Depressive Thinking
Most people have experienced depression for at least a short period of time, perhaps as the result of an event or confluence of events. For others, though, depression will not dissipate with time, imprisoning the mind for a lifetime.
The causes of depression are many and varied. Occasionally the reasons are there for all to see: a loved one has died, for example, or a job has been lost or an important relationship has broken up. More often the cause is mysterious to the casual observer because it is not events that necessarily cause depression, it is the way in which we interpret events.
Psychologists have found that, despite the variability in the causes of depression, there are some fascinating ways in which the thinking of depressed people often follows particular patterns. These patterns can be seen in people's 'attributions'.
An attribution is when a person attaches a particular cause to a particular effect, for example: "I didn't get the job because I am worthless." It might be clear to other people around me that I am not a worthless person but, in my mind, that is the connection, or attribution, I have made. There are three important components to the type of attribution that are implicated in depressive illness. To continue with this example, they are:
- It is my fault that I didn't get the job. Here I have made an internal attribution.
- I think I am worthless: a thought that is likely to affect all areas of my life. Now I am making this attribution global.
- I see no reason for the fact that I am worthless to ever change. Now the attribution is stable.
Conversely if something good happens to a person using this style of thinking, they will tend to attribute opposite causes. I got the job because I was lucky on the day: it is not because I am highly employable, it was a fluke and is unlikely to be repeated in the future.
This particular type of attribution has been shown to be unusual because people who are not depressed generally do the exact opposite. Most people have what is described as a 'self-serving bias'. Anything good that happens to you is because of your skills, is likely to repeated in the future and will remain the same for you.
So, the theory sounds reasonable, what about the practice? I will take a closer look at some of the research soon.
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very interesting stuff. having recently come out of a small bout of depression myself, i can see how truly this reflects on the thought processes at that time.
await to see more insightful infor from u.
This sounds extremely related to Neuro Linguistic Programming. Those "attributions" you named are all called "generalizations" in NLP, which therapists are trained to seek out and challenge.
Thanks for your comment anonymous. While I'm happy you can see parallels to a model with which you are familiar, I should say that from the perspective of psychology, Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) is usually considered 'unproven' at best. What psychology aims for is an evidence-based approach, on which the findings discussed here are founded.
Find out more about NLP from a sceptical perspective here.
Research suggests that it's not only what we think but also the way we process that content. Rumination, the repetitive processing of thoughts, can be important in determining the onset, severity and duration of depression.
While in theory this is all solid stuff i do not really agree with the fact that depressed people do the exact opposite. Im a clinically depressed obsessive compulsive, so instead i dont think of how everything good is because of my skills or because im so good, i focus on everything i did that is wrong, everything that is out of place even slightly. It all builds, and i go into depressions for months that are quite severe. Its whistfull thinking, but obviously it does not apply to all people. I support your ideas and am very interested in what you have to say, but its not true in all cases, and its never been true for me. Im curious to see how you respond and to see where this research goes because a large portion of this strikes home with me .
I'm not an expert on psychology by any means, but I am long-term depressive who has read a little into it.
I once had a bit of "cognitive behavioural therapy", the premises and methods of which sound similar to what you have written. Whilst I find it interesting, and in a logical sense think this is a very effective and realistic form of treatment, I also have my reservations.
The problem for me is that this kind of logical approach to the causes of depression ignores the hugely personal and inexplicable side that exists to every depressive. You can talk me through why I think what I think, and why I do what I do, and that will no doubt help. But you are trying to give me a structure of thought, feelings and behaviour to impose upon the hugely complex, damaged and confused entity of my self. Depressives want help, and will welcome ways to get out of their problem, but I think that this logical approach can miss the deep seated needs of the underlying personality. Teaching someone to think positively does not stop them from being depressive, it just helps them deal with it. And the problem with depression is that sometimes you just can't cope, you can't think logically, and you fall apart, and it is that state that is the real problem. There is a part of me that cannot be happy, and that is the part of me for which my own resources are not enough, and for which I need someone's help.
To both Anons, thanks for your comments. What you're both talking about is a real problem for CBT. In general the assumption is that targeting cognitions will work back to emotions. Of course talking about cognitions and emotions as though they were separate is something of a theoretical convenience - in reality they are constantly interacting.
The research shows that CBT clearly has something to offer many people who are depressed. But, as you both point out, it's by no means a perfect system, and, as ever, we are all different and require different approaches to treatment.
This is true of exogenous depression, but what about endogenous where the depression is not caused by any real external factors or thoughts but appears to come on by itself. In my case CBT has very little effects. When I am not dpressed I am incredible fun-loving,confident and positive.