Cognitive Behavioral Therapy - Assignment Example

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy 1. Introduction: 1.1: Overview Cognitive behavioral therapy abbreviated as CBT, is used to treat patients with depression. CBT is indicated by Increased amount of negative thoughts Change in behavior Change in self value assumption Change in physical state Over-thinking affecting mood The problem under observation is of patient “abc”; due to privacy his name is not disclosed. He lost his job due to non serious attitude. His involvement in seeking pleasure from drinking and drugs is observed. Loneliness and unemployment pushed him into a state of denial and low self esteem. This made him more depressed every day. Depression destroyed his physical, emotional and social life. CBT consists of cognitive restructuring in two parts. First the therapist and patient work on changing thinking patterns. In the second step, therapist and patient work together to overcome different obstacles like quitting alcohol consumption. In CBT group or individual therapies are done. The therapist tries to focus on the key issues of the patient. He tries to make the patient realize where he is making mistake and how different things can be with slight change in perception. Along with specific problem resolution, CBT is goal oriented in which patient and therapist work together to attain milestones. CBT is an enlightening therapy. It uses the technique to pen down negative thoughts of the patient. This makes the patient analyze how different thinking pattern affects his moods and reactions to situations. CBT is active learning in which the therapist tries to bring about a change in behavior and attitude of patient within the therapy and tries to stay connected with the patient through home tasks. Strategies like “Socratic questioning, part playing, metaphors, guided discovery and behavioral experiments” are used in CBT. Duration of CBT is from fourteen to sixteen weeks (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Depression: Techniques, Sessions, and More, n.d.). 2. Techniques to work with this client Patient ‘abc’ is suffering from depression. His mental condition and thinking patterns will not accept a therapist if he acts “perfectly”. I plan to work with this client in the most human and down to earth kind of way. Sometimes, sharing the depressing moments in therapist’s life help the patient in gaining sufficient amount of confidence to let go of the past and move forward. When someone is depressed, he acts in unhealthy manner like giving up or not participating in anything. I will try to change the thinking pattern of the patient from “I cannot do it” to “I can do it”. He needs to realize that he has to add in the social setup of society rather than cutting himself from it. a) Basic assumption of the theoretical approach The basic assumption of the theoretical approach that I am going to use for patient ‘abc’ is Cognitive Behavioral therapy. However, the classical therapies do not focus much on relationship building with patient and tries to remain as a slate. My focus however will be on building a friendly relationship with the patient. This will make use of realization of goals and change in behavioral patterns. This theoretical approach will help patient in moving forward in life by self worth. b) Provide a summary of you initial assessment with this client. Patient ‘abc’ has been experiencing depression for two months. He lost his job due to non serious behavior and alcohol consumption. His screening test made him lose his job. Unemployment triggered the depression and patient lost hope. He tried to find solace in alcohol and drug consumption. His pattern of life became inactive. Losing his girlfriend made him more depressed and lonely. The solace he found in alcohol, drug and smoking also changed to aggravation. Sleeplessness overtook him and he felt exhausted every time he woke up after sleeping and passing out. He felt worthless and eventually lost appetite. Depression affected his emotional, physical, social and psychological life at large. c) Provide the goals of therapy with this client. To change the routine of patient from inactive to active To take the patient out of self discouragement to encouragement To make him realize self worth, continue work and make new friends To make him understand the importance of “his” life To let go of past and expose himself to new things To make him realize importance of social life, people, social interactions and community feeling. d) Provide the therapeutic procedures, according to your theory of choice, to be used with this client. In CBT, there are no tags given to a therapy session. There is “interview technique” and “concrete analysis of the patient’s thoughts, feelings and emotions” in this therapy. I will prefer using the interview technique. The therapist builds a relationship with the client on basis of trust and respect. This makes the patient feel that the therapist is as much a human as he is. Interview is a one to one session with the client which makes the client narrates his story. This helps the therapist in understanding how the patient perceives himself and his problems. This gives the therapist a better understanding of the state of his patient. Hearing the story will help me in building a relationship with the patient and in better understanding of where self worth is taken wrong by the patient. Self determination is the key to success in this therapy. The patient should realize his worth and work with determination in attainment of better life. e. Multicultural issues to be considered with this client The patient consumed a lot of cocaine and alcohol due to which he missed a lot of work. Patient “xyz” lives in a culture where consumption of alcohol and drugs is not appreciated. Delivery of results by working hard is of utmost importance in this culture whereas patient “abc” is not paying attention to it. His girlfriend’s expectation from his was also practical. She wanted him to be serious in his life, get work and change routine to active. No change in behavior made him lose his girlfriend. This loss did not motivate him to do something or prove himself but instead he consumed more alcohol. The patient ‘abc’ should learn to live with people and their expectations. No one can survive alone. Man is a social animal and needs to interact with one another. Therefore, the patient should interact with people and try to respect their expectations. He does have a value that is why people are affected by him. Rather than quitting, he should try to compete. f. Provide some integrative issue that could enhance your chosen therapeutic approach. The cognition of the patient plays a primary role in the development and maintenance of emotional and behavioral responses to situations in life (Prende and Resko, n.d.). The patient should be introduced to the fact that he was not born alone (Thomson and Horner, 2012). He came to the world due to the unification of two bodies. This means that he cannot survive alone. Man has to live in a social setup with social interactions. The patient assumes that he can survive alone and therefore has a non serious attitude towards his job. Cocaine, drug and alcohol consumption in large amount makes one cut off from the real world and enters into another state. Therefore, man starts losing interest in present life which eventually makes him lose everything one by one. Patient “abc” lost his job and even after losing job there is no change in behavior observed. He continues consuming alcohol, drugs and cocaine which give him satisfaction until one day his girlfriend breaks with him due to his irresponsible behavior. These made him feel dejected; lose weight and finding no solace in consumption of drugs. Therefore, addressing relationship between self and society is the key to bringing a change in patient’s life. Man should meet other people in order to change the spectacle in which he looks the world. 3. Conclusion Depression makes one lose hope and self worth. It is important for the patient to realize that losing one thing does not mean that a chain reaction has to be started. He has to feel that he is part of a community and has to work for the betterment of society. He is not alone and should quit thinking in that manner. He has to have an active lifestyle and give up drug consumption. He needs to work hard to earn respect and should do it. He should not live alone and should learn to make new friends. CBT can help patients in recovering their self esteem and working for the achievements of goals in life. CBT makes the patient align his thought, feelings and behaviors in accordance with positivity to regain interest in life. Anyone experiencing depression like patient ‘abc’ should be enrolled in a therapy session so that he can live life at its full. Anyone who tries to pull himself into loneliness should be discouraged. Meeting people, trying to be friendly and trying to give positive vibes is a great virtue and positive change in behavior. 4. References Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Depression: Techniques, Sessions, and More. (n.d.). WebMD. Retrieved April 25, 2014, from http://www.webmd.com/depression/guide/cognitive-behavioral-therapy-for-depression Thomson, B., and Horner, M., B. Managing Depression with CBT For Dummies . NY: John Wiley & Sons. 2012. Pp. 103-106 Prende, A., G., and Resko, S., M. Cognitive- Behavioral Theory. (n.d.). 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