Is your fear valid? The short answer is yes and no, although I dislike this sort of response.
In any case, as is the matter with complex systems – a category regarding which fallible human beings qualify, a short or simple answer doesn’t quite address the subtle nuances of the posed question. Thus, the current blogpost will attempt to provide clarity regarding this matter.
The proposition expressed herein may be rejected by other psychotherapists or professionals within the field of mental, emotional, and behavioral health (collectively “mental health”). This is understandable, because the field in which I work doesn’t function as a monolith.
My approach to wellness rests within the tradition of rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT), which is a form of cognitive behavior therapy, that aims to help people get better and not merely to feel better. Understandably, other clinicians may not appreciate this model of health care.
Brief disclaimer aside, I think it’s important to define terms and describe emotive processes before proceeding any further. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), fear is defined as follows:
[A] basic, intense emotion aroused by the detection of imminent threat, involving an immediate alarm reaction that mobilizes the organism by triggering a set of physiological changes. These include rapid heartbeat, redirection of blood flow away from the periphery toward the gut, tensing of the muscles, and a general mobilization of the organism to take action.
Fear differs from anxiety in that the former is considered an appropriate short-term response to a present, clearly identifiable threat, whereas the latter is a future-oriented, long-term response focused on a diffuse threat.
Some theorists characterize this distinction more particularly, proposing that fear is experienced when avoiding or escaping an aversive stimuli and that anxiety is experienced when entering a potentially dangerous situation (e.g., an animal foraging in a field where there might be a predator). Whatever their precise differences in meaning, however, the terms are often used interchangeably in common parlance.
Adding to the APA definition, I stated in a blog entry entitled What if in the Opposite Direction:
For clarity, think of fear as something with a stimulus that you can pinpoint (e.g., fear of failure with writing) and anxiety as a similar experience, though you can’t quite identify what about the activating source with which you’re specifically concerned (i.e., anxious in public settings).
Rather than accepting colloquial misuse terms, I’m endorsing the APA definition of fear herein. Unlike anxiety, fear regards an imminent threat; serves as a short-term response to a present, clearly identifiable threat; and its impact can be felt within the body.
REBT theory maintains that when an unexpected Activating event occurs and a person uses an irrational Belief about the situation, it’s one’s unhelpful attitude and not the undesirable circumstance that causes unpleasant emotional, bodily sensation, and behavioral Consequences.
Rather than remaining self-disturbed, an individual is invited to try Disputation which may lead to an Effective new belief that is used in place of an unproductive self-narrative. With the ABC model, a person learns to stop needless suffering which is caused by unhelpful assumptions.
Here, I’ve illustrated the ABC model of REBT which is what causes most fear and arguably all anxiety. Noteworthy, some mental health theorists and practitioners may argue the point that innate emotional responses occur and which don’t require forethought in order to manifest.
This claim is partially true. From a psychological standpoint, people disturb themselves using a Belief-Consequence (B-C) connection. Of course, this isn’t to suggest that in the context of the naturalistic or physical world there is no Action-Consequence (A-C) connection.
As an example, if I sneak up behind you and yell “raarrrrr!” when you don’t expect me to (Action), you may be startled, as this response relates to the emotions of fear and surprise (Consequence). From an A-C perspective, unexpected startling can cause emotional responses without forethought.
Alternatively, if after the startling experience (Action) you unhelpfully Believe, “I can’t stand being surprised, because it’s an awful experience,” then you’ll likely self-upset into an anxious disposition (Consequence). Thus, self-disturbance is caused by a B-C connection.
This proposal is in accordance with the APA definition of fear and its description of anxiety. Thus, I’ve appropriately defined the term relating to fear and described the processes of emotions. Now, consider how the APA defines the term validity:
1. the characteristic of being founded on truth, accuracy, fact, or law.
2. the degree to which empirical evidence and theoretical rationales support the adequacy and appropriateness of conclusions drawn from some form of assessment. Validity has multiple forms, depending on the research question and on the particular type of inference being made.
