Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) Bundle (312 pages)

BEHAVIOURAL ACTIVATION

The Lethargy Circuit

Common symptoms of depression and overwhelm include lacking energy, struggling with motivation and loosing interest in activities we otherwise may enjoy. It is not strange given this that we often see that depression and overwhelm causes inactivity in people experiencing it. The issue with this is that when we withdraw from activity this often reinforces negative thoughts and feelings we may have towards our self and the world, which in turn causes us to continue to withdraw from activities and people around us. As you can see, this has a tendency to cause what we often refer to as the lethargy circuit. Less activity results in worsened mood and negative thinking, which in turn results in less activity and so on. To break out of this circuit we need to introduce behavioural activation. One of the ways of overcoming this issue and improving your mood is to simply 'do more'. Yes, I know that is easier said than done. But the reality is that there is plenty of research that tells us that increasing activity and engagement in positive activities has a great effect on improving mood, decreasing worry, and building momentum and motivation. The trick to engaging in behavioural activation is to start small. Your brain is fighting hard to keep you from doing most things right now, so any change in activity is going to feel overwhelming. Read on to the next page for some tips on how to get started with behavioural activation. Behavioural Activation