History of depression

Sample Solution

  Behavioral therapy is an evidence-based psychological approach that helps individuals recognize and replace their unhealthy or unhelpful behaviors with more helpful alternatives. In the case of Mark, a 43-year-old male who has a history of depression, the therapist utilized this method in order to help him manage his symptoms.

The therapist began by having Mark complete an activity record which would provide detailed information about his daily activities and how often he was engaging in them throughout the day. This document also revealed if any positive activities were missing from his routine. Through this activity log, the therapist was able to gain insight into what triggers Mark’s depressive episodes as well as identify areas of avoidance or lack of engagement that could be addressed directly through behavioral therapy. The therapist then constructed a plan for treatment based on these findings that focused on gradually increasing social interactions while simultaneously decreasing negative coping strategies such as self-medication with drugs/alcohol and interpersonal avoidance. To achieve this goal, cognitive techniques like cognitive restructuring were used to help Mark challenge irrational thoughts and beliefs associated with his depression and confront ineffective patterns of thinking (such as ‘I am not worthy enough for anyone to care for me’). Additionally, the therapeutic relationship itself served as an important tool in helping Mark become more comfortable interacting socially with others by providing him with acceptance and understanding in addition to challenging him when appropriate. By introducing graduated exposure tasks like scheduling regular appointments at public places (i.e., coffee shops), participating in group meetings/support groups, or joining recreational sports teams/clubs;Mark slowly became more confident reaching out to engage others without fear or trepidation - something he had previously tried avoiding altogether due to anxiety related triggers stemming from his past traumas prior marriages ending abruptly. The gradual progression allowed him to steadily build up resilience towards facing triggering situations coupled with developing healthy habits such as exercising regularly - both physical changes which elicited positive effects on both body & mind further reinforcing compliance & consistency over time until they eventually became habitual behavior(s). In conclusion, utilizing behavioral therapy proved incredibly beneficial for treating Marks’ depression due its focus on addressing maladaptive thoughts/beliefs along with constructing new healthier activities - all targeting underlying causes instead simply medicating away symptoms only temporarily covering a deeper problem that needed resolution first before true healing can begin