Most of us do not consciously think about reciprocity in our intimate relationships. When we do, we might say, “Of course it is important.” Like the Golden Rule, we recognize it as a valuable principle to live by. Reciprocity is not something that can be exact, of course, because what one person can do, another person cannot. Reciprocity and cooperation are so valuable precisely because we do have various strengths and weaknesses. UNDERSTANDING RECIPROCITY Although people have long-recognized the importance of reciprocity, Marsha Linehan explained its value in intimate relationships in her dialectical behavioral therapy theory. Her work continues to be appreciated, taught, and used in many therapeutic settings with both women and men. Reciprocity is also mentioned as an important relationship characteristic in the Trauma Recovery and Empowerment Model, developed by a group of women led by Maxine Harris, PhD. This model is often used to help women who have been abused. Reciprocity will be difficult or impossible to develop and maintain if one partner in the relationship believes that they are and must be superior or in control. Likewise, a person who is highly competitive may have difficulty understanding and learning how to create reciprocity in an intimate relationship. Reciprocal relationships require a spirit of cooperation, as well as an understanding of and ability to embrace interdependence. To cultivate a lasting, committed relationship, both partners must have and be able to continue to nurture feelings of love for each other. Reciprocity is developed and woven into good enough relationships, sometimes without participants knowing that is what they are doing. With awareness, it can become a robust, healthy feature of the relationship. Reciprocity requires people to be invested in their relationship. If a relationship is important enough to them, partners will be emotionally invested in it enough to work at building and maintaining it. Commitment is sustained through the improvement of rewardcost balance in relationships. The most useful investments are those that tap into what the partner has contributed emotionally. Passion is a vital condition in healthy relationships. Reciprocated love is related to feeling fulfilled. Reciprocated love and emotional contribution are behavioral investments that sustain a committed relationship. BUILDING RECIPROCITY To create a reciprocal relationship, both partners need to be able to accept responsibility for that creation. The interdependence of a healthy relationship requires that both people accept personal responsibility. One partner cannot take all the blame while the other partner gives all the blame. Acceptance of responsibility for the creation of a reciprocal relationship takes a high degree of emotional maturity, which takes awareness, time, and personal work to develop. This can be the most rewarding work a person will do in his or her lifetime. It is the work of maturation. When two people decide to develop a healthy, interdependent, reciprocal relationship, it is wise for them to take the time to talk about their personal value system and what characteristics they believe create a healthy relationship. For instance, some people value affection as an important condition for a healthy relationship, while others do not. In such a situation, reciprocity will be difficult. Respect is another value that needs to be discussed. Asking one another to define “respect” is an excellent place to start the discussion. Respect must be reciprocal, and each person needs to be able to articulate when he or she he feels disrespected. Examples of areas that involve respect include philosophy, profession, principles, intelligence, creativity, parenting, and personal growth processes. Reciprocal respect will be difficult or impossible if one partner does not respect the other partner’s beliefs in those subjects. People need to be honest with themselves first so that they can then be honest with their partner. If there is a lack of respect, love cannot continue to grow and the relationship will be difficult, if not impossible. A basic building block of intimate relationships concerns how people define reciprocity about the exchange of goods and labor. It is prudent to have discussions about those issues, before committing. Reciprocity in other areas of the relationship, such as emotional, physical, or sexual intimacy also needs to be discussed. Negotiating reciprocity is a skill that people can build with one another. Negative reciprocity often occurs when a behavior has had a negative effect on one person and he or she reciprocates with a behavior that has an equally negative effect. People react to each other without thinking. Partners need to discuss this sort of exchange and learn how to respond to it thoughtfully in order to prevent it from spiraling out of control. If partners have built an emotionally healthy relationship, they can work it out by themselves. RECIPROCITY IN GROWING RELATIONSHIPS For intimate relationships to grow and become healthy, lasting, and committed, reciprocity is vital. This type of reciprocity differs from the reciprocity that occurs in other types of relationships. Couples getting ready to commit to a relationship should engage in deep, intimate discussions with each other about how they define love and how they plan to develop reciprocity with each other and keep it growing. Knowing that change is a consistent process in life will help people recognize the value of preparing the soil for a relationship from the beginning. The thrill of the adrenaline rush that comes from attraction is never enough. That ends—often quickly. It is easy to delude ourselves into believing that a partner can and will be able to build the kind of loving, committed relationship that most of us want. Talking openly, honestly, and deeply with our partners can help us make a better decision about whether or not we are genuinely capable of building a healthy reciprocal relationship.
INSITE Integrative Services : Ed Geraty LCSW-C, LICSW
Ed Geratys Mental Health blog focuses on the integration of Western psychotherapy and Eastern & Western Wisdom traditions. View his website www.insiteintegrative.com
Monday, April 1, 2024
Saturday, November 25, 2023
Vicarious Trauma
Vicarious Trauma
Ed Geraty LCSW-C
INSITEintegrative.com
The darkest parts of reality continue to unfold with wars
and disasters — millions face pain, suffering, separation, fear, loss, hunger,
thirst, disease, and desperation. It’s beyond devastating.
Bearing witness to these experiences is nothing like being
on the ground, but can be unrelenting in its own right. And, never has there
been so much coverage of terror and horror on social media. The pictures. The
details. The heinous acts. The constant exposure. The accompanying slurs.
It can evoke deep sadness, significant stress, and vicarious
trauma that is far-reaching and potentially long-lasting.
What is vicarious trauma?
Events can negatively affect people a world away from the
scene, especially when this involves witnessing fear, pain, grief, and terror
that others have experienced. This is the “cost of caring”: We empathize with victims and this can cause
us to “feel their pain.” We may also
feel directly threatened, especially when we relate in some way to those most
impacted—“this could be me” or “this will be me.”
We feel helpless to do anything.
Our attitudes and worldviews shift after exposure to
distressing images of these events. This is vicarious trauma—the psychological
impact of second-hand exposure to traumatic events. If left unrecognized and,
in some cases, untreated, it can lead to depression, anxiety, PTSD, social
withdrawal, substance abuse, or suicidal thoughts.
Prevalence varies because of variation in how vicarious
trauma is measured and where it’s been studied. But, perhaps most importantly,
the extent of suffering depends on the dose of exposure and socio-demographic
predisposing factors.
Dose: Media exposure matters
Widespread media coverage of war, and particularly
terrorism, has harmful effects on mental and physical health. And the more you
interact with social media and television, the worse its impact. We’ve seen
this over and over in the literature from other events: In a 2014 Israeli study, the higher the media
exposure during terror attacks, the higher the distress and post-traumatic
stress symptoms levels. After 9/11, those who watched 4+ hours of TV coverage
daily were more likely to experience acute stress. After 9/11, frequent early
exposure to 9/11-related television predicted posttraumatic stress symptoms and
physical health problems two to three years later.
After the Boston Marathon bombings, repeated bombing-related
media was associated with higher stress than direct exposure. Acute stress
steadily increased with additional hours of media exposure.
Unfortunately, most research has focused on television
exposure.. Of course, the information landscape has changed. Social media is
not unfiltered, mis/disinformation is rampant, and exposure can be unexpected
(for example, encountering gruesome photos while scrolling through feeds of
pets).
Some recent studies have tried to fill the space. One
simulation study found community PTSD prevalence almost doubled after social
media video sharing of a terror attack compared to television.
Socio-demographic predictors
Everyone can experience vicarious trauma, but certain
socio-demographic groups are at higher
risk: Shared social identity with victims. For example, a study on the Pulse
nightclub terror attack, which occurred on Latin night, found Hispanics and
LGBTQ individuals were more likely to develop acute stress through media
exposure than other demographics.