Validity has a particular meaning in the field of psychology, as outlined by the APA definition. Still, it may be worth exploring how the concept of validity, and that which is considered valid, is understood in common parlance.
According to Merriam-Webster, validity is defined as the quality or state of being valid: such as – a: the state of being acceptable according to the law or b: the quality of being well-grounded, sound, or correct. The same source defines valid as logically correct.
Given this perspective, both the psychological definition and colloquial use of these terms are essentially synonymous. Expanding upon the notion that in order for a proposition to be considered valid it must be logically correct, I offer the following illustrative example by using a syllogism:
Form (modus ponens) –
If p, then q; p; therefore, q.
Example –
If I feel fear when startled, then my fear is valid.
I feel fear when startled.
Therefore, my fear is valid.
When using REBT with clients, I invite people to consider that in order for a proposal to be deemed rational it must be in accordance with both logic and reason. Although a proposition may follow logical form, it may not be reasonable.
The aforementioned syllogism follows logical form. Likewise, it’s reasonable when one considers the APA definition of fear as being associated with immediate alarm. Therefore, the syllogism is rational. Showing incongruence of an irrational proposal, consider the following:
Form (hypothetical) –
If p, then q; if q, then r; therefore, if p, then r.
Example –
If Donald Trump becomes president again, then I’m going to lose my rights.
If I’m going to lose my rights, then I couldn’t stand to live in the United States [U.S.] any longer.
Therefore, if Donald Trump becomes president again, then I couldn’t stand to live in the U.S. any longer.
Can you identify why this syllogism is an irrational proposition? Also, can you describe whether or not the proposal would cause fear or anxiety? Additionally, do you consider the B-C emotive response stemming from the proposition to be valid or invalid?
First, the syllogistic proposition is irrational, because it isn’t in accordance with both logic and reason. Although it follows logical form (hypothetical syllogism), it doesn’t establish a reasonable conclusion, because it’s based on faulty premises, as I’ll now address.
One premise is that a person can somehow predict the future and know that Trump will degrade human rights. This is an unfalsifiable claim, because one cannot accurately predict the future.
The other premise uses a major irrational belief known in REBT as low frustration tolerance. By unproductively believing “I couldn’t stand to live in the U.S. any longer,” a person convinces oneself that a Trump presidency is literally intolerable and unacceptable.
Second, the syllogistic proposition doesn’t cause fear, according to the definition addressed herein. Rather, as stated by the APA, anxiety regards a future-oriented, long-term response focused on a diffuse threat.
An individual can imagine how Trump’s second presidency may impact the U.S. However, one cannot presently know this information. Thus, describing the B-C response to Trumps pending second term as President of the U.S. as regarding anxiousness versus fearfulness is appropriate.
Lastly, the syllogistic proposition produces a B-C emotive response (anxiousness) which is valid – in that the emotion actually exists – and which uses an invalid assumption – in that the irrational belief can be disputed using rational and reasonable means.
To put a fine point on the initial question, “Is your fear valid?” the short answer is yes and no. Yes, fear can be valid under certain circumstances. Likewise, anxiousness is a valid emotional process.
However, regarding fear or anxiety in regard to Trump, the invalid beliefs one uses to cause a valid emotion is why I originally provided a convoluted “yes and no” response. Therefore, your emotions are valid, though the beliefs which cause such a response may be invalid.
Noteworthy, regarding the ABC model, Actions and Consequences aren’t Disputed. Only unproductive Beliefs are challenged, because these assumptions are often invalid while the activating events of life and the results of one’s unhelpful beliefs are valid occurrences.
In conclusion of my attempt to define terms and describe emotive processes, I offer for your consideration what I stated in a blogpost entitled Validation:
I’m aware that some behavioral health practitioners affirm people’s beliefs as factual and worthwhile—describing this act as “validation.” Such a clinician may say, “You have every right to feel the way you do, your sentiment is valid, and no one can negate your experience.”
I agree that person X is welcome to self-disturb. Likewise, I haven’t the ability to nullify the experience of those who upset themselves.
