Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) uses the ABC model to demonstrate how people disturb themselves using unhelpful assumptions. Herein, I’ll attempt to clarify how this process occurs by differentiating between irrational thoughts and irrational beliefs.
REBT theory uses the ABC model to illustrate how when Activating events (“Actions”) occur and people maintain irrational Beliefs about the events, these unhelpful assumptions – and not the actual occurrences – are what create unpleasant cognitive, emotive, bodily sensation, and behavioral Consequences.
In particular, there are four predominate irrational beliefs which people use: demandingness, awfulizing, low frustration tolerance, and global evaluations. Addressing these, the ABC model incorporates Disputation of unhelpful assumptions in order to explore Effective new beliefs.
Noteworthy, what’s considered rational remains in accordance with logic and reason. As well, there’s a difference between an irrational thought and an irrational belief. To elucidate this point, consider what one source states:
Thoughts are just representations of information, and we can have feelings about them, even if they don’t really exist. Beliefs, on the other hand, are mental attitudes or convictions that we hold to be true, without necessarily relying on conscious cognitive processes. While thinking and beliefs are different concepts, they are often interconnected. Our beliefs can influence the way we think about things, and our thinking can lead us to question or revise our beliefs.
An irrational thought is something like, “Pickled beets are gross.” This is irrational, because one who maintains this thought has ascribed an absolute qualifier of unpleasantry to the food source.
Perhaps I don’t care for pickled beets though you do. A rational thought in regard to this matter would be, “Pickled beets are gross to me, yet other people seem to like them.”
Although an irrational thought may manifest on its own, it doesn’t necessarily carry with it a conviction that impacts a person’s cognitive, emotive, sensory, or behavioral experience. For instance, you may believe, “Interracial romantic relationships shouldn’t occur.”
Whereas a thought is descriptive, a belief is prescriptive. This description versus prescription distinction can influence how an individual feels (emotion and bodily sensation) or behaves.
The difference between irrationally thinking, “Interracial romantic relationships are gross,” and irrationally believing, “Interracial romantic relationships shouldn’t occur,” largely relies on what outcome is experienced as a result of the thought or belief.
I may agree with an irrational thought regarding pickled beets serving as a gross food item. How in the world does anyone voluntarily eat those things!?
However, my agreement with irrational thinking doesn’t produce an unpleasant outcome. On the other hand, I disagree with the irrational belief that interracial romantic relationships shouldn’t occur.
This is because I don’t believe in the truthfulness of the prescription. Even if I were to irrationally think that interracial romantic relationship were gross, which I don’t, I could still reject the irrational belief about whether or not they should or shouldn’t occur in the first place.
Upon what evidence would I rely to determine the veracity of the claim that such relationships shouldn’t occur? In my youth, I was given biblical guidance concerning this matter. For instance, Deuteronomy 7:1-4 states:
When the Lord your God brings you into the land you are entering to possess and drives out before you many nations—the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites, seven nations larger and stronger than you—and when the Lord your God has delivered them over to you and you have defeated them, then you must destroy them totally. Make no treaty with them, and show them no mercy. Do not intermarry with them. Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons, for they will turn your children away from following me to serve other gods, and the Lord’s anger will burn against you and will quickly destroy you.
Who would want to anger the deity that they serve? Not me. However, I’m the product of an interracial romantic relationship and I don’t believe my parents or I are abominations. Fallible human beings, no doubt, though not bad, evil, or a disgrace.
Likewise, I no longer fully subscribe to biblical moral and ethical prescriptions, let alone that regarding Old Testament demands which once influenced what I maintained as true or false instruction. Therefore, I don’t believe in the accuracy of the Deuteronomy-informed prescription.
I may agree with an irrational thought about pickled beets while I disagree with the irrational belief about interracial romantic relationships. Understanding the difference between thoughts and beliefs which comprise irrationality is a worthwhile endeavor for professionals who practice REBT.
For instance, page 236 of The REBT Therapist’s Pocket Companion invites REBT practitioners to pay attention to moments in which we agree with our clients’ irrational beliefs and to accept ourselves for such shared irrationality while also disputing irrational beliefs of both the clients and ourselves.
Ultimately, there’s nothing inherently bad about maintaining or agreeing with irrational thoughts or beliefs. Nevertheless, effective use of REBT is performed with understanding about the distinction between thoughts and beliefs while challenging unhelpful assumptions which lead to unpleasant consequences.
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:
Dryden, W. and Neenan, M. (2003). The REBT Therapist’s Pocket Companion. Albert Ellis Institute. Retrieved from https://www.pdfdrive.com/the-rebt-therapists-pocket-companion-d185164652.html
Hollings, D. (2024, August 7). Awfulizing. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/awfulizing
Hollings, D. (2024, March 19). Consequences. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/consequences
Hollings, D. (2022, October 31). Demandingness. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/demandingness
Hollings, D. (2022, October 5). Description vs. prescription. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/description-vs-prescription
Hollings, D. (2022, March 15). Disclaimer. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/disclaimer
Hollings, D. (2023, September 8). Fair use. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/fair-use
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Hollings, D. (2023, October 12). Get better. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/get-better
Hollings, D. (2023, September 13). Global evaluations. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/global-evaluations
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Hollings, D. (2023, September 19). Life coaching. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/life-coaching
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Hollings, D. (2022, December 2). Low frustration tolerance. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/low-frustration-tolerance
Hollings, D. (2023, October 2). Morals and ethics. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/morals-and-ethics
Hollings, D. (2024, April 22). On disputing. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/on-disputing
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Hollings, D. (2022, March 24). Rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT). Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/rational-emotive-behavior-therapy-rebt
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