Tag Archives: Irrational Beliefs

Irrational Beliefs Guide

25 Wednesday Oct 2023

Posted by in Coping Skills

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Consider the following questions carefully. Reflectively answer each one briefly but completely regarding those people or things about which you are most emotionally disturbed. This assignment may be emotionally painful, but it may help you achieve needed insight so that you can end your pain.

  • Who or what disturbs or upsets you?
  • Who or what do you strongly believe should, ought, must, or have to be different?
  • Who or what do you strongly think is or awful, terrible, horrible, or catastrophic?
  • Who or what do you down, damn, condemn or believe is worthless?
  • Who or what do you believe is absolutely needed, necessary, or required?
  • What are the things you strongly believe are absolutes, extremes, or critically important?
  • Who or what do you most often or most strongly complain about?
  • What is your greatest wish that you believe you most likely won’t get?
  • What goal have you made (even unconsciously) into a demand because you not only want to but have convinced yourself you must achieve it?
  • What happened in your past from which you cannot recover?
  • What things do you find are, too hard, too much, too painful, too upsetting, or that you just can’t stand?
  • Who or what are you most likely to lose your temper over?
  • What are the biggest stresses in your life?
  • Who or what do you feel most helpless about?
  • Who or what do you feel most hopeless about?
  • What are your most strongly felt demands, wishes, or hopes?
  • What insight or awareness have you come to because of this exercise?

Irrational Statements

07 Wednesday Sep 2022

Posted by in Coping Skills, Handout

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When we think (and strongly believe!), really irrational stuff, we are most likely thinking one or more of the following:

  • “Things should (ought, must, have to) be different than they are!”
  • “It’s awful (horrible, terrible, catastrophic) that they aren’t!”
  • “I can’t stand it (it’s too long, too much, too big, too painful)!”
  • “Somebody here is a jerk!”
  • “Because I have failed, I’ll always fail!”

Sure, there are other possible irrational statements, but these are among the most frequent, I believe; these are the big five. They represent “must”, “awfulizing”, “low frustration tolerance (LFT)”, and “condemning” beliefs.

A fellow maniac of the freeways cuts you off at the pass. You flip into overdrive rage: “Hey, jerk!” “You learn to drive in your living room (translation: He shouldn’t drive like that)?” “That’s the way to get people killed (translation: That’s awful)!” “I can’t stand drivers like that (translation: I can’t stand driver’s like you)!” You only needed three of the five crazy beliefs here.

I find these five statements are frequently part of the irrational thinking that gets people in trouble. If you work diligently to notice these irrational beliefs, that is the first step in having control.

If you have a little difficulty seeing that you believe these crazy ideas, just pay attention to what goes through your mind when you feel upset. That’s the way it sometimes is with “new thinking;” we need a little time and pushing to catch it. Be patient with yourself, and you’ll catch on, too.