Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy

by David D. Burns, M.D.

Recently cognitive therapy has become very important in the fight against depression. It’s pretty revolutionary. Even though the writer admits that he was not expecting such an affect.

Thanks to cognitive therapy, we have progress in ;

• Rapid improvement of symptoms
• Understanding
• Self control
• Protection and personal development

Modern life causes lots of problems and coping methods can be applied to almost all problems that we may face. It is surprising that in some cases, it is even more effective than antidepressants. Even if you are undergoing psychotherapy and taking medication, the practices in this book can still help you. Of course not in the same level for everyone.

Whether we are truly depressed or not can be measured with the Burns Depression Scale. (Detects level as well) This book contains this test, and we can check if we are depressed or not. It is absolutely reliable that depressed people try to help themselves by applying the methods described in this book.

The main topic and very important part here is that our emotional state is formed not by events that occur, but by the thoughts we attribute to them. The relationship between our thoughts, feelings, and behavior is reciprocal. All your emotions and actions are the result of your thoughts and attitudes.

Cognitive distortions;

• All or nothing thinking
• Overgeneralization
• Mental filter
• Override positive
• Jump to conclusions (mind reading, fortune telling)
• Zoom in and out
• Emotional decision making
• “-should”, “-must” clauses
• Labeling
• Personalization

Thinking structures associated with procrastination, doing nothing;

• Despair
• To overwhelm/suffocate oneself
• Jump to results
• Tag yourself
• Depreciating rewards
• Perfectionism
• Fear of failure
• Fear of success: success may be seen as riskier than failure due to lack of confidence — belief that success will bring greater expectation and that it will not be met
• Fear of disapproval or criticism
• Pressure and resentment
• Intolerance to disappointment
• Guilt and self-compulsion

I highly recommend this book to those who are feeling depressed and looking for support, and to those interested in pschology.