. Pre-event traumatic exposure and/or traumatic loss. Your
experience before an event significantly impacts how you experience a current
event. One study found direct exposure to 9/11 or Sandy Hook was more likely to
cause acute stress after the Boston Marathon bombing.
What can we do?
Of course, social media use can be a positive force too,
like increasing social connectedness. One study found that social media was
protective against vicarious trauma when the content was focused on heroic acts
and viewing information about the conflict itself (rather than the
suffering). There are a number of things
we can do to reduce vicarious trauma while remaining up-to-date on news:
Turn off auto-play videos on social media.
Walk away from social media after a time. Put on a timer.
Pay attention to how you’re feelings. If you’re feeling
overwhelmed, do activities that make you feel calm or relaxed.
Seek social support. Being around other people who care
about you is one of the best ways to reduce stress.
Talk to someone you trust. This can be a family member, a
friend, clergy, or a therapist.
Find ways to feel useful. This can include donating to
causes that help address the needs of those suffering or even just reaching out
to a neighbor or friend who is struggling.
If you have children, monitor what they’re seeing or
hearing. As overwhelming as the media exposure is for adults, it can be even
more confusing and stressful for kids. The National Child Traumatic Stress
Network is a helpful resource for discussing war with kids.
Bottom line
Being witness to terrorist attacks and war can set off a
cascade of collective trauma that results in physical, mental, and emotional
impairment for thousands; far more extensive and for far longer than we may
think. If you’re hurting, overwhelmed, and exhausted, you’re not alone.
Info gathered from ptsduk.org
Limerence vs Love
Limerence vs Love
Ed Geraty LCSW-C
INSITEintegrative.com
What is Limerence?
Limerence means having an intense longing for another person
even when they don’t fully reciprocate. The limerent person struggles to think
about anything else but their “crush” and neglects their social life, work, and
other responsibilities as a result.
The term was first coined by psychologist Dorothy Tenov in
the 1970s when she conducted a series of interviews and noticed some people’s
experiences of love were particularly intense. She found that this intense
feeling can affect anybody regardless of gender, age, culture, background, or
any other trait.
Because it can cause such significant problems in someone’s
life, the interest in finding a way to treat limerence is growing among
researchers and psychologists. But to find ways to overcome it, we first have
to understand what it is and how it develops. Therefore, this article will
discuss:
The symptoms of limerence
The difference between love and limerence
Phases or stages of limerence
Causes of limerence
How to overcome limerence
The Symptoms of Limerence
Limerence describes the experience of having an
uncontrollable desire for someone – an obsession that consumes the limerent
person’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. It usually involves two people: the
person who desires the other (the limerent) and the desired person (the
limerence object or LO).
Essentially, limerance is
a state of being stuck between uncertainty and hope: will they or won’t
they return the sentiment? For instance, perhaps this person hasn’t rejected
them entirely, but they haven’t confessed their love either.
This state of irresolution causes the limerent to become
preoccupied with the LO, closely analyzing their behavior and body language to
look for signs of reciprocation. They may also ruminate about past encounters
with the LO and fantasize about what might happen between them in the future.
The key feature of limerence is that these thoughts and yearnings are
uncontrollable and all-consuming.
Other symptoms and characteristics of limerence:
Consistent and intrusive thoughts about the LO
Idealization of the LO e.g. “they are perfect.”
Constantly being reminded of the LO by places, people,
objects, and situations
Intense fear of being rejected by the LO
Fluctuations of mood depending on whether the LO seems to
reciprocate feelings or not e.g. feeling happy when they call and devastated
when they don’t
Overwhelming emotions ranging from euphoria to distress and
guilt
Being awkward, shy, and clumsy around LO
Spending excessive amounts of time grooming or beautifying
yourself to impress the LO
Another focal aspect of limerance is that these symptoms or
feelings are experienced for one person. Furthermore, this obsession
significantly imapcts other areas of life, such as work, social life, and
hobbies.
What Are the Positive and Negative Effects of Limerence?
Although limerence can be problematic, there are some
positive aspects. The intense emotional high associated with limerance, like
experiencing joy, elation, and excitement, can be good initially. Moreover, to
impress their LO, the limerent may invest a lot of time in self-improvement,
such as their physical appearance and social skills. They may also explore new
hobbies and interests if these could bring them closer to their LO.
Yet the emotional high comes with an inevitable low, so, if
the LO does not reciprocate, the limerent experiences extreme uncertainty,
anxiety, and depression. This despair can also lead to being unable to eat or sleep,
feelings of hopelessness, and potentially even suicidal thoughts or intentions.
Limerance can also be problematic because it stops the
limerent person from living their life to its fullest as they may withdraw
socially. Furthermore, antisocial behavior like stalking and violence have also
been associated with limerence (but please note that not every limerent person
is a stalker or violent).
Limerence vs Love: What’s the Difference?
Fundamental to understanding limerence is recognizing that
limerence and love are different. Love is a feeling of attachment and wanting
to commit to another person. It’s a chemical reaction in the brain and body
that makes us want to unite with someone – emotionally and physically. Love is selfless and involves true concern
for the well-being and feelings of others; wanting the other to be happy
regardless of whether they are with us or not and respecting their wants,
feelings, and wishes.
In contrast, limerence is an unhealthy, obsessional mixture
of emotions. On the surface, it may look like love, and we may have come to
liken it to love because limerent behavior is often featured in movies and love
songs. But limerant behaviours typically only serve the limerent’s own needs
and come from a place of anxiety, rather than wanting the best for the other
person.
What’s more, limerance puts an expectation on the other
through the belief that these feelings should be reciprocated. As a result of
this expectation, the limerent often becomes jealous of any other relationships
the LO might have. If they are rejected, they might become angry and vengeful,
disrespecting the wishes and needs of the other person. Therefore, limerance
can be harmful to both people involved and is filled with anxiety, uncertainty,
and discomfort. Although the limerent experiences emotional highs, this is
dependent on the LO’s reciprocation and therefore isn’t sustainable
The Phases of Limerence
Limerence moves through different phases or stages. It’s
characterized by the limerent person hoping to find someone to love, becoming
infatuated with them, and fluctuating between hope for reciprocation and fear
of being rejected. According to Dorothy Tenov, there are five stages of
limerence, which are described in more detail below:
Pre-Limerence
During this phase, the limerent individual doesn’t have a
particular love interest but longs to fall in love and be loved in return. If,
during their search, another person seems to be showing signs of reciprocation,
they become their object of limerence (LO). Typically, a limerent person
doesn’t choose their partners carefully but instead seeks anyone who will love
them completely and passionately.
Pre-Reciprocity
Pre-Reciprocity is the phase wherein the limerent develops a
strong desire for another person, the LO. Although the attraction might be
physical initially, limerence isn’t actually about sex alone; it’s the desire
for more than sex. For limerence to happen, the limerent must perceive the
other (LO) to have some kind of interest in them but without clear
reciprocation.
Without a clear return of interest, the limerent looks for
any signs that the other person likes them. If they perceive a sign, they
experience joy and excitement, which increases their longing for that person.
But continued uncertainty creates an intense fear of rejection and self-doubt
creeps in – “do they like me or not?”
Reciprocity
If the other person entirely rejects the limerent, this is
usually the end of that limerent episode – although the rejection can be
emotionally devastating to the limerent. If the LO reciprocates the limerent’s
feelings, a passionate and obsessive love tends to unfold between both. As the
relationship progresses, limerence either becomes less intense because the
uncertainty has naturally decreased (as a result of commitment). Or limerence
persists throughout the relationship if the uncertainty about commitment and
love continues.
