Depression : Aaron Beck's Theory Of Depression

Major Depressive Disorder has claimed the lives of up to 15% of those suffering from the disorder through suicide (Belmaker & Agam, 2008). Different people are effected by depression in different ways. Some individuals, like Raquel, suffer from loss of interest, feelings of worthlessness, along with thoughts of suicide (Fave & Kendler, 2000). Others go on with their daily routine with a smile on their face, while hiding their emotions. Although most individuals will experience depressed mood or general loss of interest in activities they once enjoyed (Spaner, Bland, & Newman, 2007).

The cognitive theory argues that behavior is based on knowing about a situation in which the

This essay will begin by discussing the main assumptions of the cognitive, psychodynamic and biological approach to psychology. It will look at a study that supports each approach. In addition it will look at how the studies have been influential in psychology today. Finally it will include some of the different branches of psychology and why these are relevant to different health professionals.

“Cognitive therapy first came to the attention of British psychologists and psychiatrists through the pioneering work of the British researchers who sought to evaluate the efficacy of Beck’s treatment for depression.”

Cognition refers to the process in which people are able to acquire and comprehend various forms of knowledge through their thoughts, experiences and use of their sensory systems. This process of cognition is in itself takes various processes. It must be said as early as now that the ultimate result of cognition processes is to result in one learning. The cognitive processes are started by one having to pay attention. This

The activating event, or A, is anything that causes a negative psychological reaction. The belief, or B, are the illogical thought patterns that follow. The Consequence, or C, is the result of the negative thoughts, which often take the form of upset emotions, irrational behavior, depression and interpersonal conflicts. For example, the person who lost their job would recognize that any innocent comments about their employment status may trigger a reaction. They would recognize that the resulting negative self-talk and self-blame are counterproductive. They would then recognize the consequence of this would be anger, anxiety and unhelpful

Fayard, J. V., Roberts, B. W., Robins, R. W., & Watson, D. (2012). Uncovering the Affective

The author's intention is to not only present accurate information for the readers, but also grant them a space to reflect on the emotional truth in order to have the ability to take actions on their own terms.

Aaron Beck developed the cognitive therapy concept in the 1960s. Beck was very ill as a child and perceive his mother to be depressed and unpredictable due to losing two children in their infancy due to illness. Beck graduated from Brown University and Yale Medical School. According to Beck’s daughter Judith, cognitive therapy is based on the ideas of the stoic philosophers in Greece and Rome (Seligman et al, 2014, p. 294) Cognitive Behavioral Therapy was founded by Donald Meichenbaum, a distinguished professor emeritus at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada. While he was working on his dissertation for his doctoral degree, he noticed that people with schizophrenia who were taught healthy self-talk fared better in other measures than those with schizophrenia who were not talk about healthy self talk.

The Cognitive Perspective: This is a way to explain how an individual’s thoughts and explanations have a profound effect on their actions feelings

• that a person can learn to become aware of the interaction of cognition, emotion, and behavior; and that altering the ones that may be more directly under our control or influence – cognition and behavior – will impact the person’s responses on all levels.

J M Fisher, The process of transition lists 9 behavioural responses people demonstrate when experiencing

● Information processing - The theory states that at the time information is presented to the

Aaron Beck is an American psychiatrist and a professor emeritus in the department of psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania (GoodTheraoy.org). Beck has had an interest in the changes of human nature goes as far back as he can remember. Beck is known as a trailblazer in the psychology world because he focused on disoriented thoughts that lead to problematic behaviors such as depression. “Beck struggled to find a way to help his depressed client’s better capture their emotions. He realized that many of his depressed clients experienced recurring negative thoughts and that as long as they believed these thoughts to be true, they would continue to have symptoms of depression”(GoodTherapy.org). Beck spent much of his career at the University of Pennsylvania and advocated for the application of cognitive behavioral therapy in the treatment of depression and other mood problems (GoodTherapy.org).

In the next paragraphs I will consider some theories, factors and evidence on cognitive controlling of emotion in terms of