It's Warfare, so You Better Get Your Weapon

[DISCLAIMER]

When providing psychoeducational lessons on Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), I teach people about the ABC model of self-disturbance (how people upset themselves through use of irrational beliefs). Now, I’ll address a finer point of this psychotherapeutic model of wellness.

For context, REBT uses the ABC model to illustrate how when an undesirable Action occurs and you Believe an unhelpful narrative about the event, it’s your unfavorable assumption, not the occurrence itself, that causes an unpleasant Consequence. That negative outcome is disturbance.

In particular, there are four predominate irrational beliefs which people often use to disturb themselves: global evaluations, low frustration tolerance, awfulizing, and demandingness. When contemplating these unproductive Beliefs, think of the acronym GLAD.

It’s worth noting that the two forms of should, must, and ought-type demands with which people most often self-disturb are associated with use of absolutistic and conditional should beliefs. Generally speaking, these serve as rigid commands used toward oneself, others, and life.

An absolute must narrative is, “You absolutely must do as I say!” A conditional should narrative is, “Either you should do as I say, or you should be punished!” Significantly, in REBT literature, demandingness of this sort is said to function as a primary appraisal mechanism of disturbance.

Global evaluations (i.e., self-downing, other-downing, and life-downing), low frustration tolerance (also known as frustration intolerance), and awfulizing (e.g., terrible, horrible, etc.) function as secondary appraisal mechanisms. Together, GLAD will make you sad or mad, etc.

Noteworthy, with my approach to care for mental, emotional, and behavioral health (collectively “mental health”), I invite people to consider mental scripts which are rational (in accordance with both logic and reason) – especially regarding events which correlate with strong feelings.

Logic is the interrelation or sequence of facts when seen as inevitable or predictable, and reason is a statement offered in explanation or justification. As such, I often use syllogisms (deductive schemes of formal argument consisting of a major and a minor premise and a conclusion).

Importantly, a syllogistic statement, proposition, or belief may be logical while simultaneously unreasonable. In this case, even though the logic consequentially follows (the conclusion is a necessary and inevitable result of previous facts or premises), it’s considered irrational.

While still functioning as prescriptive rather than descriptive, flexible use of recommendatory, preferential, ideal, empirical, moral and ethical, and legal ought beliefs won’t inevitably cause disturbance, as they may align with distress. Thus, rigidity versus flexibility makes a difference.

As well, a rigid form of irrational belief results in self-disturbance (e.g., rage) while a flexible form of rational belief results in self-distress (e.g., righteous indignation). Ergo, what one thinks, feels (i.e., emotions and sensations), and behaves reveals what type of beliefs are being used.

Addressing how people upset themselves with unhelpful attitudes, the ABC model incorporates Disputation of unproductive philosophies of life in order to explore Effective new beliefs. Whereas rigid beliefs cause self-disturbance, flexible beliefs result in an un-disturbed condition.

Remarkably, natural forms of distress are tolerable (e.g., mild anxiousness, sorrow, frustration, annoyance, disappointment, etc.). Even though unnatural forms of disturbance are also tolerable (e.g., enragement), my approach to REBT seeks the outcome which is more likely to be endured.

Now, I offer a finer point of understanding in regard to the ABC model. In particular, I invite you to consider use of a hypothetical syllogism.

Form –

If p, then q; if q, then r; therefore, if p, then r.

Example –

Major premise: If I routinely practice REBT, then I’ll likely self-disturb less.

Minor premise: If I’ll likely self-disturb less, then I’ll probably have a better life.

Conclusion: Therefore, if I routinely practice REBT, then I’ll probably have a better life.

Now, I offer another hypothetical syllogism for your consideration. On his debut studio album Body of the Life Force (2000), lyricist Afu-Ra released the song “Warfare” which featured classic duo M.O.P. (lyricists Billy Danze and Lil Fame). On his verse, Lil Fame states:

I’ma stretch [kill] a nigga, so you better get your weapon

Stop yappin’ [talking] with ya dick in your hand, and start steppin’ [moving on]

Ghetto warfare, heavy metal warfare

This is war here, we gettin’ it on all year, biatch!