However, I can challenge whether or not person X’s attitude toward an event has a sound basis in logic or fact, or is reasonable or cogent. People aren’t their assumptions and disputation of irrational beliefs isn’t akin to invalidating individuals—only their incorrect and unhelpful attitudes.
Some mental health professionals may reject the rational case I’ve presented herein. They may do so even though I’ve cited definitional evidence and illustrated the theoretical and pragmatic aspects of a psychotherapeutic modality that has been helping people get better since 1955.
About their suspected disapproval, I’m not self-disturbed. I welcome the idea of mental health professionals providing a disservice to clients, often through the form of infantilizing practice which attributes to the process of victimhood, because that’s what fallible human beings do.
Take for example that after Trump became president-elect in 2016, one source reported shortly thereafter:
[A]t campuses across the country, students begged professors to cancel classes and postpone exams, citing fear, exhaustion, and emotional trauma […] Law students at the University of Michigan were provided with a post-election “self-care with food and play” event, complete with “stress busting” activities like play dough, coloring books, Legos, and bubbles. Columbia University’s Barnard College offered hot chocolate and coloring. The University of Pennsylvania, an Ivy League institution, created a healing space: more coloring books, and also puppies.
This claim doesn’t merely border upon absurdity; it’s outright crazy! Had I not attended the University of Texas at Austin’s School of Social Work and observed similar practices between 2012 and 2014, I would be in utter disbelief of the claim.
However, I witnessed how fellow graduate students used coloring books, bubble play, and sand tray therapy techniques so that they could feel better about displeasing events. This sort of cathartic practice arguably doesn’t help people to get better when dealing with the real-world.
Using the foundation provided herein, one’s fear about Trump – or more adequately diagnosed as anxiousness stemming from a B-C connection – is valid. However, the unfavorable beliefs which cause this emotive response are invalid.
Now that Trump is once again president-elect, a recent source reports, “Ivy league students offered crayons, Legos and cookies with milk to cope with Trump’s election win.” What reportedly occurred in 2016 is apparently still happening in 2024!
So-called coping of this sort merely reinforces the self-disturbed beliefs which cause an unpleasant emotive response. Thus, an individual learns that when activating events occur and a B-C process unfolds, infantilization is the path to well-being.
There’s an argument to be made about the cruel and predatory nature of treating people in such a manner, as codependence is ostensibly established whereby self-disturbed person X relies on victimhood narrative-promoting clinician Y in order to feel better rather than to get better.
Reversion to a childlike state while dwawing pictuz of dat mean ol’, scewwy, devilish pwesident Twump rather than taking personal responsibility and accountability for one’s own reaction to displeasing events isn’t an indicator of mental health. In fact, it’s quite the opposite.
Per one source, a Harvard professor reportedly stated of Trump’s victory, “Many in our community are sleep-deprived, again grieving for glass ceilings that weren’t shattered, fearful for the future, or embarrassed to face our international colleagues,’ she wrote. ‘I stress-baked several pans of lemon bars to share.”
Forgive my crudeness (or don’t), but mental health the fuck up! Stress-baking lemon bars, playing with Legos and play dough, making use of coloring books and bubbles, and having puppy petting hour – all because someone was elected to be president of the U.S.? Dafuq!?
Your fear and anxiety are valid. Your irrational beliefs aren’t valid. Likewise, the consequences stemming from your unproductive attitude are valid. Nevertheless, you can change your invalid assumptions. Color as much as you want and you ain’t gettin’ better!
To those people who want to engage in pretend-world activities and subject themselves to questionable clinicians (who have job security by keeping clients ensnared in fear and anxiety), I invite you to consider the uncomfortable process of getting better versus feeling better.
If after logical and reasonable consideration you determine that stress-baking lemon bars is preferable to building resilience by improving your mental health fortitude, then so be it. For everyone else, who’s ready to mental health the fuck up, I’m here to help.
If you’re looking for a provider who works to help you 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 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 helping you to feel better, I want to help you get better!
Deric Hollings, LPC, LCSW
References:
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