The Depression and Bipolar Workbook by Aiken Chris;

Author:Aiken, Chris;
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: PESI

Step 3: Time for Change

As clients get acclimated to the antidepressant calendar, the goal is to have them gradually increase approach behaviors – the ones that move them closer to action – and reduce the avoidant ones. To do this, the therapist should ask clarifying questions that help them make connections between their approach behaviors and their mood. How did the client feel before, during, and after these approach behaviors? How did they expect the activity to turn out? What was the actual outcome? Did they anticipate it with anxiety, and was it as difficult as they expected?

The aim is to shift the client’s perspective from the immediate, emotional effects of the activity toward the longer-term gains. Depression makes people more sensitive to anxiety and less sensitive to pleasure and reward. That makes this work difficult. Talking about how good it would feel to go out for a swim may fall on deaf ears. The client is probably more in touch with the anxiety they would have as they drove to the pool. Therefore, the goal of this technique is not to convince clients that approach activities feel good. Rather, it’s to get them to try out new experiences so they can judge these activities for themselves based on real-world outcomes, rather than the imagined outcomes in their head.

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