Gradual Dissolution
In most cases, limerence naturally reduces and eventually
ceases to exist. This can be difficult for both people involved as they may
question why the intensity of their love has vanished. They might yearn for
things to go back to the way they were, or fear that the other person no longer
loves them. Dissolution can lead to arguments, blame, and even the breaking up
of the relationship. On the other hand, if both individuals realize that
limerence was a natural phase in their relationship, there is space for the
couple to transition to a healthier type of love.
Post-Limerence
After limerence, some relationships can become strong and
healthy with open communication and collaboration. However, as mentioned, the
loss of limerence can be devastating for many and can lead to the couple
breaking up. In many cases, the limerent person then returns to the
pre-limerence stage and yearns to fall in love and be loved by another person.
What Causes Limerence?
Limerence is still a relatively unexplored concept, but
research suggests that it stems from a mixture of personality traits,
biological predispositions, and attachment styles.
Some psychologists believe that we’re all born with an
innate drive towards limerence. Possible evidence for this comes from
teenagers. For instance, young adults often experience relationships that are
characteristic of limerence – obsessional infatuation with extreme mood swings
depending on the behavior of the other person. They may also often experience
rejection or the end of a relationship as heart-shattering and as though their
entire world has come to an end.
However, while many people will remember this kind of love
from their teens and/or adult years, others have never experienced limerence.
This may be because a particular gene becomes active only under certain
environmental conditions, which then gives rise to a tendency for limerence.
One such environmental condition can be the person’s upbringing and the
relationship they have with their caregivers – their attachment style.
Attachment Style and Limerence
Insecure attachment, specifically anxious attachment, shares
many similarities with limerence. Anxious attachment results from inconsistent
caregiving during childhood, which gives the child (and later the adult) an
unbalanced sense of security in relationships.
In relationships, someone with an anxious attachment style
experiences preoccupation with the relationship and their partner, is
emotionally dependent, and has low self-esteem. They base their self-esteem on
the approval and acceptance of others, which creates a strong fear of rejection
and failure to please their partner. This is very similar to the profile of
limerence and, thus, in many cases, it’s likely that limerence stems from an
anxious attachment style.
In this view, limerence is not caused by the LO (because
they’re particularly desirable or their “soulmate”) but rather it’s the result
of certain needs not being met during childhood.
Is Limerence a Mental Disorder?
Limerence is a distinctive state of mind, but it has been
compared to obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and substance use disorder (SUD
or addiction). For the most part, due to how all of these conditions share the
characteristics of compulsion, obsession, and lack of control. Although their
causes are not entirely clear, these conditions are often a result of trauma,
stress, and difficulties in childhood, combined with certain predispositions
and environments.
As with OCD, limerence is experienced with an undercurrent
of anxiety (in this case, anxiety about rejection). It also features obsessive
and intrusive thoughts, which the limerent might try to reduce through certain
behaviors, for example, repeating words in their head, counting, or arranging
things. Lastly, as with OCD, the obsession takes over their life and becomes
all-consuming.
Limerence and addiction are similar in that, although the
person might know their behavior is harmful, they continue to do it. That’s
because they both trigger a strong physiological response: a rush of feel-good
chemicals. Like a substance user, a limerent builds up a tolerance and needs
more and more emotional reciprocation from the LO to feel happy. They spend
their time thinking and obsessing about the other person and experience their
desire as uncontrollable. As with addiction, limerence causes the person
distress and impacts their ability to function normally.
However, limerence isn’t addiction or OCD – it’s a unique
condition that shares similarities with certain disorders. Although some
psychologists and researchers believe severe cases of limerence could be
considered a mental disorder, it’s currently not considered to be one.
Nevertheless, similar to OCD and addiction, limerence may develop as a result
of trauma, insecure attachment, and stressful life events.
How to Overcome Limerence
Limerence can range from severe to mild. So, the extent to
which it’s affecting your ability to live your life will determine how best to
intervene. If you’re struggling at work, with other relationships, have lost
friends, been estranged from family, or become socially isolated, it might be
helpful to seek the support of a therapist or psychologist.
Remember that limerence isn’t about the other person (the
LO); it’s a symptom of a deeper psychological yearning or wound within you.
This might be your first time being in a state of limerence, or perhaps it
happens to you frequently, but regardless, it’s important to be introspective
to find out what’s going on. The first important step is to get into the right
frame of mind and commit to the process of healing. Approach it from a place of
compassion and understanding with the aim of finding solutions, rather than
dwelling on the problem. Here is some advice for overcoming limerence.
Practice Self-awareness/Mindfulness
Noticing our patterns of thoughts and behaviors is the first
step toward positive change. When we’re aware of what’s happening within us, we
can learn what our triggers are and intervene more effectively.
If you notice intrusive and obsessive thoughts about a
person, observe them with interest – as though they’re someone else’s thoughts.
Be curious about the content of your thoughts; try not to judge yourself but
rather find understanding and acceptance. When you’re self-aware in this way,
it’s easier to eventually let go of these thoughts and behaviors and replace
them with more helpful ones.
Work on Attachment Insecurities
As mentioned above, limerence and attachment anxiety seem to
be closely related – in fact, limerence may be a result of an anxious
attachment style. So it might be helpful to find out what your attachment style
is, how it affects you and your relationships, and how to develop a more secure
attachment style.
Try Cognitive Restructuring
Cognitive restructuring refers to transforming your
unhelpful thoughts, beliefs, and traits into constructive, healthy ones.
Limerence comes from having certain unhelpful beliefs, like believing you need
another person to feel happy and complete. Sometimes these beliefs can be
subconscious so it takes a bit of work to uncover them. Once you’ve identified
them, it’ll be easier to replace them with more helpful beliefs about yourself.
This is best done with a trained professional, such as a cognitive-behavioral
therapist, but you can also try a few things yourself, for example:
Journaling
write about thoughts and experiences as a way to
self-reflect and identify patterns of thought and behavior.
Affirmations
identify unhelpful thoughts, turn them around, and create an
affirmation. For example: if you believe, “no one will love me,” turn that into
“I am a loveable person” and repeat it daily.
Exposure
try doing something that makes you feel uncomfortable or
afraid. This will help you to work through any fears you might have and build
your resilience and confidence. For example, if spending time alone makes you
feel anxious, do exactly that. Be by yourself, without your phone, and do an
enjoyable activity like drawing or listening to music instead.
Relaxation
breathing exercises and progressive muscle relaxation calm
down the nervous system and will help you to think more clearly
Improve Self-worth
Limerence is partly caused by low self-esteem; a limerent
person bases their self-esteem on the approval and acceptance (and love) of
others. We may feel incomplete or empty if another person isn’t there to love
us and this causes despair, loneliness, and sadness. Naturally, this would lead
us to think that if we found someone who loves us completely and passionately,
our loneliness and sadness would disappear.
But basing your worth on external factors makes it fragile
and unstable. Letting go of the need for others’ approval means realizing that
your worth doesn’t depend on external love and attention. Your value as a human
being is unchanging, it doesn’t fluctuate. Try doing something new, use
positive affirmations, make a list of all of your strengths and the things you
like about yourself, and treat yourself as though you were a beloved friend.
Focus on Self-care and Self-love
Focusing all of your attention on another person can be a
strategy to avoid facing your problems and fears. Perhaps you pour all of your
time and energy into someone else so you don’t have to think about yourself.
Instead of this, why not treat yourself as though you’re the LO? Put yourself
first and build a healthy and sustainable self-care routine; pour your love,
time, and energy into your own well-being and happiness.
