Being Disturbed About Being Disturbed
Isn't it bad enough to be disturbed about events? Now you find out you can even be disturbed about being disturbed about the event.
A woman is so afraid to ride in an elevator, that she develops a phobia about it. Soon she is not only anxious about elevators, she worries about her anxiety about elevators. "Something is drastically wrong with me," she thinks; "Maybe I'm going crazy." "I should not be so anxious about elevators that I can't use them; that's an awful problem; I can't stand to have this fear; I must certainly be inadequate." "I know I'm losing control; soon I'll bet I won't be able to take care of myself at all; I'll wind up in a mental hospital."
Can you see how she is not only fearful of elevators, but down on herself for being afraid of them? In this case there are two A-B-C sets:
- Activating event A1: Elevator ride
- Irrational belief B1: "I couldn't stand to be trapped forever."
- Emotional consequence C1: Anxiety (about being trapped).
- Activating event A2: Anxiety at C1 (about being trapped).
- Irrational belief B2: "I should not be anxious about elevators."
- Emotional consequence C2: "I'm crazy." Anxiety (about the anxiety).
We might find it more efficient to work on the secondary set of A-B-C's first. Once the woman can think differently (more rationally) about having an emotional reaction, she may be more able to concentrate on working through the first set of A-B-C's.
Do you also have a few sets of secondary A-B-C's that prevent you from making progress?
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