Behaviour therapy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Behaviour therapy - Essay Example The monetary cost is calculable, however. In 2001, the estimated cost of adult depression was estimated at more than  £9 billion,  £370 million of this was a direct result of treatment costs. In 2000, more than 100 million total working days were lost in addition to 2615 deaths attributed to depression (Thomas & Morris, 2003). The Greek philosopher Epictetus probably described it best when he said, â€Å"It is not circumstances themselves that trouble people, but their judgments about those circumstances† (Seddon, 2002). Cognitive behavioural therapy in essence, seeks to alter the perceptions of circumstances. Cognitive therapy, according to Aaron T. Beck, â€Å"... is based on an underlying theoretical rationale that an individual’s affect and behaviour are largely determined by the way in which he structures the world† (Dubord, 2004: 1). At one time this was simply referred to as behaviour therapy but today is known as cognitive behaviour therapy. This discussion outlines CBT and its approach to the treatment of depression. The primary interventions preferred in the treatment of chronic clinical depression are behavioural in nature. Efforts to augment a person’s sense of self-worth and to re-connect them socially through physically exertive exercises is a widely used and effective strategy for reversing behaviour associated with depression. Because of the behavioural nature of the condition and the treatment, it is strongly recommended that those in the health care services employ the same vigilance regarding behavioural treatments as they would prescribe drugs used as treatments. When the depressive cognitions are restructured, this generally increases the disposition benefits for an individual and positively affects changes in behaviour. There are many examples of depressive cognitive statements offered by patients that doctors often hear such as, ‘I can’t do anything to improve my outlook on life,’ ‘I’m