For any number of reasons, whether it’s a lack of insurance or simply a lack of trust for the psychiatric community, sufferers of depression may not have ready access to the usual medications and therapy sessions that help others maintain a reasonable and balanced life.
There are many basic cognitive therapy techniques, however, which can be used in a self-directed fashion – and provide that little extra edge that can keep your life on track and productive.
Most of us are aware of a technique called “affirmations,” which involves writing down the things you wish to make manifest in your life, maintaining your focus and desire for these things until they actually occur. A similar cognitive therapy technique is to simply write down what you actually find manifesting in your life – to record your thoughts and beliefs, not to maintain focus, but to develop awareness.
One danger to watch out for when using cognitive therapy techniques without the guidance and support of a medical professional is that most of us, to some degree, will distort and alter our memories of events. It is important to know that your own memory… no matter how vivid… cannot necessarily be trusted, and this possibility should be considered carefully.
Ideally, we can rely on others to help us understand what our memories have altered or distorted, so we can identify the patterns in those distortions and account for them. If this is not an option, vigilance is the only response.
Once you become aware of the things you are thinking which make your life more difficult, it is a simple matter to question them. Many beliefs are not rational, but based upon emotion. With a little thought and consideration, these thoughts can be identified, and new behaviors introduced to respond to them.
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