Posted by SLS on August 11, 2011, at 7:39:13
In reply to Re: Some thoughts on automatic thinking due to depression, posted by jono_in_adelaide on August 11, 2011, at 1:24:00
> I am about to start therapy with a psychologist, because I think morbid/depressed thinking has become a habit I cant break, even though my depression is controlled.... so that I often think of suicide over minor upsets in life etc.
>
> Its a habit I hope the psychologist can help me breakYes! Go for it.
Keep in mind that intrusive thoughts often resolve without psychotherapy, once remission of depression is achieved biologically. It has taken me quite a bit of psychotherapy to extinguish bad habits and establish new ones. Even if you cannot change the frequency of intrusive thoughts, being able to recognize them for what they are (dysfunctional brain processes) can allow you to develop strategies to deal with them when they emerge. Of course, once the depression and anxiety diminish substantially, you will likely be left quite a psychological mess to clean up in the wake of the damage to one's psyche that depression can produce.
For me, I found it effective to ignore those thoughts that were intrusive or melancholic. They did not represent reality. Nip these thoughts in the bud and pretty soon there will be little content left but to ponder things constructive and positive in purpose.
Would anyone like to suggest a psychotherapeutic treatment modality that they found effective to treat pervasive depressive and intrusive thoughts while one in in the midst of an episode of Major Depressive Disorder?
I use a combination of IPT and CBT.
I also like seeing the use by others of psychodynamic approaches as long as they can be justified by the use of established evaluative diagnostic tools.
- Scott
Some see things as they are and ask why.
I dream of things that never were and ask why not.
poster:SLS
thread:993159
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20110809/msgs/993426.html