thoughts aren’t rational. Together you will come up with ways to rebut the destructive thoughts and develop techniques to reinforce positive ones. “You might cultivate ways to turn away from negative thinking by distraction, evoking soothing images, or making positive statements to yourself,” says Dr. Miller. “You might also learn relaxation techniques or practice meditation to reinforce the technique.”
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