Reflective Writing Assignment #3
When one is depressed, the family normally just tells the patient to get over their gloom and doom mood. In the cognitive approach, they try to help the patient by asking them to increase their activities. Another way the cognitive approach helps patients is through identifying the negative thinking that the patient is thinking, and getting rid of the bias. Cognitive therapists also helps to get rid of bad thoughts or mood by changing the attitudes of the patient. By doing these things the patient is able to feel comfortable, and feels as if someone is there for them. When the patients family acts as if it isn’t a big deal, and tells them to just get rid of the problem themselves. Martin Seligman created the theory of learned helplessness; it states that people become depressed when they think that they no longer have control over the reinforcements in their lives and that they themselves are responsible for this helpless state. He tested his theory by placing dogs in a shuttle box, this test caused the dogs to learn that they have no control over their lives and the situations that occur. The cognitive theorists believed that negative thinking was the main cause of depression. Cognitive theorist also believe that there is a cognitive triad that contributes to depression, The triad includes, their experiences, themselves and their futures. Theorists believe that all of these help to contribute to depression, and if we are able to get a control on them, we are able to help get rid of depression. The basic goal of cognitive therapy is to change the ways of thinking of those who experience unipolar depression. Like mentioned earlier, they do this by changing their activities, and elevating their mood. They also