CBT and other therapies for severe depression

[anchovies]

Just wondering if anyone has any thoughts on the relevance of CBT on severe depression? I am finally starting to get some improvement on Venlafaxin and am thinking about ways I can continue to improve/prevent it reoccurring in the future (today is the first good day in weeks!)

I have had CBT in the past for obsessive thoughts and social anxiety and found it worked well but am struggling to find thoughts/behaviours related to depression that I could look at through CBT. I don't seem to think or do anything when I am not well and move quickly between being lighthearted and full of life to pretty much "nothing".

Or is there anything else that I could try?

As I understand it a CBT therapist would get you out doing things, encouraging you to go to social events you would otherwise have said no to etc. Acting like a non-depressed person person basically, in the hope that your feelings will catch up.

I wouldn't touch CBT for severe depression, you likely need to go much deeper. Recommend psychotherapy.

My understanding is the CBT is like a plaster, it gets the mind into a better state where psychotherapy can then start working deeper and more thoroughly. But CBT has fast results, and psychotherapy takes a long time but I think the changes are more substantial. In particular, if you already believe that your thought patterns aren't skewed, CBT won't make much of a difference.

I'd recommend cognitive therapy as opposed to behavioural for severe depression or acceptance and commitment therapy (a branch of cbt) which includes mindfulness based approaches-which has good outcomes with relapsing depression.
CBT should not be a one size fits all sticking plaster and can and should look at the development of your depression through life (including childhood) as well as the current maintaining factors.