Final Thoughts on Limerence
Limerence is an obsessive and anxiety-provoking kind of
desire. Although it can feel amazing, it comes with extreme lows, despair, and
self-doubt. But if you experience limerence, it shows you have the ability to
love intensely. Turn that love towards yourself as a way to heal your past
wounds and insecurity and overcome limerence. Learn how to be there for
yourself, how to spend time with yourself, and how to be kind to yourself – in
other words, be your own best friend.
Emotional Regulation
Emotional Regulation Skills
Emotions are helpful and important. They communicate
information to us about our environment and our experience. Goals of Emotional
Regulation include: naming and understanding our own emotions, decrease the
frequency of unpleasant emotions, decrease our vulnerability to emotions, and
decrease emotional suffering.
STOP
When you feel that your emotions seem to be in control,
stop! Don’t react. Don’t move a muscle. Just freeze especially those muscles
around the mouth. Freezing for a moment helps prevent you from doing what your
emotions want you to do (which is to act without thinking). Stay in control.
Remember, you are the boss of your emotions. Name the emotion – put a label on
it.
Take A Step Back
When you are faced with a difficult situation, it may be
hard to think about how to deal with it on the spot. Give yourself some time to
calm down and think. Take a step back from the situation. Get unstuck from what
is going on. Take a deep breath and continue breathing deeply as long as you
need and until you are in control. Do not let your emotions control what you
do. It is the rare incident, indeed, wherein we need to make a split-second
decision about anything. Hence, it is okay to take our time to decide how to
respond.
Proceed Mindfully
Ask yourself, “What do I want from this situation?” or “What
are my goals?” or “What choice might make this situation better or worse?” or
“What act will allow for success?” Stay calm, stay in control, and when you
have some information and how that may impact your goals, you will be better
prepared to deal with the situation effectively. Remember your brain needs time
to think all of this through.
Opposite Action
All emotions activate us to respond and the type of
activation is biologically wired. The Opposite Action Skill allows us to choose
to respond opposite from what our biological response would activate us to do.
They get us ready to act. Here are some examples:
Thirst: tells us that we need to hydrate. It activates us to
drink water.
Hunger: tells us that we need to give our body fuel. It
activates us to eat.
Fatigue: tells us that we need rest. It activates us to
sleep.
Switch it Up
The 3 emotions listed above are helpful for our survival;
but those that follow require thought before we act and opposite action may be
helpful.
Anger gets us ready to attack/ It activates us to attack or
defend.
Opposite show kindness/concern or walk away.
Shame gets us ready to hide. It activates us isolate.
Opposite raise your head up, give eye contact, shoulders
back.
Fear gets us ready to run or hide. It activates us to escape
danger.
Opposite go towards, stay involved in it, build courage.
Depression gets us ready to be inactive. It activates us to
avoid contact.
Opposite get active.
Disgust gets us ready to reject or distance ourselves. It
activates us to avoid.
Opposite push through and get through situation.
Guilt gets us ready to repair violations. It activates us to
seek forgiveness.
Opposite apologize and mean what we say.
Remember:
1 If we want an emotion to stick around or increase,
continue to do the action as above.
2 If we want an emotion to go away or become less
uncomfortable, do the opposite action.
3If we want this skill to work, we must use opposite action
all the way and believe that it will work.
ABC Please
ABC Please Skill
The ABC PLEASE skill is about taking good care of ourselves
so that we can take care of others. Also, an important component of DBT is to
reduce our vulnerability. When we take good care of ourselves, we are less
likely to be vulnerable to disease and emotional crisis.
ABC
A Accumulate positive emotions by doing things that are
pleasant.
B Build mastery by doing things we enjoy. Whether it is
reading, cooking, cleaning, fixing a car, working a cross word puzzle, or
playing a musical instrument. Practice these things to build master and in time
we feel competent.
C Cope Ahead by rehearsing a plan ahead of time so that we
can be prepared to cope skillfully.
PLEASE
Treat Physical Illness and take medications as
prescribed.
Balance eating in order to avoid mood swings.
Avoid mood-Altering substances and have mood control.
Maintain good sleep so you can enjoy your life.
Get exercise to maintain high spirits.
Build Mastery
You can build mastery by doing things you enjoy. Whether it
is reading, cooking, cleaning, fixing a car, working a cross word puzzle, or
playing a musical instrument. Learn as much as you can about the subject in
order to be well versed. Discuss what you have learned and write about what you
have learned. Practice these things to build mastery and in time, feel
competent.
Try Something New
Anyone can master a new recipe and with practice, it can
become a family favorite. Finding a recipe for a dish that the family will
enjoy is the first part of the challenge. Understanding the components of the
recipe and how to follow the steps is next. If you are unsure, ask others who
enjoy cooking or google the answer. Collect the ingredients and give the recipe
a whirl. Expect mistakes, because mistakes help us to learn. Seek help when you
are not sure about how to proceed.
Practice
Washing the dishes and doing the laundry are thankless jobs,
yet when they are complete and are done well, we can feel good that the task is
complete. Reading a book to a young child and finding joy in sharing that time,
is also considered building mastery in relationship building. Playing a board
game with friends, or frisbee, or any other sport, can also be part of building
a relationship which involves mastery.
Give Yourself Credit
An important ingredient in this skill building is to
remember to give ourselves credit for building mastery. We often let the day go
as if we accomplished nothing at all. Give yourself credit for all that you
accomplished at days end. Watch the video to see how someone developed mastery.
Cope Ahead
Cope Ahead Skill
The Cope Ahead skill is intended to have us consider how we
might be prepared in some way to help us reduce stress ahead of the time. When
we are asked to do some task, it is helpful to think through to the completion
of the task. All of us at one time or another have had to give a presentation.
Before the presentation, we likely wrote up some notes or did some research on
the subject. We do this in order to increase our chances of communicating a
message to others successfully. This is an example of coping ahead of time.
rehearse a plan ahead of time so that you are prepared to
cope skillfully with emotional situations.
1 Describe the situation that is likely to prompt
uncomfortable emotions. Check the facts. Be specific in describing the
situation. Name the emotions and actions likely to interfere with using your
skills.
2 Decide what coping or problem-solving skills you want to
use in the situation. Be specific. Write out in detail how you will cope with
the situation and with your emotions and action urges.
3 Imagine the situation in your mind as vividly as possible.
Imagine yourself in the situation now, not watching the situation.
4 Rehearse in your mind coping effectively. Rehearse in your
mind exactly what you can do to cope effectively. Rehearse your actions, your
thoughts, what you say, and how to say it. Rehearse coping effectively with new
problems that come up. Rehearse coping effectively with your most feared
catastrophe.
5 Practice relaxation after rehearsing.
Examples:
Ken sent his resume and cover letter to a company for a
position and was offered an interview. He used the Cope Ahead Skill to prepare
for the interview.
Ken reviewed his resume and the job description and listed
the skills he had already mastered. He also researched the company and prepared
a list of questions to ask about the company. He realized he would likely feel
anxiety and thought about how he had faced tougher situations than this in the
past. He imagined how he would calm himself so that he would do well in the
interview.
Positive Self Talk
Positive Self-Talk Skill
Sometimes all we have is the power of our own self-talk.
There are hundreds of stories of people in dire situations who believed they
had no more energy to carry on, yet they survived. Examples of this include
Victor Frankl who survived a concentration camp. Another example is Donald
Driver, who was raised in economically depressed city, was tempted by the
street life, but became one of the best Green Bay Packer receivers ever and is
now a best-selling author. Oprah Winfrey is another great example. She endured
both physical and sexual abuse, she worked hard to overcome the burdens, and
she became very successful. Those people who are successful, very often did not
come by things easily. Malcolm Gladwell discusses this particular topic in
detail in his book entitled, “David and Goliath.” In fact, the struggles these
people endured made them stronger and it gave them an advantage over others.
