RE: Psychology Addict # 25 | Depression through the lens of CBT & the case study of Mr. B.
Thank you for bringing up another topic of your profession and including your readers. I like it! :)
Do you agree with the behaviourist notion that proposes that it is not the situation per se that causes emotional responses; but rather the meaning attached to it?
I agree partly. I guess it is always a mix of many factors, which can be summarized by "outer conditions/circumstances" and "inner perception/evaluation." For this I use the experiment with rats, I unfortunately do not have a source (but will try to look it up).
In the experiment with the animals, the addictive effect of cocaine was tested and whether the subsequent generation of the rats involved would also develop an addiction. So the rats were given cocaine as an addition to the food. All rats - including the rat children - developed an addiction. Until someone came up with the idea to change the environment and create a kind of "rat paradise" instead of the dreary laboratory environment with what rats are pleasant. The result was that all rats left the cocaine on the side and the rat children showed no interest in it. The rats were doing so well in this paradisiacal environment that they despised the drug.
Which made me think that people behave in a similar way. If their environment is barren and dismal, if they are not distracted and occupied by the things around them, there may be no impetus to develop positive motives or to react impulsively to the environment, for example, isolation is not necessarily perceived as such only by the subjective assessment of people, but is promoted by the fact that isolation actually prevails. For example, in large cities and the fact that we are less dependent on social interaction due to the external supply. Coming to a lonely apartment after work.
However, I don't dare to judge the weighting. In any case, I am convinced that inner convictions and beliefs have a very great effect on how unhappy or happy someone feels.
Whenever you feel sad or anxious do you also resort to strategies that alleviate the symptoms of your difficult feelings?
I have learned that. In the past, I tended to intensify the negative feelings by thinking and worrying (more of the same). Today it helps me to think that the difficult situation will surely pass. How it all goes away. This helps me to turn my attention to something else and to leave the brooding behind. If it wasn't for that, you'd be depressed 24/7. That's impossible. If you were depressive all the time, you'd probably die.
Hi @erh.germany :D
You see how now I am talking to my reader? Does my new writing style look familiar to you :D
Well, thank you once again for inspiring me to make this change!
Ok, so let's talk about this most interesting comment you left for us here. But really what I have is a question for you: do you agree that the outer conditions/circumstance and inner perception/evaluation are to an extent the factors that CBT puts forwards as the ones which influences the meaning we attach to the situations?
I personally think so :D
The outer conditions/circumstance reminds of of what CBT puts as the overall context of the individual. And the inner perception/evaluation makes me think of what CBT states to be the overall context of the individual and also the individual's personal history (maybe not the latter!).
Yep, the cycle of negative thoughts! One can get seriously stuck in such pattern. I still have to police myself to not get stuck in it! Like you said, in my case too this ability seems to have becomes less difficult as I get older and see that the bad times do not last forever :)
Ps: I loved your post about Alan Watts and YES I would love you to continue that series. I am sorry I haven't left a comment. But, I do hope you know I am a constant reader of your work and a big fan of your blog as I learn so much from you! I constant send people to you (including here on my comments!).
Lots of love to you EriKa
I thank you, Abigail!
Yes, I felt very much talked to:-D - you are always welcome and I I feel flattered.
Funny how we promote each other. I was name dropping, too! :-) In the chat as well as in comments.
Oh, yes, I do agree on that. The CBT sounds totally sensible and logic to me.
Yes, if that is meant by the overall context, then this kind of treatment for sure integrates many things which are significant to consider.
I must add that no matter what kind of treatment one gets, if it heals and leads to a better situation, it is right.
Also one can have the best treatment/method but if the relationship between client/patient and counsellor/doctor is accompanied by distrust, insecurity and prejudices, it's of no or little help. But for sure you've heard that already hundred times and talked about it, too.
I am glad that you talk about the same experience and getting more calm within the years. To deal with this kind of profession and topics for sure is helping, I find.
At least for me its of utmost advantage:)
Oh, Thank you so much for mentioning my Watts article. I adore him! It pushes me to continue. He is one of the most fascinating men I've ever stumbled upon.
I send you Love & Affection! <3