What is behavioural activation and how is it applied to patients?

Within the psychology framework, behavioural activation is a technique that has proven effective in combating low moods. It is, therefore, ideal for depression, among other disorders that affect feelings. Here, we explain what it is, its fundamentals, and how it is applied to patients.

What is behavioural activity?

Belonging to what are known as contextual therapies, behavioural activation focuses more on the person’s symptoms. It seeks to encourage changes in behaviour and activation when exposed to certain situations or stimuli.

In other words, try to encourage her to act differently.

And to engage in activities that can improve their emotional state, even if they don’t feel like doing them. Because a depressed patient will give up or avoid those practices that he feels good about and enjoys. Nor does he or she want to venture out to try new ones. The aim is for him to get positive reinforcement: pleasant and enjoyable.

Difference with the cognitive behavioural approach

It should be made clear that this therapy differs from the cognitive behavioural approach in that it does not focus so much on the biological aspects of the person. It aims for the process to develop in reverse. In other words, a different way of behaving leads to a change at the cognitive and mood level.

In the cognitive behavioural approach, psychologists work more on evaluating thoughts. So modifying them leads to adopting other behaviours. As you can see, it works the other way around.

How many are the principles of behavioural activation?

Ten basic principles based on behavioural activation can be listed in total. They help us understand why behavioural activation helps reverse depression in patients.

1. Changing behaviours helps to generate positive feelings, because after doing an activity, we feel better.
2. The immediate strategies we adopt to cope with specific life changes that have caused depression can block us indefinitely. This causes us to maintain behaviours that maintain and aggravate the depressive state.
3. Knowing the precedents of our actions is essential to understand what happened before we took them. It is also important to know what happens afterwards, i.e., what triggers those behaviours.
4. Activities should be planned according to a plan and not according to a state of mind so that we have a more comforting perception of ourselves.
5. The best way to tackle change with behavioural activation therapy is to take it step by step. To do this, it is advisable to divide our goal into small tasks that when completed, lead us to achieve it.
6. Prioritising naturally reinforcing activities helps to consolidate them over time.
7. The psychologist acts as a person who teaches us different problem-solving skills.
8. Any outcome can be helpful, even if it is not always what we hope to achieve in behavioural activation sessions.
9. Not talking but acting is one of this technique’s most straightforward but revealing fundamentals.
10. Strive to overcome barriers created throughout treatment. For example, if a behaviour is not performed, it is essential to analyse the reason for this to resolve the possible difficulty.

How to do behavioural activation?

Whether therapy is successful depends on the individual case or patient. Although we can describe a structure of treatment, a strict protocol is not always followed:

• Review the activities we carry out daily, from when the alarm clock goes off until we go to sleep. Depending on the therapist’s analysis, this allows us to schedule some and eliminate others.
• Clarify the objectives to be achieved in each activity or behaviour. This is where the identification of personal interests comes into play.
• Draw up a plan which, in a timetable, sets out in writing the tasks to be carried out daily.
• Develop skills that may be necessary to act successfully. Either enhance existing ones or learn new ones.
• Specifically in young patients (children) it is also favourable to add motivators or rewards for compliance.

The behavioural activation sessions last between 45 and 50 minutes. The first one assesses or collects information from the patient. It also explains the treatment and asks if the patient has any questions about it. The following sessions focus on programming and strategies, as listed above.

Initially, the psychologist is more active in assessing difficulties, proposing activities, etcetera. However, as the person progresses, he or she takes on this role because he or she realizes what influences achieving his or her goals. Towards the end of the treatment, the professional is more dedicated to preventing relapses.

In short, behavioural activation is a beneficial therapy for combating depression or other low-mood problems. Distinct from the cognitive behavioural approach, its principles and mode of application must be followed to succeed. As a dietary supplement for becoming mentally healthier, we recommend taking G7 Neuro Health, which supports the psychological function of the brain.