The Backwards Brain
Emotions occur in the response to some trigger. Triggers can
be a sight, a sound, a smell, or a thought. Triggers lead to emotions/thoughts.
Once the emotion occurs, we are activated to take action. Many unpleasant
emotions occur due to our automatic
negative thoughts (ANTs) that we developed as children. These ANTs are based on
our perception of ourselves and our world as children before we were seven
years old. These are not helpful and we need to change them to thoughts that
are based on our adult understanding of the world.
Remember, we practice our ANTs (Automatic Negative Thoughts)
since the time we were 7. Hence, it is helpful to identify the few repeating
ANTs that occur most often and change those quickly to something we prefer to
believe
What are emotions?
Triggers lead to...
Emotions
...lead to Action
Rejection Sensitivity and Relationships
Rejection
Sensitivity in Relationships
Signs of Rejection Sensitivity
Individuals with high rejection sensitivity constantly look
for signs that they’re about to be rejected. They tend to respond dramatically
to any hint that someone doesn’t want to be with them.
Because of their fears and expectations, people with
rejection sensitivity tend to misinterpret, distort, and overreact to what
other people say and do. They may even respond with hurt and anger. Here are
the factors that influence these overreactions.
Facial Expressions
People with rejection sensitivity often misinterpret or
overreact to various facial expressions. For instance, one study found that
individuals higher in rejection sensitivity showed changes in brain activity
when they saw a face that looked like it may reject them.
Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), the
researchers found that individuals higher in rejection sensitivity showed
different brain activity when viewing faces that showed disapproval.
Subjects of the study did not show the same results when
looking at individuals who showed anger or disgust. This observation was in
line with individuals who do not experience rejection sensitivity.
Heightened Physiologic Activity
When people with rejection sensitivity fear they may be
rejected, they experience heightened physiologic activity—more than individuals
without sensitivity to rejection.4 They also remain alert for more cues that
they’re about to be rejected. And, they may even exhibit fight-or-flight
behavior.
Misinterpreted Behavior
Hypersensitivity to rejection will often cause individuals
to distort and misinterpret the actions of others. For example, when friends
don't respond to a text message right away, a rejection-sensitive individual
might think, “They no longer want to be friends with me.” Whereas someone
without rejection sensitivity might be more likely to assume the friend is just
too busy to reply.
Attention Bias
Additionally, individuals who rank high in rejection
sensitivity often pay more attention to rejection or signs that they were
rejected. This is known as attention bias.
For example, if someone high in rejection sensitivity asked
10 people on a date and nine accepted and one declined, they would focus the
most on that one rejection. They might even refer to their dating attempts as a
“total disaster” and start to believe no one likes them.
Conversely, someone who ranks low in rejection sensitivity
might view the same circumstances as a great success. That person may focus on
the nine positive interactions and pay little attention to the one rejection.
Interpersonal Sensitivity
Individuals with high interpersonal sensitivity are
preoccupied with all types of rejection—both perceived rejections and actual
rejections.6 They’re also vigilant in observing and monitoring the moods and
behaviors of others and are overly sensitive to interpersonal problems.
Someone with rejection sensitivity may constantly look for
proof that other people are rejecting them. So, despite a friend or partner’s
reassurance that they’re welcome, loved, and good enough, they may still feel
rejected.
They also crave close relationships. Yet, their fear of
rejection can leave them feeling lonely and isolated. However, it's important
to note that while someone might experience rejection sensitivity in social
scenarios, they may not experience it in other circumstances.
For example, an individual who is terrified of social
rejection may not mind getting turned down for an online job. When a situation
doesn’t have social repercussions, they may be able to handle those rejections
differently.
Causes of Rejection Sensitivity
Rejection sensitivity isn’t caused by one single factor.
Instead, there may be many factors at play. Some possible causes include
childhood experiences like critical parents and bullying, along with biological
factors and genetics. Here is a closer look at the factors that may lead to
rejection sensitivity.
Childhood Experiences
Early experiences of rejection, neglect, and abuse may
contribute to rejection sensitivity.7 For example, being exposed to physical
or emotional rejection by a parent may increase the likelihood that someone
will develop rejection sensitivity. However, the rejection doesn’t always need
to be direct to have an impact.
Growing up with a parent who is emotionally unavailable or
highly critical can also cause someone to develop a strong fear of rejection in
other relationships.
Rejection-sensitive children also are more likely to behave
aggressively. According to a study published in Child Development, children who
were highly sensitive to rejection were more likely to angrily expect
rejection.8 They showed heightened distress following an ambiguous social
interaction with a peer.
Likewise, children who feel bullied or ostracized also may
grow up to fear rejection more than others. Any type of prior exposure to
painful rejection can cause someone to go to great lengths to avoid
experiencing that pain again.
Biological Vulnerability
It’s also thought that some people may have a biological
vulnerability to rejection sensitivity. There may be a genetic predisposition
or certain personality traits that increase the likelihood that someone will be
sensitive to rejection. Some researchers have even linked rejection sensitivity
with low self-esteem, neuroticism, social anxiety, and an insecure attachment
style.
Are Personality
Traits Caused by Genes or Environment?
Impact of Rejection Sensitivity
Individuals who experience high levels of rejection
sensitivity experience higher degrees of psychological distress when they’re
rejected, including emotional pain, anger, and sadness. In an attempt to deal
with that discomfort, they're also at a higher risk of engaging in
aggressiveness, social isolation, and self-injury.
Additionally, there are two primary factors at play in
people with rejection sensitivity: the constant need to be liked and the
challenges they face in forming meaningful connections with other people. Here
is a closer look at those two factors.
Constant Need to be Liked
People who are rejection-sensitive may feel the need to be
liked by everyone. And, if they are rejected, they may work extra hard to try
to win that person's favor again. This reaction to rejection can lead to
people-pleasing behavior as well as extensive ingratiating behaviors.
In fact, a study published in the Journal of Personality and
Social Psychology found that men who are high in rejection sensitivity are
likely to respond by trying to become more likable.9
They also discovered that these men were willing to pay more
money to be part of a group that rejected them. If a woman evaluated them
negatively on a mock dating site, they spent more money on her during the date
in an attempt to get her to like them.
Female participants exhibited similar behavior only when
they were rejected by a potential romantic match with whom they had already
shared personal information.
Rejection-sensitive people respond to life in a way that is
meant to protect them from pain. Unfortunately, their behaviors often backfire.
Difficulty Making Connections
A rejection-sensitive person's fear of being rejected causes
them to struggle to form new connections and to undermine their existing
relationships.10 For example, someone who is high in rejection sensitivity
may constantly accuse a partner of cheating—which may contribute to the other
person ending the relationship.
Furthermore, a rejection-sensitive individual may become
angry and hostile whenever a friend doesn’t respond to their invitations in a
timely fashion. Ultimately, that may cause the friend to retreat even more,
which increases the sense of rejection.
Meanwhile, others with rejection sensitivity may avoid all
situations and relationships where they might be rejected. Consequently, they
may feel extremely isolated and lonely—which essentially leads to their biggest
fears coming true.
Romantic Relationship Problems
People who struggle with rejection sensitivity often
interpret rejection as proof that they are unacceptable in some way. To them,
rejection is a judgment of their worth and value as a person. And, in
relationships, this belief system can be disastrous.
