“Behavioral activation” is a therapeutic intervention that involves scheduling or incorporating pleasant activities into daily life. It is effective for treating depression as a stand-alone treatment. However, multiple other psychotherapies (such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy) also incorporate a focus on increasing pleasant events.

The concept intuitively makes sense–do fun things and you will start to feel a little better. But in practice, it isn’t always easy to engage in pleasant activities when you are already feeling down. Chronic low mood often leads to withdrawal. Withdrawal, in turn, leads to a sense of isolation and even lower mood. Furthermore,........

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