Move Around Wit' That Outta Town Game 'Round Here

[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!” Noteworthy, 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.

While still serving 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. Rigidity versus flexibility makes a difference.

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.

Noteworthy, natural forms of distress are tolerable (i.e., 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. There are a number of flexible and inflexible terms related to demandingness which serve as derivatives to “should,” “must,” and “ought” types of self-disturbing philosophies regarding life.

For instance, “In order to understand what I’m saying, you have to pay attention,” “You better not allow your mind to wander,” “You need to listen,” and, “If you want to stop self-disturbing, then you gotta practice REBT.” Perhaps a real-world example may enrich your comprehension.

Before illustrating a demandingness derivative, it may be helpful to add that sometimes mental scripts are accompanied by inferences (the act of passing from one proposition, statement, or judgment considered as true to another whose truth is believed to follow from that of the former).

Notably, the ABC model notes how distorted inferences (misleading conclusions based on illogical and unreasonable beliefs) cause disturbance (i.e., stemming from irrational beliefs) and distress (i.e., stemming from rational beliefs). Now, I submit an example for your review.

On Welcome 2 Texas (All-Star 2010) The Mixtape (2010) by rapper Slim Thug and producer DJ Mr. Rogers was the track “Houston” that featured Houston rapper Cityy. On his verse, demonstrating why he’s a rapper and not a lyricist, Cityy overused the word “here” by stating:

Buy a hunnid, front a hunnid, nigga, I don’t care

If they want ‘em, up to roll my take on, now

Activate the rate, yeah, the game ain’t fair

Close the door for our negotiations on this here

Y’all niggas knew the numbers where you came down here

Tryin’ to shop around the price, get the same ‘round here

Tryin’ to get somethin’ for nothin’, we ain’t lame ‘round here

Move around wit’ that outta town game ‘round here

Get yo watch, chain, rang gone, playin’ ‘round here

Make sure you show respect, you plan on stayin’ ‘round here

Put you in a situation, get you fame down here

Real name lil’ Shawn, but I’m Cityy ‘round here

Put a lot of money on the streets, and I did it right here

30 niggas on the block, look like a band round here

Word travels fast, so watch what’chu sayin’ ‘round here

Say you lookin’ for the man, this tha’ man ri’chea [right here]

Stating “move around wit’ that outta town game ‘round here,” Cityy used a demandingness inference that translated to “you should move around with that out of town game around here.” In this sense, “game” relates to an activity undertaken as a contest involving strategy.

For example, gleaning context from Cityy’s verse, someone who isn’t from Houston presumably visits this largest city in Texas and attempts to negotiate a lower price for drugs. To this, Cityy declares that “the game ain’t fair” and “move around wit’ that outta town game ‘round here!”

Depending on the Consequences following his Belief, Cityy’s demandingness inference may be inflexible or flexible – causing disturbance or distress. Using my imagination, I’ll provide a proposed rendition of Cityy’s ostensibly inflexible inference.

Someone attempts to negotiate the price of drugs (Action) and Cityy Believes, “Move around wit’ that outta town game ‘round here,” as the rapper then becomes angry and the person gains fame on the evening news for having been harmed during a violent exchange (Consequence).

There are many such cases of inflexible demandingness inferences which result in unpleasant outcomes. Alternatively, for your consideration, allow me to provide a personal demandingness inference of a flexible nature.

People from out of state move to Texas and bring with them the very types of behavior common in their places of origin (Action). I then Believe, “Move around wit’ that outta town game ‘round here,” as I become annoyed at how they throw litter from their vehicles (Consequence).

Whereas Cityy’s imagined inflexible belief causes disturbance, my flexible belief results in distress. The only major difference is the outcome, as the littering culprit in my scenario won’t gain fame during the evening news for having violated my malleable demand.

Presuming you comprehend the distinction between inflexible and flexible demandingness inferences, then I invite you to move around wit’ that outta town game ‘round here if you visit or move to Texas. As per The Fabulous Thunderbirds, “Don’t you mess with Texas!”

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

Photo credit, fair use

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