When someone is expecting rejection, it's hard to feel safe
in relationships. Even if they aren't being rejected at the moment, they're
always watching for it, expecting it to happen at any time.
Consequently, minor missteps are seen as a total lack of
caring or as cruel judgments on their worth as a person. In the end, the
rejection-sensitive person may grow distressed and angry as soon as they
perceive a potential rejection. Here's a closer look at how rejection
sensitivity can impact relationships.
Effects on Adolescents
Rejection sensitivity may start as early as the teenage
years. Adolescent girls who rank high in rejection sensitivity may behave in
ways that put them at a higher risk for victimization, according to a study
published in Children Maltreatment.
Researchers found that rejection-sensitive girls also were
more likely to go to extremes to maintain a relationship when they felt
insecure about a boyfriend’s commitment.
Even when the girls knew there may be negative consequences
for their actions, they still modified their behavior in an effort to preserve
the relationship. They also were more likely to engage in relationships that
involved physical aggression and nonphysical hostility during conflicts—and
they tolerated unhealthy behaviors in an attempt to stay together.
Effects on Adults
Adults with rejection sensitivity who are in romantic relationships
will likely experience ongoing relationship problems. They often misinterpret
events and reactions because they’re hyper-vigilant about being rejected.
These behaviors may lead to irrational jealousy because the
individual is terrified of being abandoned or rejected. They also might
interpret other behaviors, such as a partner being preoccupied with work, as
proof that the other person is no longer in love with them.
For men with rejection sensitivity, being in a committed
relationship may be more helpful to them than it is to women. One study found
that men are lonelier and more rejection sensitive when they’re not in a
romantic relationship.
But women who rank high in rejection sensitivity aren’t
likely to experience relief from being in a relationship. They may continue to
feel just as lonely and fearful of rejection when in a relationship as compared
to when they are alone.
Still, both men and women who fear rejection may struggle to
establish close romantic relationships. Their efforts are frequently directed
toward avoiding conflict and rejection rather than establishing intimacy and
growth.
How to Deal With
Rejection
Rejection is a direct threat to an individual’s sense of
belonging and can have serious consequences for mental health. Even if someone
isn’t actually being rejected all the time, if they perceive that they are an
outcast or if they believe that they are being rejected, their mental health is
still likely to decline.
However, rejection sensitivity isn’t a mental health
diagnosis on its own, but it is associated with several different mental
illnesses. For instance, rejection sensitivity is a risk factor for developing
depression and can worsen existing symptoms.
One study found that breakups—and the rejection associated
with them—may be more likely to trigger depression in women.
For instance, college-aged women with high rejection
sensitivity demonstrated increased depressive symptoms after a
partner-initiated breakup compared to individuals who were low in rejection
sensitivity.
Other studies have found that individuals who are high in
rejection sensitivity are also at a higher risk of:
Anxiety
Body dysmorphic disorder
Borderline personality disorder
Loneliness
Extreme sensitivity to rejection is also part of the
defining criteria for avoidant personality disorder15 and social phobia.
Furthermore, researchers discovered a link between rejection sensitivity and
suicidal thoughts in psychiatric patients.
The researchers found that individuals with suicidal
ideation were more likely to feel like they didn’t belong, and they often felt
as though they were a burden to others—things that people with rejection
sensitivity often experience.
If you or a loved one are having suicidal thoughts, contact
the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 for support and assistance from
a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.
For more mental health resources, see our National Helpline
Database.
Coping Strategies
If you suspect that you're sensitive to rejection,
recognizing the symptoms—and the problems rejection sensitivity causes—can be
the first step in creating change. Getting help could not only reduce your
vulnerability to mental illness, but with appropriate help and intervention,
also could improve your relationships.
In fact, research suggests that self-regulation, which
involves monitoring and controlling one's emotional and behavioral responses,
may be the key to coping with rejection sensitivity. For instance, when you
perceive a potential sign of rejection, it may help to stop and reflect on the
situation rather than responding immediately.
One way to do this is to look for alternative explanations
for the behavior instead of assuming the worst. If you're unable to make these
changes on your own, you may need to enlist the help of a counselor.
Start by talking to your physician, who can assist you with
determining the appropriate next steps. Many times, cognitive behavioral
therapy can help you deal with the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that fuel
the fear of rejection. And if you're already in a relationship, couples therapy
could help both of you work to establish a healthier, more secure relationship.
It can be scary to take steps to grow closer to someone,
because the deeper the relationship grows, the more being rejected could hurt.
But learning how to build deeper, healthier connections is key to reducing
loneliness and isolation.
Summary
Rejection sensitivity is not something you should ignore. In
fact, symptoms often worsen over time if they're left untreated.
Consequently, if you're prone to overwhelming emotional
reactions including intense anger, anxiety, and sadness when you feel
criticized or rejected, talk to your doctor or a mental health professional.
Learning to address your sensitivity and respond more appropriately to
rejection is the key to improving your overall quality of life.
Codependency and Anxious Attachment
Codependency and Anxious Attachment
Codependency often has you funneling your energy into
supporting the people in your life without making space for — or even
considering — what you need for yourself
The signs of codependency typically include putting your own
needs on the back burner to prioritize somebody else.
The main sign of codependency is consistently elevating the
needs of others above your own. Other signs include controlling behaviors,
self-sacrifice, and fear of rejection. But these aren’t the only ones.
Understanding what codependency really is and recognizing
the signs of codependency in your behavior is an important first step toward
building healthy boundaries and honoring your own needs.
What is codependency?
Codependency is a way of behaving in relationships where you
persistently prioritize someone else over you, and you assess your mood based
on how they behave.
The more you focus on providing the support you believe
others need, the more heavily they may begin to lean on you. Over time, it
becomes increasingly difficult to disentangle yourself.
Codependent traits can eventually:
lead to a disconnect from your own needs and desires
promote unhealthy relationship dynamics
affect self-worth and overall well-being
Experts originally introduced the term “codependency” in the
1940s to help describe specific behavior patterns they noticed in partners and
family members of people living with alcohol use disorder.
By this original definition, “codependent” might describe
loved ones who “enabled” alcohol use, and the signs included:
making excuses
hiding the alcohol use
protecting the person from any fallout or consequences of
their actions
However, today experts agree that codependency has a more
nuanced and complex meaning — and can show up in many situations, not just ones
involving substance use.
“Codependency refers to any enmeshed relationship in which
one person loses their sense of independence and believes they need to tend to
someone else,” Botnick explains.
According to a 2018 research review, patterns of codependent
behavior generally involve four main themes:
self-sacrifice
a tendency to focus on others
a need for control, which may fuel conflict
difficulty recognizing and expressing emotions
These themes can show up across various types of
relationships — and even in the way you relate to yourself.
How to know someone is codependent: Main signs
Codependency isn’t considered a mental health condition, and
experts have yet to outline specific diagnostic criteria for it. There is,
however, some general agreement on what codependency usually involves.
Common signs of codependency include:
a deep-seated need for approval from others
self-worth that depends on what others think about you
a habit of taking on more work than you can realistically
handle, both to earn praise or lighten a loved one’s burden
a tendency to apologize or take on blame in order to keep
the peace
a pattern of avoiding conflict
a tendency to minimize or ignore your own desires
excessive concern about a loved one’s habits or behaviors
a habit of making decisions for others or trying to “manage”
loved ones
a mood that reflects how others feel, rather than your own
emotions
guilt or anxiety when doing something for yourself
doing things you don’t really want to do, simply to make
others happy
idealizing partners or other loved ones, often to the point
of maintaining relationships that leave you unfulfilled
overwhelming fears of rejection or abandonment
With codependency, the need to support others goes beyond
what’s generally considered healthy.
