Not long after earning a Master of Arts in Counseling degree, I began working in a behavioral health clinic in which I was tasked with conducting intakes for prospective clients. There, I learned of two conditions which I found mind boggling.
Aphantasia is the inability of an individual to voluntarily create a picture in one’s mind. Anaduralia relates to the absence of auditory imagery, or what’s commonly referred to as an inner voice or internal monologue.
How is it possible for people not to see or hear imagery within their minds? I can only imagine. In any case, I didn’t come into contact with individuals with either condition when beginning my psychotherapy career.
However, what I discovered was that there were a surprising number of people with whom I sat for intake that thought an inner-monologue or dialogue constituted hallucinations. “Do you hear voices?” I’d ask. “All the time! Even right now,” a person would respond.
“Are the voices originating from within or outside of your head?” I’d clarify. With relatively few exceptions, I’d receive a response indicating, “Inside of my head.” Yeah, those are called thoughts.
There’s a veritable chorus within my mind. Reflecting upon my life since childhood, I can’t recall a time when I didn’t have a mentally resounding ensemble talking, singing, whispering, or shouting in my head. These mental faculties of utterance are normal.
In fact, given the rarity of such conditions, aphantasia and anaduralia are abnormal experiences. This suggestion isn’t to imply judgment. Rather, having voices within one’s head conforms to a regular pattern, characterized by that which is considered usual, typical, or routine.
At any rate, beginning the practice of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) after studying this psychotherapeutic modality when in graduate school (2009-2011), I’ve used psychoeducation to teach people about the ABC model and self-disturbance.
REBT theory illustrates 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 attitudes in order to explore Effective new beliefs.
From a psychological standpoint, people disturb themselves using a Belief-Consequence (B-C) connection. Of course, this isn’t to suggest that in the context of the naturalistic or physical world there is no Action-Consequence (A-C) connection.
As an example, if you ingest hallucinogenic substances (Action), you may perceive that you’re hearing voices all around you (Consequence). From an A-C perspective, psychoactive drugs can alter your mental or auditory perception – to include your mentally auditory experience.
However, this A-C experience doesn’t necessarily cause you to self-disturb. Rather, from a B-C perspective, when hallucinating while high on a hallucinogen and perceiving voices all around you (Action) it’s what you tell yourself about the experience that causes self-upset.
Suppose you unfavorably Believe, “Hearing voices all around me is awful and I can’t stand this experience!” Your unproductive use of awfulizing and low frustration tolerance assumptions are what cause the unpleasant Consequence of fear, panic, and getting up to run out of the room.
Thus, I help people to stop upsetting themselves through use of B-C connections, though I can’t fully resolve their A-C connections. If you go on an unpleasant psychedelic trip, that’s on you.
Often, when practicing REBT with clients, I’ve continually heard people express how hard they unproductively believe it is to practice REBT. “It’s too hard,” an individual will express while the distorted inference is that “REBT should be easy!”
Addressing instances of such whining, I stated in a blogpost entitled A Damn Owl, Homie:
Adapting a healthier philosophy for rational living isn’t particularly difficult. However, taking personal responsibility and accountability for one’s own symptoms, beliefs, and behavior is difficult. Nevertheless, something that is hard isn’t necessarily impossible.
“Yeah, but, it’s not merely that REBT practice is hard, it’s too hard,” one may retort. And why shouldn’t it be hard to challenge your inner voices when a chorus of self-disturbing content is playing at full volume?
Is the experience of your inner-monologue or dialogue something easy to endure? I’m not asking if it’s familiar, because if you’ve had voices in your head as long as I have, of course you’re familiar with unhelpful internal narratives. However, familiarity isn’t the focus here.
Is it easy to endure the consequences of upsetting yourself through use of unfavorable beliefs? Presuming that you’re being honest, I suspect the answer is no. Therefore, why bitch, whine, moan, or complain about REBT practice and how apparently difficult it is to conduct?
When contemplating this matter, I’m reminded of a track from rap group Pull The Fuckin’ Trigger. On their album Until It’s My Time to Die, the group released a song entitled “Everyday Struggle Pt. 2” that featured the vocals of Mike Sanders.
Concerning the track, one group member states, “The voices in my head, it’s too hard to fight that.” What’s the alternative to disputing, challenging, wrestling, interrogating, analyzing, confronting, or even – if one chooses to use such hyperbole – fighting voices in one’s head?
