Depression is a mental disorder characterized by persistent low mood, negative thoughts (about oneself, the world, and the future), and decreased activity. It is the most common mental disorder (from 22 to 33%). One of the most effective psychotherapeutic ways to help with depression and depressive conditions is behavioral activation. That's what I'll talk about in this article. Behavioral activation is based on a hypothesis developed by Aaron Beck: when people think more realistically, they begin to feel better. What does this mean: Cognitive behavioral therapists have noticed that when people are depressed , they exhibit specific ways of thinking that influence their behavior and, as a result, increase their depression. It is difficult to do anything about the thoughts of a person who is depressed. Remember yourself in a bad mood, do the words of your loved ones help you there that “everything is not so bad and will get better, you just need to do something”? This doesn't help people who are depressed. Why does this happen: As I have already mentioned many times, a person is biopsychosocial (that is, he is equally influenced by biology, the psyche, and the environment). And this means that by changing one thing, we change another. For example, changing your thoughts about a situation to more positive ones can change your attitude towards it, which will reduce stress and help change the situation itself. Likewise, a change for the better in a situation changes thoughts about it and attitudes, which in turn reduces tension. And, of course, the very reduction of tension in the body can change both thoughts and the situation (the very advice of our grandmothers “the morning is wiser than the evening”). Consequently, by changing the environment and behavior, it can change thoughts and even biological processes. It is these changes in environment and behavior that behavioral activation targets. Why does this work? To understand this, I’ll explain how depression grows: 1. Some stressful event occurs that provokes a decrease in healthy behavior (seeking support, obtaining resources and other strategies for coping with stress) and an increase in depressive behavior (avoiding problems, putting things off, escaping from society, etc.).2. This behavior, on the one hand, leads to negative consequences, such as the accumulation of problems in various areas of life (for example, the appearance of debts, decreased quality of relationships, deterioration of health), and on the other hand, such behavior has its own benefits (for example, sympathy and support for others, reduced tension from a postponed task, the opportunity to sleep and eat more and longer).3. Since the benefits come faster than the consequences, depressive behavior is reinforced, and healthy behavior begins to be associated with stress.4. At some point, the number of small problems accumulates and long-term serious consequences occur (firing, breaking up a friendship or relationship). 5. This is new stress and everything goes into a new circle. To open this circle, behavioral activation makes its target a change in behavior (increasing the amount of healthy, decreasing depressive). And I wrote above - behavior changes, thoughts and the situation change after it. “To put it more simply, it is difficult to feel depressed and have low self-esteem if you regularly participate in activities that bring you a sense of pleasure and/or achievement.” Signs that this type of treatment is right for you: - You are experiencing symptoms of depression. - You believe that changing your behavior can help change your mood. - You are willing to actively work towards changing your behavior. - Other treatment strategies have not been effective. - You are concerned about the possible side effects of medications. Identifying these behaviors and planning to change them is not a quick, painstaking process with many nuances. Therefore, before you become disappointed or criticize the method, try to seek help from a psychologist and walk with him this path from depression to a life that brings.