If you behave in codependent ways, you don’t just offer
support temporarily, such as when a loved one faces a setback. Instead, you
tend to focus on caretaking and caring for others to the point that you begin
to define yourself in relation to their needs.
Codependency vs. dependency
Some level of dependency is healthy in relationships. It may
be tough to make it through life alone, and most people thrive with
companionship and social support.
Interdependent relationships work better for both people
involved. In other words, partners depend on each other. This means you don’t
just focus on their needs or draw your value from self-sacrifice, but you’re
available to support them when needed.
A healthy, supportive relationship involves listening,
striving to understand, and keeping in mind the concerns of another person.
Codependency is when that caring behavior crosses the line into trying to
direct or control them.
Occasionally depending on others — and allowing them to
depend on you — for help and support is perfectly valid. You can depend on
someone for some things while still maintaining your own identity and sense of
self.
Healthy dependence also means you:
state your own needs and desires
ask for support when you find yourself struggling
feel safe and comfortable expressing your own needs
let others know when they’re asking too much of you without
worrying they’ll reject you
In short, you support others — but not at the expense of
your own needs.
All of us learned how to form attachments to friends,
family, and loved ones growing up — but not all of us learned equally healthy
ways of relating to people.
The family systems we grew up in demonstrated to us how to
form bonds.
While some people learned how to have healthy attachments to
people in our lives, others learned codependency based on how they were treated
and cared for or neglected. This is what psychologists refer to as attachment
theory.
If caregivers were absent, dismissed your emotions, or
taught you that you needed to act a specific way to earn love and approval,
there’s a good chance you may be codependent in your relationships.
“Children who grow up to be codependent tend to grow up in
families where they did get a certain amount of good loving contact: hugging,
kissing, rocking, and holding from a parent. However, at other times, the
parent was not emotionally available to them,” Gabrielle Usatynski, MA, LPC, a
psychotherapist, explains.
“In other words, the child would feel emotionally abandoned
by the parent at times. This naturally produces a lot of anxiety around a fear
of abandonment when this child becomes an adult.”
Therefore, codependent people learn to put the needs of
others ahead of their own and will sacrifice their needs and principles in
order to maintain relationships.
People who are codependent feel a strong pull toward
validation and self-worth from others.
Therapists who spoke to Healthline agree that the best kind
of relationship to aim for is interdependency, which is where both partners
value the emotional bond and benefits of the relationship but can maintain a
separate sense of self and personal happiness.
Simply learning how to be more independent is not as simple
as deciding to change the kinds of relationships you have.
Codependency can be hinged on attachment trauma. This can
lead a person to question if they’re loved and worthy, if others are and can be
available and responsive to them, and if the world is safe for them.
Using your partner as a way to have an identity is an
unhealthy form of dependency,” Judy Ho, PhD, clinical and forensic
neuropsychologist, tells Healthline. “If your partner is thriving, so are you.
If your partner fails, then you do too.
You do everything to try to keep your partner happy. You
keep saving them from self-destructive acts or clean up all their messes to try
to get them to stay in the relationship.
This self-sacrificing nature is typical of codependency
and can lead to significant relational issues.
“You are so afraid of losing your partner that you would put
up with terrible, even abusive, behaviors from them just to keep them in your
life,” Ho explains.
That’s where attachment trauma comes in. Here’s how it may
be showing up for you:
Attachment style |
How you show up |
Examples |
Dismissive-avoidant |
You
tend to be distant from others in order to hide your true feelings and avoid
rejection. |
burying
yourself in your work to create distance between yourself and others;
withdrawing from your relationships when conflict arises |
Anxious-preoccupied |
You tend to feel more insecure in relationships, fearful
of being alone. |
becoming “clingy” when things are difficult with a
partner; assuming the worst, like a loved one might be sick or is likely to
leave |
Anxious-avoidant |
You
crave closeness with others, but withdraw when things become serious or
intimate. |
pushing
people away when they try to take care of you, testing their loyalty; being
overly critical of partners to justify leaving |
Experiencing codependency and unhealthy attachment styles
doesn’t mean you’re a lost cause.
You actually can unlearn these patterns. It
starts with building your self-concept outside of and apart from others. For
some of us (especially those with dismissive-avoidant traits), this also means
detangling our sense of self-worth from our careers, too.
To be able to have healthy, mutually loving relationships,
we need to be able to put the parts of our brain seeking safety at ease by
cultivating that security within ourselves, rather than externally.
“Doing self-reflection and getting to know yourself better
by developing hobbies and doing things independently is really helpful for
that,” says Ho.
Once you know yourself better, you can learn to be present
with yourself and to trust yourself to nurture and take care of your own needs.
Friday, October 13, 2023
"Do Nothing" Meditation
Do Nothing
Meditation
Doing Nothing, and
Doing It Well!
Most forms of mindfulness meditation require effort, whether
it’s the focused attention of concentration practices or the more broad
awareness encouraged by practices like Non-Duality. In fact, one of the main
criticisms of mindfulness is that it can seem to vilify the idea of daydreaming
and suggest that letting the mind wander naturally is a bad thing.
This is a slight misconception –mindfulness simply
creates a space in which to focus on taming the mind and thinking differently,
if only for a few minutes each day – but it’s true that we often place
too much pressure and intention on our meditation practice.
“Do Nothing”
meditation is all about moving away from that notion.
Now, it’s worth noting early on that the words ‘Do’ and
‘Nothing’ are inherently opposites. At any one moment, you are always
breathing, or moving, even in some barely identifiable way. So why is the idea
of “Doing Nothing” so ingrained in both modern society and culture and in
ancient meditative practices?
The Art of Doing Nothing
Do Nothing” technique insists that this type of meditation
should include the suffix “with time”. In other words, this is a practice that
one gradually develops a knack for in the long term. With time, you’ll develop
a sensitivity for the part of you that controls attention.” But we’ll get more
into the benefits of this type of meditation soon; first, let’s take you
through the basics of how it actually works.
“Do Nothing” meditation represents the opposite of
standard mindfulness meditation; instead of creating a state of calmness by
focusing on the breath or another anchor, meditators practice simply letting
their minds go wherever they like, without control or disruption.
Various terms have been coined in relation to this
meditation practice, including “choiceless awareness” or “Just
sitting”, which derives from the Zen practice of Shikantaza. Its principles
have been employed in a number of different spiritual traditions, including the
Tibetan Buddhist practice of Dzogchen (meaning “great completeness”), which
encourages meditators to reach a space of emptiness or “purity” in order to
understand the true nature of existence.
Another similar technique is the concept of radical
acceptance, which teaches that only by accepting the things that are out of
our control can we truly end suffering.
Clearly then, this is an idea that humans have been
considering for a long time. But it might still sound a little airy-fairy and
difficult to grasp — if that’s the case, don’t worry. Later on this blog post,
we’ll take you through exactly how to create a “Do Nothing” experience for
yourself. But first, let’s briefly consider the science behind this meditative
method.
The Neuroscience of Doing Nothing
A lecture by American neuroscientist and psychiatrist Judson
Brewer explains how humans can benefit from flow states in which we’re
focusing on nothing in particular and instead wrapped up in the joy of just
“being”. There’s science to back this idea up. MRI brain scans show that the
activity of the PCC (posterior cingulate cortex) decreases when we let go of
the feeling of doing anything.
