Because of X, the Effect Is Y

[DISCLAIMER]

As Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) is informed by Stoic philosophy, this blog entry is part of an ongoing series regarding a book entitled The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living by Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman.

The authors quote ancient Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius who stated, “Pay close attention in conversation to what is being said, and to what follows from any action. In the action, immediately look for the target, in words, listen closely to what’s being signaled” (page 124).

Since having begun my focus on REBT in 2011, I’ve paid close attention to matters of cause and effect when speaking with people. This concerns the principle of causality, establishing one event or action as the direct result of another, and about which one source states:

Causality is an influence by which one event, process, state, or object (a cause) contributes to the production of another event, process, state, or object (an effect) where the cause is at least partly responsible for the effect, and the effect is at least partly dependent on the cause. The cause of something may also be described as the reason for the event or process.

With this understanding, given my approach to care for mental, emotional, and behavioral health (collectively “mental health”), I invite people to use thinking that is rational (in accordance with both logic and reason) – especially regarding actions which correlate with irrational emotions.

Here, “logic” is the interrelation or sequence of facts or events when seen as inevitable or predictable, and “reason” is a statement offered in explanation or justification. For instance, a modus ponens syllogism uses the following logical form: If x, then y; x; therefore, y.

As an example, if you eat a super-hot chili pepper (x), then your mouth will likely experience pain (y). When providing psychoeducational lessons on REBT, I sometimes teach this cause-effect relationship as a beCAUSE of x, the EFFECT is y paradigm.

In the context of the naturalistic or physical world, I conceptualize this as an Action-Consequence (A-C) connection. However, from a psychological standpoint, people disturb themselves using a Belief-Consequence (B-C) connection.

With this perspective, using the ABC model of REBT, if you eat a super-hot chili pepper and your mouth experiences pain (Action), as you say to yourself, “This is horrible and shouldn’t hurt so much” (Belief), then you’ll self-disturb into an angry disposition (Consequence).

Rather than an A-C explanation for your disposition, it’s the B-C connection that serves as a cause-effect reason for your anger. Regarding this helpful view, authors of The Daily Stoic state (page 124):

Through the work of the psychologist Albert Ellis, Stoicism has reached millions of people through what’s known as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). As a form of a therapy, CBT helps patients identify destructive patterns in their thoughts and behavior so they can, over time, direct and influence them in a more positive direction.

Ellis developed REBT, arguably the original form of CBT, which doesn’t necessarily seek to direct thoughts toward a “more positive direction.” As they likely aren’t practitioners of REBT, I can understand authors of The Daily Stoic not properly formulating this matter.

A “thought” is an individual act or product of thinking. A “belief” is a state or habit of mind in which trust or confidence is placed in a person or thing. This distinction is an essential one when addressing matters of mental health.

Whereas a thought is merely a fleeting idea, a belief is a thought that one strongly holds as true and that influences one’s perspective and behavior. Essentially, a belief is a thought that has been affirmed and integrated into one’s cognitive framework. It’s considered true, though not perfect.

When teaching principles of REBT, I invite the clients with whom I work to consider that thoughts are descriptive and beliefs are prescriptive. Comprehending the distinction between description and prescription is important for understanding the process of self-disturbance.

Aside from the difference between thoughts and beliefs, I argue that REBT as a CBT method of rational living isn’t specifically focused on a “more positive direction” as an endpoint. Instead, it regards a healthy, productive, favorable, or helpful end toward which effort is applied.

I highlight this distinction, because it isn’t uncommon for people to rigidly strive for positivity when seeking care for mental health. After all, this approach to wellness may then correlate with meta-emotional disturbance.

“I absolutely should be feeling better, because I’m thinking positively and believing things which are positive, though I’m not getting better,” one may self-disturbingly conclude. This isn’t necessarily a healthy, productive, favorable, or helpful outcome.

Rather, flexibly acknowledging to oneself that steps taken are slightly healthier, more productive, favorably improved, or helpfully better than they were prior to implementing Ellis’s ABC model could be useful. Thus, I reject the dichotomous positive-negative paradigm.

Understandably, other REBT practitioners may disagree with my perspective. Nevertheless, authors of The Daily Stoic conclude their examination of this matter by stating (page 124):

Of course, Marcus Aurelius had no formal training in psychology, but his words here are as important as any doctor’s. He’s asking you to become an observer of your own thoughts and the actions those thoughts provoke.

Where do they come from? What biases do they contain? Are they constructive or destructive? Do they cause you to make mistakes or engage in behavior you later regret? Look for patterns; find where cause meets effect. Only when this is done can negative behavior patterns be broken; only then can real life improvements be made.

Aside from the distinctions I’ve highlighted herein, I concur with what the authors propose. Fortunately, Ellis steeped REBT in Stoicism so that I can assess the cause of x and the effect of y. Provided that you understand the ABC model, as well, you can now do the same.

If you’re looking for a provider who tries to work to help understand how thinking impacts physical, mental, emotional, and behavioral elements of your life—helping you to sharpen your critical thinking skills, I invite you to reach out today by using the contact widget on my website.

As a psychotherapist, I’m pleased to try to help people with an assortment of issues ranging from anger (hostility, rage, and aggression) to relational issues, adjustment matters, trauma experience, justice involvement, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety and depression, and other mood or personality-related matters.

At Hollings Therapy, LLC, serving all of Texas, I aim to treat clients with dignity and respect while offering a multi-lensed approach to the practice of psychotherapy and life coaching. My mission includes: Prioritizing the cognitive and emotive needs of clients, an overall reduction in client suffering, and supporting sustainable growth for the clients I serve. Rather than simply trying to help you to feel better, I want to try to help you get better!

Deric Hollings, LPC, LCSW

Photo credit, fair use

References:

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