One of the four major irrational beliefs identified in literature for Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) is demandingness. Generally, these prescriptions to life come in the form of absolutistic and conditional beliefs regarding what should, must, or ought to be the case.
As an example, using the ABC model, believing something like “life absolutely must be safe” will cause a self-disturbed outcome if (and more likely when) this rigid belief is inevitably challenged by forces of nature. For instance, you could die while exhibiting risk-taking behavior.
Per one recent source, “A 53-year-old Russian tourist died this week while attempting to take a photo of herself on the footboard of a train in Sri Lanka […] While apparently posing for the image, the woman hit a rock and fell off the train, sustaining severe injuries.”
Though a person may unhelpfully demand that life absolutely must be safe, life may challenge this irrational belief by one’s head smashing into a rock while one is hanging from a train that moves at a high velocity. Thus, it isn’t logical or reasonable to believe that life must be safe.
Similarly, believing something like “I won’t be upset only if I’m safe in life” serves as a cognitive distortion in the form of a conditional demand equating to “life must be safe, or else I’m going to be upset.” This, too, is as irrational as the aforementioned absolutistic demand.
According to one source, “Here is a case where the social media platforms may not actively be encouraging risky behaviors – like climbing to the edge of a cliff to take a selfie – but there is really nothing that Twitter [“X”], Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok could do to stop it either.”
The world isn’t inherently safe, nor is life. Social media platforms and other outlets used to post content associated with risk-taking behavior empirically shouldn’t, mustn’t, or oughtn’t to guarantee safety for users who are irrational enough to put their lives in danger for attention.
Thus, if you position yourself in a dangerous place and hope to garner praise for your reckless behavior, then you recommendatorily should, must, or ought to be prepared to unconditionally accept whatever consequences stem from your actions. Besides, life mustn’t actually be safe.
If you’re looking for a provider who tries to work to help 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 try 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 trying to help you to feel better, I want to try to help you get better!
Deric Hollings, LPC, LCSW
References:
Blanchet, B. (2025, February 23). Tourist, 53, dies after trying to take selfie while leaning out of train: Reports. People. Retrieved from https://people.com/tourist-dies-while-taking-selfie-as-she-leaned-out-of-train-in-sri-lanka-reports-11684756
Hollings, D. (2024, July 9). Absolutistic should beliefs. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/absolutistic-should-beliefs
Hollings, D. (2024, July 9). Conditional should beliefs. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/conditional-should-beliefs
Hollings, D. (2024, March 19). Consequences. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/consequences
Hollings, D. (2024, October 27). Correlation does not imply causation. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/correlation-does-not-imply-causation
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. (2024, March 28). Distorted inferences. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/distorted-inferences
Hollings, D. (2024, July 10). Empirical should beliefs. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/empirical-should-beliefs
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. (n.d.). Hollings Therapy, LLC [Official website]. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/
Hollings, D. (2023, September 19). Life coaching. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/life-coaching
Hollings, D. (2023, January 8). Logic and reason. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/logic-and-reason
Hollings, D. (2023, September 3). On feelings. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/on-feelings
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, July 10). Recommendatory should beliefs. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/recommendatory-should-beliefs
Hollings, D. (2024, January 4). Rigid vs. rigorous. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/rigid-vs-rigorous
Hollings, D. (2022, November 1). Self-disturbance. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/self-disturbance
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, March 24). Smartphone and social media addiction. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/smartphone-and-social-media-addiction
Hollings, D. (2025, January 9). Traditional ABC model. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/traditional-abc-model
Hollings, D. (2024, October 20). Unconditional acceptance redux. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/unconditional-acceptance-redux
Suciu, P. (2023, February 3). Dying for the perfect photo or video – Is social media claiming lives? Forbes. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/petersuciu/2023/02/03/dying-for-the-perfect-photo-or-video--is-social-media-claiming-lives/
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