If “it’s too hard” to argue against self-disturbing beliefs, is one prepared to take the perceivably easy route when choosing familiarity by allowing a chorus of irrationality to produce an uneasy and unpleasant consequence with additional discomforting effects? Is that what you want to do?
Admittedly, REBT requires frequent, and at times difficult, practice in order for a person to effectively use this modality. As long as you’re still alive, what better use of your time can you think of than to “pull the fuckin’ [proverbial] trigger” and hit the target of your goals?
Personally, the psychological chorus that sings of self-disturbance is challenged daily. Are you prepared to conduct yourself in a similar manner? If so, I’m here to help you learn how to “fight” back.
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, I invite you to reach out today by using the contact widget on my website.
As the world’s foremost old school hip hop REBT psychotherapist, I’m pleased 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 helping you to feel better, I want to help you get better!
Deric Hollings, LPC, LCSW
References:
Apple Music. (n.d.). Mike Sanders. Apple Inc. Retrieved from https://music.apple.com/us/artist/mike-sanders/461611994
Bandcamp. (n.d.). Until It’s My Time to Die by Pull the Fuckin’ Trigger. Retrieved from https://pullthefuckintrigger.bandcamp.com/album/until-its-my-time-to-die
Discogs. (n.d.). Pull The Fuckin’ Trigger. Retrieved from https://www.discogs.com/artist/6258381-Pull-The-Fuckin-Trigger
Freepik. (n.d.). View of futuristic musician [Image]. Retrieved from https://www.freepik.com/free-ai-image/view-futuristic-musician_94124863.htm#fromView=search&page=2&position=25&uuid=adb6fea4-11d2-463c-a728-bcb8deda3242
Hollings, D. (2024, August 22). A damn owl, homie. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/a-damn-owl-homie
Hollings, D. (2024, August 7). Awfulizing. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/awfulizing
Hollings, D. (2024, May 30). Behavioral health care. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/behavioral-health-care
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, March 15). Disclaimer. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/disclaimer
Hollings, D. (2024, March 28). Distorted inferences. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/distorted-inferences
Hollings, D. (2023, September 8). Fair use. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/fair-use
Hollings, D. (2024, April 2). Four major irrational beliefs. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/four-major-irrational-beliefs
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
Hollings, D. (2024, April 13). Goals. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/goals
Hollings, D. (n.d.). Hollings Therapy, LLC [Official website]. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/
Hollings, D. (2023, May 18). Irrational beliefs. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/irrational-beliefs
Hollings, D. (2024, April 8). It’s on you. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/it-s-on-you
Hollings, D. (2023, September 19). Life coaching. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/life-coaching
Hollings, D. (2022, December 2). Low frustration tolerance. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/low-frustration-tolerance
Hollings, D. (2024, September 27). My attitude. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/my-attitude
Hollings, D. (2024, April 22). On disputing. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/on-disputing
Hollings, D. (2023, September 3). On feelings. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/on-feelings
Hollings, D. (2022, November 7). Personal ownership. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/personal-ownership
Hollings, D. (2023, March 20). Practice. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/practice
Hollings, D. (2024, January 1). Psychoeducation. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/psychoeducation
Hollings, D. (2023, September 15). Psychotherapeutic modalities. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/psychotherapeutic-modalities
Hollings, D. (2024, May 5). Psychotherapist. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/psychotherapist
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
Hollings, D. (2024, May 15). Rational living. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/rational-living
Hollings, D. (2022, November 1). Self-disturbance. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/self-disturbance
Hollings, D. (2024, April 21). Sensation. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/sensation
Hollings, D. (2022, October 7). Should, must, and ought. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/should-must-and-ought
Hollings, D. (2024, February 27). Suffering, struggling, and battling vs. experiencing. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/suffering-struggling-and-battling-vs-experiencing
Hollings, D. (2022, November 9). The ABC model. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/the-abc-model
Hollings, D. (2022, December 23). The A-C connection. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/the-a-c-connection
Hollings, D. (2022, December 25). The B-C connection. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/the-b-c-connection
Hollings, D. (2024, September 17). The E-C connection. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/the-e-c-connection
Hollings, D. (2024, September 25). Unrealistic philosophies. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/unrealistic-philosophies
Sutter Kain II DJ Bless. (2017, May 27). Pull the Fuckin Trigger – “Everyday Struggle Pt. 2” - Official music video (underground hip hop) [Video]. YouTube. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/KoY-fgyajmU?si=PXYvPxfwrr6eEo0Y
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