Effectiveness of Cognitive Therapy on Depression Treatment - Term Paper Example

Effectiveness of cognitive therapy on depression treatment Introduction Teenage is a fundamental stage of human development since major behavior change and character development occurs at this stage. Several scholars have cited this stage of human development as a stage associated with a variety of psychological problems such as depression. Depression among the teenagers is generally caused by the feeling of abandonment and failure to acquire over ambitious goals. Generally, teenagers feel neglected by parents a situation that makes them behavior wild in order to attract attention. Cognitive therapy is among the most appropriate methods of treating depression among the teenagers (Wilkes, 1994). In essence, cognitive therapy is among the various therapeutic approaches within the larger field of cognitive behavior therapy whose major objective is to control human emotion in order to prevent adverse outcomes that might occur when human actions are driven by emotions and fallacious reasoning. Basically, cognitive therapy is a form of psychoanalysis that aids in the treatment of depression and other mental disorders. cognitive therapy recognize that people’s thoughts, feelings and character are all connected and in order to monitor human behavior all the three aspects must be assessed properly. In this regard, cognitive therapy is very appropriate in the treatment of depression among the teenagers as discussed below. Effectiveness of cognitive therapy on treatment with depression in teenagers Einstein (2007) argues that cognitive therapy involves testing assumption made by people and gathering new information that is important for changing the way individuals view life and its challenges. Cognitive therapy is very influential in shifting people’s negative emotions and behavior to constructive activities. Depression is basically fueled by destructive emotion and negative view to reality. For instance, some teenagers feel depressed when disallowed to participate in immoral practices by parents and other senior members of the society. Actually, the teenagers feel that parents hate them by depriving them the freedom to participate in whatever practice they think about. Cognitive therapy aids in instilling sense in the minds of the teenagers so that they can realize the reason behind denial of such freedom. Essentially, cognitive therapy plays an important role since depression, when left unsolved, can be destructive to the teenagers’ morals and social standing. Cognitive therapy is very compatible to almost all forms of depression facing the teenagers. This is because it offers an opportunity for flexible ways of thinking. In essence most types of depressed can be treated through intellect reasoning between a therapist and the depressed person. Teenagers undergoing cognitive therapy are able to evaluate the validity of the thoughts causing depression and the influence of such thoughts on goal achievement in life. This enables the teenagers to shift unrealistic and vague thoughts to something constructive that promote positive emotion, morally upright behaviors and creative thinking. Additionally, cognitive therapy promotes skill building for teenagers and therefore, they are able to apply the skills acquired in solving life problems. Cognitive therapy provides reasons for challenging negative thoughts and thereby helps in controlling depression among the teenagers. Generally, depression lowers self- esteem and confidence in oneself. Cognitive therapy aids in boosting self-esteem by establishing a reason to regain high self-esteem that might have been lost during the depression period. In addition, cognitive therapy involves dialogue and mutual reasoning between the therapist and the depressed teenager. Dialogue has proven to be a solution to many problems facing human beings for many years. In most instances, when depressed, one usually feels loneliness and the desire to share personal feelings with another person. Fortunately, cognitive therapy offers a platform for a depressed teenager to share thoughts with a therapist. Sharing of one’s feeling with a therapists shifts an individual thoughts from a dark view of reality to a bright one. Thoughts causing depression mainly occur without the conscious of the victim. The unfortunate truth is that, the depressed person distorts the thoughts by exaggerating the situation and treating it negatively. Through cognitive therapy, the depressed individual learns to identify and correct the negative thoughts contributing to depression. In fact, cognitive therapy enhances self-realization and appreciation of life together with its provisions. The way a teenager sees a problem sometimes provokes depression. For instance, a student may perform poorly in class and see him/herself as the poorest student in the entire education fraternity. In such as a case, the student sees him/herself as a good for nothing human being. In such a situation, cognitive therapy can help to shift the student’s view of him or herself to a more valuable being. In fact, the student will be able to recognize the causes of failure and improve on them to post remarkable results in future. Treatment of depression requires a well planed program since learning an individual’s mind is not an instant event but a process. Sometimes it is very difficult to identify means of treating depression especially when the victim is a teenager. Cognitive therapy entails a process of extracting information from the depressed person through interrogation. The therapist takes the depressed victim through a smooth session of interrogation to identify factors fuelling depression. In essence, the therapist takes time to learn the mind of the depressed so as to come up with a solid and friendly solution to the cause of depression. The teenager is then taken through a process of mutual together to shift the negative feelings and thoughts to some other constructive life issues. In fact, teenagers who have gone through cognitive therapy attest that, involvement in solving one’s own problems facilitate peaceful healing of depression. Rejection by peers, loss of a parent and bullying are among the major causes of depression among the teenagers. Thinking of these issues activates loneliness, hatred and negative feelings towards a teenager’s personality and life in general. Cognitive therapy plays a significant role in modifying the thoughts of the depressed teenager to view life challenges as stepping blocks to jump to higher levels in life. Therefore, depressed teenagers are able accept reality and to control emotions whenever faced with depression. In reality, cognitive therapists work with the teenagers to change their thought pattern so as to make them view life in a positive perspective. In essence, cognitive therapy gives the depressed person an opportunity to recognize that, it is not what is lost matters but what to achieve in life. According to Beck (2006) cognitive therapists usually give homework to their clients in order to practice the skills acquired during therapy session. This is very useful because the concepts acquired during the therapy sessions are not easily forgotten and the teenager can practice them regularly. In fact, giving homework promotes development of critical thinking skills and one is able to evaluate cognitive deformations that may provoke depression. In addition, cognitive therapy enables an individual solve daily problems more amicably without distress or fear. Conclusion The cases of depression are very high among the teenagers and it is important to adopt the most appropriate treatment mechanisms. Cognitive therapy is an effective way of treating depression in teenagers. Cognitive therapy changes the thoughts that provoke depression and offers an opportunity for the depressed people to view life in a positive perspective. In essence, it promotes change of opinion regarding a problem, from a negative to a positive point of view. Mutual reasoning between a therapist and an individual suffering from depression enhances peaceful healing of depression. It is important to treat depression in teenagers instantly and in the most appropriate way to avoid adverse consequences such as suicide and drug abuse. REFERENCES: Beck, A. et al. (2006).Cognitive therapy with children and adolescents: a casebook for clinical practice. New York, NY [u.a.]: Guilford Press. Einstein, D. (2007). Innovations and advances in cognitive behaviour therapy. Bowen Hills Old: Australia Academic Press. Wilkes, T. (1994). Cognitive therapy for depressed adolescents. New York u.a.: Guilford Press. Read More