In an earlier blog, I described how I deal with mood that has become lowered, secondary to the client’s main issue, such as an anxiety state. Similarly, clients who are primarily depressed may also be worrying a lot, with the worrying maintaining their lowered mood. I therefore proactively keep an ear out for thoughts and feelings that may be suggestive of worrying.
Read more: Detecting and dealing with worrying as a secondary problem
One of the earliest CBT skills that I frequently find myself teaching clients is how to detect and deal with a mood that has become secondarily lowered by their main problems.
Clearly, it isn’t just those who satisfy a DSM diagnosis of depression who have low mood, but also often those suffering with any one of the anxiety disorders. It’s usually apparent in the assessment sessions if the client has a lowered mood: her baseline PHQ-9 measure may suggest lowered mood; she may explicitly state she feels low or sad or her thoughts and behaviours may contain content pertaining to loss or withdrawal.
Read more: Detecting and dealing with low mood as a secondary problem