Main Features Of Depression
- Beck described depressed people as focusing on unrealistically negative views and having a ânegative cognitive triad; depressed people typically have a negative view of themselves, the world and the futureâ (Mytton, 2000)
- Thoughts about loss, defeat, failure will be the main themes of the NATs
- The client will have a negative, rigid bias in most areas of life, e.g. wonât remember good events, or will put them down to âflukeâ
- This maintains depression (rather than causes it, there is still debate about the cause of depression)
How To Work With Someone With Depression
- Write to GP/consultant telling them you have been approached by the client and asking their agreement that you can work with this client.
- You can use a depression inventory (e.g. HADS or Mind Over Mood Depression Inventory*) to measure how depressed your client is if you choose to. These can be useful to assess how serious the clientâs symptoms are and to see improvement and progress.
- Clients need to see how they âconstruct realityâ and maintain their depression
- It is important to educate your client about depression generally and what makes it worse etc. Get to know their triggers, thoughts and biases and help to make them conscious
- Work out what specifically is relevant for this client
- Help clients to uncover, challenge and change NATs
- How has the client experienced coping/achieving/enjoyment? Enable the client to remember positive coping strategies, achievements and pleasurable activities. Make a list of goals about these features.
- Set goals that show progress e.g. sleeping longer at night
