What is CBT and how can it be used to treat depression?

CBT stands for Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. The underlying principle behind it is the fact that our thoughts, emotions and behaviour and interdependent, and changing one will also determine a change in the others. When it comes to depression, in order to alleviate low mood, thoughts of worthlessness and lack of energy, this type of therapy focuses on combating the Negative Automatic Thoughts a person suffering from depression has. These thoughts automatically pop into a patient's mind, and as such, they are often irrational and disproportionate to reality; for example, if a friend cancels a meeting, one may immediately jump to the conclusion that the friend hates them or did not actually want to meet. How CBT helps in that case is guiding the patient through a rationalization of these thoughts ("Could you think of other reasons for why your friend could not meet with you?" "Maybe they had something urgent to do and couldn't let me know earlier.". Therefore, by stopping these Negative Automatic Thoughts, the patient's mood and sense of worth is expected to improve.