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intro.psych (Psyco 105) Discussion: Group 3 Discussion Group: Therapy: Sites to Visit: Cognitive Therapy: A Multimedia Learning Program
By Patricia on Wednesday, October 14, 1998 - 03:35 pm:
This is a program to aid patients in getting the most out of their cognitive therapy. Follow the Program Synopsis link at the bottom of the page to go through the basic features of the program. One technique involves clients keeping a daily record of automatic thoughts. Keep a record of your automatic thoughts for a few days. Did you find this task easy or difficult? What are some ways in which cognitive therapy is different from behavioural therapy?
I found the task of recording automatic thoughts easy. It was straightforward picking out my irrational thoughts from my rational ones and writing them down.
I found it difficult to record my thoughts. My thoughts were never constant. I would always be thinking something about everything and I found it hard to concentrate on just my automatic thoughts, if that makes any sense at all. Howevever, I know someone who was depressed and they used this strategy to overcome their depression, and it worked. I asked her about it and how it was recording her thoughts and she said that it is different for her because all of her thoughts were negative and writing them down or recording them allowed her to realize that all her thoughts were negative. She said that after she looked at all her thoughts after a day, she was surprised that none were positive. This realization and working with a psychologist allowed her to overcome depression without using drugs.
I have not used this specific technique for depression, I have used it change ny attitudes in sport. I didn't keep a journal I just became very aware of what I thought about my and teammmates performance. I just realized I have a class right now so I'll finish this in an hour .
I agree that for some individuals it would be easy to distinguish you rational from irrational thoughts. Often people with psychological problems also have low self-esteem, and this would prevent them from trusting their own decisions or categorizations.
The major difference between cognitive and behavioural approaches to therapy is that cognitive therapies always start with the theory that the patients thought patterns are the major problem and to remedy the disorder, the therapist must work on the patient's thoughts. Behavioural therapy, although it may include the way a patient thinks does not revolve around that idea.
SUMMARY
I agree that the degree of depression may be a key in the effectiveness of a program such as this. That's a good point. You've also mentioned that the "will" to work towards improving is also a contributing factor. Your differentiation between cognitive and behavioural therapy was good too.
Go There
Back to Therapy Sites to Visit
By Jene on Sunday, November 29, 1998 - 09:32 pm:
Cognitive therapy seems to focus on changing people's negative thoughts and beliefs by conciously replacing them with positive thoughts and beliefs. Behvioural therapy focuses more on classical and operant conditioning.
P.S. Who is summarizing?
By Montresor on Monday, November 30, 1998 - 09:25 am:
Cognitive therapy is not going to work with everybody though. It takes the will to want to overcome the depression. I can imagine that some people who are really depressed will look at their thoughts and agree with them rather than be surprised and get even more depressed.
What are some behavioural approaches to the treatment of depression?? I am not sure
P.S. I will summarize!!!
By Mollyc on Monday, November 30, 1998 - 12:53 pm:
By Mollyc on Monday, November 30, 1998 - 01:51 pm:
By Montresor on Tuesday, December 1, 1998 - 10:47 pm:
By Montresor on Wednesday, December 2, 1998 - 12:17 pm:
In our group, some of us found it easy to record our automatic thoughts and others found it very hard. It was mentioned that in order to be successful in cognitive therapy, one must have the will to get better and be willing to work at it (ie record all their automatic thoughts). It was also mentioned how cognitive therapy might be used in dealing with depression, and how recording their thoughts might help them realize all the bad thoughts they are having about themselves, or it might make their depression worse. I mentioned an example from someone I know and also noted how a relationship with a psychologist can be a key factor in cognitive therapy.
The differences between cognitive and behavioural therapies is that cognitive therapies deal exclusively with changing the patients thoughts. Behavioural therapies may include the thoughts, but not exclusively. Behavioural therapies also include such things as conditioning, whereas cognitive therapies do not.
By Patricia on Wednesday, December 2, 1998 - 11:17 pm:
Grade = 2+