[…]

[Hook] It’s warfare against any that come up on me

Form –

If p, then q; if q, then r; therefore, if p, then r.

Example –

If it’s warfare (p), then I’m bringing a firearm (q). If I’m bringing a firearm (q), then you better get your weapon (r). Therefore, if it’s warfare (p), then you better get your weapon (r).

Depending on one’s worldview, it may be considered either a flexible or inflexible demandingness derivative when using the word “better” in this context. It’s a synonym for “should,” “must,” or “ought.” Let’s briefly examine both the flexible and inflexible usages.

First, if Lil Fame uses a flexible form of recommendatory demand whereby he states that it’s recommended that one ought to get a weapon, because firearms will be deployed irrespective of who does or doesn’t bring weapons, then there’s a case to be made that this is a rational belief.

Second, if the lyricist uses an inflexible form of absolutistic demand whereby he expresses that’s one absolutely must retrieve a weapon, because firearms will be deployed no matter who does or doesn’t bring weapons, then this may be constituted as an irrational belief.

Regardless of whether or not Lil Fame uses a flexible or inflexible demandingness derivative, it’s the outcome of one’s own beliefs about the demand that determines distress or disturbance. This is a matter of personal responsibility and accountability (collectively “ownership”).

Perhaps a hip hop-influenced hypothetical syllogistic example doesn’t appeal to you. Being the sophisticated individual that you presumably are, you’d rather apply this lesson to the 2026 Iran war. Besides, the title of this post regards “warfare.” Thus, consider that one source states:

Iran did learn some lessons from the ferocious 12-day conflict with the U.S. [United States] and Israel last June [2025]. In the months since, its military and security institutions have rebuilt capabilities and prepared for a broader confrontation.

Iran responded to the military strikes by the U.S. and Israel by expanding the geographic footprint of war through retaliatory drone and missile attacks on several Gulf Arab countries and by blocking the Strait of Hormuz. Even if large scale hostilities were to pause, Iran would retain the capacity to pressure American allies in the region through limited strikes on their infrastructure or by disrupting maritime movement of oil and gas.

Form –

If p, then q; if q, then r; therefore, if p, then r.

Example –

If it’s warfare that the U.S. and Israel want (p), then Iran is bringing weapons (q). If Iran is bringing weapons (q), then the U.S. and Israel better get more weaponry (r). Therefore, it’s warfare that the U.S. and Israel want (p), the U.S. and Israel better get more weaponry (r).

One can view this syllogistic proposition as either flexible or inflexible. Nevertheless, what’s important in this regard is personal ownership in relation to one’s perspective of what’s being expressed. This means that you, and only you, are responsible and accountable for your reaction.

Irrespective of whether or not you view Iran’s response to U.S. and Israel’s hostilities as appropriate, what you think, how you feel, and the behavior you exhibit is a matter of personal ownership. Thus, saying that “it’s warfare, so you better get your guns” is of little consequence.

The matter which is most important is what you believe about the expressed view. If you can master your perspective concerning flexible or inflexible demandingness derivatives, then you will not have defeated yourself in a theater of figurative combat taking place within your mind.

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

As the world’s foremost hip hop-influenced REBT psychotherapist, I’m pleased to try to help people with an assortment of issues 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

References:

Apple Music. (n.d.). Billy Danze. Apple Inc. Retrieved from https://music.apple.com/us/artist/billy-danze/292086485

Apple Music. (n.d.). Lil Fame. Apple Inc. Retrieved from https://music.apple.com/us/artist/lil-fame/201017073

David, D. (2014, January). The empirical status of rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT) theory & practice. Albert Ellis Institute. Retrieved from https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/document?repid=rep1&type=pdf&doi=26813393d7370232253cf964c38a4a03d98b0b97

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