You Have to Be a Champion, Then You Got to Cause Your Madness

[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.

One of my favorite hip hop producers is Apollo Brown. Aside from his signature vinyl record crackling noise mixed into the producer’s music, Apollo Brown heavily samples soul music sources up with which I was raised. Thus, even his newest albums are nostalgia for me.

In any case, on his 2019 album Sincerely, Detroit is a track “Skimmin’” that features lyricist Nolan the Ninja and Dopehead. The song samples “Never My Love” (1971) by The 5th Dimension, which is a cover of “Never My Love” (1967) by The Association.

Nolan states, “Conference call discussions, something you ain’t witnessed yet. Hopefully, your richest status. First, you have to be a champion. Then, you got to cause your madness. Paint you, like upon a canvas. Make your self-belief apparent, discipline yourself and chances.”

In the cited lyrics, Nolan the Ninja uses the phrases “have to” and “got to” which are both derivatives of demandingness beliefs. Regarding the former, it’s as though the lyricist states you recommendatorily ought to be a champion if you’re going to be successful (i.e., “richest status”).

Concerning the latter belief, Nolan presumably alludes to Vincent van Gogh when using a conditional demand (i.e., either-or) regarding madness. For context, the American Psychological Association defines madness as “an obsolete name for mental illness or for legal insanity.”

For further context, van Gogh is thought to have experienced madness. Therefore, it’s as though Nolan the Ninja is stating that either you will be unsuccessful and sane, or you must be successful and insane—presumably like van Gogh who painted himself upon a canvas.

Given the two demandingness derivatives used in “Skimmin’”, I maintain that Nolan the Ninja’s “have to” narrative is flexible and healthy. Still, the lyricist’s “got to” script is inflexible and unhealthy. That is, unless you think that cutting off one’s own ear is a measure of good health.

Huh!? Say what!? According to one source, “Vincent van Gogh cut off his left ear in utter confusion. He wrapped the ear in a piece of paper and presented it to a prostitute at a local brothel.” Personally, a self-disturbed fit of confused rage isn’t a measure of well-being.

Presuming that you concur while also understanding how different uses of “have to” and “got to” beliefs may impact your behavior, then I invite you to pay close attention to the scripts you use from day-to-day. After all, in order to be a champion, you don’t got to cause your own madness.

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 (edited), fair use

References:

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