How To Deal With Depression: Daily Tool to Change Your Thoughts and Behaviors and Thus Your Depression

You can use the tool below to help you effectively analyze your thoughts and actions that are causing your depression. You can use the tool daily to learn to control and change your cognitive distortions and rid yourself from depression.

First I provide a chart of the cognitive distortions and their meanings.

Secondly, I provide an example of how to use the form.

Lastly I provide the form for you to use on a daily basis to help you learn to deal with your depression

Cognitive Distortions:

Cognitive Distortion	Meaning
All-or-Nothing Thinking	The tendency to see everything in absolutes; black or white
Mental Filter	Focusing on only one aspect of a situation; usually one negative aspect
Discounting the positive	Focusing only on the negative and negating the positive
Overgeneralization	When we use language like “always”, “never” “can’t” “impossible” “that’s just my luck”
Jumping to Conclusions	Mind reading and fortune telling;
Magnification	Glorifying or Magnifying problems and minimizing positive situations
Emotional Reasoning	Evaluating a situation based on how you feel: I feel… therefore I think…
Should Statements	Thinking in absolutes. Should statements are self-defeating because “they” assume we are perfect
Labeling	When we think the behavior represents the person rather than just focusing on the behavior as a separate event.
Personalization and Blame	Blaming yourself or just one person when there are many factors that contributed to the situation

Example:

Here’s What Happened:

I gave a very important presentation at work today. It was a flop. I’m sure to get demoted or fired.

I Feel:

My Negative Thoughts Are:

I always give bad presentations.

My manager is going to tell my boss and I’ll get demoted or fired.

I hate having to deal with this. This is going to ruin my whole life.

You will now choose from the drop down menu the cognitive distortions that represent your negative thoughts.

You will now practice replacing your negative thoughts/cognitive distortions with rational, healthy thoughts.

My Rational Thoughts Are:

I know my presentation had some impact because my coworkers were taking notes and nodding their heads.

I have no idea what my manger was thinking. She’s obviously very busy and probably did not have time to speak with me yet. I will be sure to check in with her first thing tomorrow

This is not the end of the world. This is something I can manage and control. If I need to make some adjustments, I will work harder next time. I’m grateful for my life.

Now I Feel: