One of the four major irrational beliefs targeted for challenge in Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) is low frustration tolerance (LFT). If this unproductive assumption had a catchphrase, it’d be something along the lines of, “I can’t stand it!”
LFT self-narratives essentially convince a person that people, places, things, or events are intolerable and unacceptable. In essence, when an LFT attitude is used, an individual becomes convinced that whatever is at hand is literally unbearable.
The late psychologist who developed REBT, Albert Ellis, created his psychotherapeutic modality as an antidote to self-induced suffering. Still, it wasn’t as though Ellis didn’t acknowledge that suffering is an inherent component in life. For context, consider that Ellis stated:
[R]eal difficulty, great trouble often exists. You and your relatives may personally suffer from serious diseases, injuries, assault and violence, crime, and other problems; and if you look at TV and your newspaper every day, you will find gruesome details of floods, famine, terrorism, wars, genocide, and other atrocities.
Obviously, however, not everyone who suffers, suffers about this kind of suffering. Not everyone defines bad things as awful, terrible, and horrible – and thereby usually makes them worse. Many do, most often do. But not everyone does. And no one does all the time.
Real problems exist. Often, these undesirable events can have a serious impact on one’s life. For example, you may be involved in a motor vehicle accident and require a leg amputation. Still, this unfortunate occurrence, though unpleasant, doesn’t result in suffering. Allow me to explain.
REBT theory maintains that when an unexpected Activating event occurs and a person uses an irrational Belief about the situation, it’s one’s unhelpful attitude and not the undesirable circumstance that causes unpleasant emotional, bodily sensation, and behavioral Consequences.
Rather than remaining self-disturbed, an individual is invited to try Disputation which may lead to an Effective new belief that’s used in place of an unproductive self-narrative. With the ABC model, a person learns to stop needless suffering which is caused by unhelpful assumptions.
An LFT personal philosophy of life may play a role in the experience of suffering. For instance, consider what Chris Orrick (formerly known as “Red Pill”) stated in his song “One Day” which was produced by Duke Westlake. Can you identify the LFT narratives in the following chorus?
Gotta believe in something, but something don’t mean nothing. I’m sick of living suffering. I need this hope, so fuck it! I’m getting sick of saying, “One day.” Been getting sick of saying, “One day.” I’m getting sick of saying, “One day.” But it’s always something in my way.
The lyricist uses an LFT self-narrative when expressing, “I’m sick of living suffering,” and, “I’m getting sick of saying, ‘One day.” “How do these count as LFT narratives?” you may ask. Allow me to explain.
Stating that one can’t stand an activating event is synonymous with expressing that one is sick of the occurrence. Both of these terms indicate intolerance and unacceptance. For example, saying that you can’t stand the smell of rotten milk is the same as stating that the smell is sickening.
While I don’t particularly enjoy the smell of rotten milk, it isn’t as though I literally can’t tolerate the aroma or simply can’t accept the scent. However, if I were to state that I can’t stand the smell of rotten milk or that I’m sick of the stench, I’d convince myself of an inability.
The message of which I’d be persuaded is that not only is the smell of rotten milk displeasing, it’s beyond my capability to endure the event. Without disputation of this unhelpful assumption, I’d transition from mere dissatisfaction to sheer suffering.
In “One Day,” Orrick indicates that he’s “sick of living suffering”—a condition of his own creation. Perhaps disputation of the lyricist’s LFT narrative could lead to a preferable outcome rather than one of self-induced suffering. What do you think?
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
References:
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SoundCloud. (n.d.). Duke Westlake. Retrieved from https://soundcloud.com/dukewestlake
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