This means that the
default mode network, which can cause stress and other negative feelings, is
less active. The more it feels like things are just effortlessly happening, the
more your default mode network slows down, which boosts your levels of
happiness and peace of mind. This is one of the many positive effects
meditation can have on human brain structure and the brainwaves we experience.
The “Do Nothing” Meditation Technique
During meditation, thoughts, memories, worries, pains,
itches, and a million other distractions come up. “Do Nothing” practices
encourage us to simply accept all of these things. Whether what we’re
experiencing is boring, neutral, negative, or positive, the trick is to not
resist any of it or judge anything as bad. Your mind can ruminate on stories,
escalate into monkey chatter, or do anything else — and this is the whole
technique!
According to Meditation teacher Shinzen Young, the
instruction stage for this meditative practice should essentially amount to two
sentences:
Let whatever happens happen.
As soon as you’re aware of an intention to control your
attention, drop that intention.
The first instruction is all about allowing sensory
experiences to happen, whatever they are. You could get sleepy or restless,
you could get lost in monkey mind, or you could have very little clarity. All
these things are okay — let them happen.
Don’t worry about where your mind goes while you’re
sitting. It can go to all sorts of distractions, and that’s fine. The main
thing is that you’re not making a concerted effort to meditate, focus, or
concentrate in any way.
The instruction “As soon as you’re aware of an intention to
control your attention, drop that intention” might sound like it’s encouraging
you to monitor whether or not you have intentions; however, this isn’t the
case. This is because if you’re actively trying to seek out and drop
intentions, you’re actually doing two things, rather than doing one, or even
nothing. Instead, this form of meditation is just about sitting and allowing
the mind to wander.
It’s also okay to be unaware of your own intentions. You
can’t force it; you have to wait for the awareness to be there. This could take
just a few seconds, but it could also take a long time. When you do become
aware of a particular intention, “do nothing” meditation asks you to drop this
thought or idea, letting go of it in order to simply “be”.
How long should I practice for?
When you first try this technique, you should set aside 10-15
minutes for it. As you become more comfortable and the process becomes a
little easier to get into, you can extend the period of time you spend
practicing. Given the free, liberated principle that remains at the core of
this form of meditation, you might not be surprised to hear that the period of
time you spend practicing this technique can vary immensely depending on your
individual circumstances and needs.
There’s no end goal, and you definitely don’t have
to be searching for some kind of spiritual awakening or enlightenment.
Crucially, there’s no “wrong” way of doing this kind of meditation. Just
let go of intentions, and let go of control.
Why “try” to do nothing?
Most forms of meditation seem to focus on cultivating a
state of mind that wasn’t there before you started that particular meditation
method. But what about the innate capacity for inner peace and happiness that’s
already inside us? Shouldn’t we be able to access awakening without even
trying?
The type of meditation we’ve focused on today is all about
cultivating a form of effortlessness. This can lead to flow states, in
which we are entirely “in the zone”, engaged with the task at hand and
able to perform it with no visible effort. Not only are these states great for
creativity, open-mindedness, and general well-being, they can also help reduce
feelings of irritability, impatience, frustration, and forgetfulness.
As we mentioned earlier, the “Do Nothing” technique can also
help take the pressure away from meditation, which is often what gets in the
way of effective practice. Our belief that we must always be doing something,
completing tasks, and striving forwards, is what drives the ego. This can get
in the way of us noticing or experiencing more profound states of mind.
When we let go of the need for action and instead “do
nothing”, our egoic voice quietens, and the attitude change this causes can be
immense.
What if it doesn’t work?
First, it cant not work because there is no goal to achieve.
It’s possible that you’ll find this type of meditation hard. You could end up
just sitting there, thinking about current problems and difficult experiences,
considering what you’re going to have for lunch, or just getting sleepy and
tired, without getting much deeper into meditation.
There are a few things you might end up doing that signal
intentional thinking, and that you should try and shift away from if you
become aware of them:
Actively trying to meditate
Trying to focus on something specifically
Intentionally thinking about a certain topic
Keeping track of the time or tracking events that are
happening
Focusing on a certain sight or sound within your environment
If you find yourself doing one of these things, first of
all, don’t beat yourself up about it! It’s totally natural for the mind to
drift towards intentional thoughts and behaviors, so it takes practice to just
“do nothing” instead.
One good fix you can try if this problem strikes you is to
use breath awareness as a gateway into your meditation session. Spend 10
minutes or so focusing on the breath (check out this article for some advice on
the best breathwork techniques out there), and hopefully, you’ll gently
transition into a more natural form of “do nothing” meditation. Another thing
you can try is defocusing your gaze, keeping your eyes open but allowing them
to blur, and letting yourself space out a little.
Getting Something from Nothing
Many people believe that “real meditation” is simply about
letting go of control and breaking away from the human need to constantly guide
our own experience. Mindfulness meditation can be great for developing ways to
control our chaotic minds and ground ourselves in present moment experience;
however, calmness and peace can also be achieved by simply letting our minds go
where they like.
You can think of your mind as an energetic dog who you’ve
let off the leash at a park.
They’ll run around like crazy for a while, but if you just
sit on a bench calmly waiting for them to get tired, they will eventually come
back to you. In the same way, taking an effortless approach to meditation might
lead to all sorts of crazy thoughts at first, but in the end, your internal
monologue will hopefully settle down.
When it comes to thriving and surviving in an intense, busy,
constantly interconnected world, one of the best things you can do is learn how
to do nothing. Aimlessness, rest, and boredom can be great sources of
inspiration and creativity, while thinking without an open mind can create
tunnel vision and stop you from accomplishing your goals. Ultimately, the brain
needs downtime in order to process the events of a day, store memories and
experiences, recuperate, and ensure it is performing at its optimum level.
We need to look after our emotional and mental health and
give our brains the rest they need; “do nothing” meditation can be a great way
of making this process more natural
Frequently Asked Questions:
Is meditating just doing nothing?
The term ‘meditation’ encompasses a huge range of different
practices, from various different spiritual traditions and cultural contexts.
Some of these involve doing nothing, while others require intense levels of
concentration. To improve your knowledge on this subject, check out our article
on the six main types of meditation.
How do I train myself to do nothing?
As we’ve explored, it can be difficult to feel comfortable
doing nothing. You may need to train yourself to move away from human habits of
busyness and action, and mindfulness noting practices of breathing techniques
can be a great way to do this. Our article on Quick Mindfulness Exercises You
Can Do Anywhere can provide you with some useful ideas.
What’s the difference between mindfulness and
meditation?
We’ve talked a lot in this article about how “Do Nothing”
meditation differs from most mindfulness practices, and you might be a little
confused about the distinctions between mindfulness and meditation. Put simply,
meditation is a formal practice, while mindfulness can be a quality of mind as
well as a form of meditative exercise.
Wednesday, August 16, 2023
The Twelve Principles of Attitudinal Healing
The Twelve Principles of Attitudinal Healing are:
- The Essence Of Our Being Is Love
- Health Is Inner Peace, Healing Is Letting Go Of Fear
- Giving And Receiving Are The Same
- We Can Let Go Of The Past And Of The Future
- Now Is The Only Time There Is And Each Instant Is For Giving
- We Can Learn To Love Ourselves And Others By Forgiving Rather Than Judging
- We Can Become Love Finders Rather Than Fault-Finders
- We Can Choose And Direct Ourselves To Be Peaceful Inside Regardless Of What Is Happening Outside
- We Are Students And Teachers To Each Other
- We Can Focus On The Whole Of Life Rather Than The Fragments
- Since Love Is Eternal, Death Need Not Be Viewed As Fearful
- We Can Always Perceive Others As Either Loving Or Fearful And Giving A Call Of Help For Love
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