<aside> 🎖️ In previous weeks, we delved into cognitive techniques, challenging negative thoughts to improve our emotional well-being. Now, we'll shift our focus to the reciprocal relationship between behavior and emotions.

The concept is simple: our actions can significantly influence our feelings. By intentionally changing our behaviors, we can often alter our emotional states.

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<aside> 📎 Table of Content

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Relationship between what we do and how we feel

Psychologists have found that there is a close relationship between our activity and our mood. When we are feeling good we spend time with people whose company we enjoy, do activities that make us feel good, and take on new tasks and adventures that challenge us as individuals. These actions create a positive feedback loop:

• Pleasure: Engaging in enjoyable activities boosts our mood and reinforces positive behaviors.
• Mastery: Taking on challenges helps us grow and develop, leading to feelings of accomplishment and satisfaction.
• Connection: Positive relationships provide a sense of belonging and support, enhancing our overall well-being.

Conversely, individuals struggling with depression often experience a decline in activity levels. It is easy to fall into a trap. This can limit opportunities for pleasure, mastery, and connection, creating a self-perpetuating cycle.

Breaking the Cycle: Behavioral Activation

One way out of this trap is to wait until something external improves our mood. This approach is passive though, and it can leave you feeling helpless. One big problem with the passive approach is that you are likely to be waiting for a long time. Depression episodes can linger for months, making passive waiting an unreliable strategy.

A proactive approach called Behavioral Activation (BA) is supported by extensive research. It helps us break the negative cycle by directly increasing our activity levels, even when motivation is low. Behavioral activation has five steps.

1. Understanding the Cycle: We need to break this pattern to feel better by first understanding the vicious cycle of inactivity leading to depression and back.
2. Activity Monitoring: We identify how behavior affects our emotional state by tracking daily activities and mood.
3. Values and Goals: We explore what truly matters to us, defining our values and goals to guide our actions.
4. Simple Activation: This involves scheduling and engaging in activities that bring meaning and a sense of accomplishment, even if they don't seem appealing initially.
5. Establish routines: Obstacles will arise. Building a routine can help you overcome these barriers and establish a positive cycle.