Describe and evaluate 2 approaches to the treatment of self-defeating behaviours.
Describe and evaluate 2 approaches to the treatment of self-defeating behaviours.”
Self defeating behaviours are present in every person on earth once they have developed enough and are able to copy, consequently our parents and siblings contribute In this essay I intend to describe what self defeating behaviours are, how they arise and describe how cognitive behaviour therapy and/or a person centred approach can be helpful in treating the client who presents for therapy to make changes to their lives. What is a self defeating behaviour? One definition of self defeating behaviour is “any deliberate or intentional behaviour that has clear, definitely or probably negative effects on the self or on the self’s projects” (Scher & Baumeister 1988). How often do you hear someone saying ‘I have had a rubbish day I need a drink to calm myself down’ or, ‘I am going to treat myself to a cream cake to cheer myself up’? Theses actions are ok when done occasionally with no detrimental effects. However, if the individual is an alcoholic or morbidly obese the outcome for them could be catastrophic, even life threatening. They would not recognise their actions as being so as they see their response to the stress as normal and appropriate this can be described as a destructive coping strategy which in turn when repeated becomes a self-defeating behaviour (Module 5 p5). This is a subconscious response, a learned behaviour. The definition above suggests a conscious decision to deliberately sabotage the self, as on onlooker we would probably agree with that statement but the individual will see their action as a solution. There are a number of self defeating behaviours that will be recognised by us all over eating, excessive drinking, driving to fast, Beumister describes three categories of self defeating behaviour (Beaumister 2008)
• Primary Self Destruction- when an individual deliberately harms themselves for instance cutting themselves or taking an
Self defeating behaviours are present in every person on earth once they have developed enough and are able to copy, consequently our parents and siblings contribute In this essay I intend to describe what self defeating behaviours are, how they arise and describe how cognitive behaviour therapy and/or a person centred approach can be helpful in treating the client who presents for therapy to make changes to their lives. What is a self defeating behaviour? One definition of self defeating behaviour is “any deliberate or intentional behaviour that has clear, definitely or probably negative effects on the self or on the self’s projects” (Scher & Baumeister 1988). How often do you hear someone saying ‘I have had a rubbish day I need a drink to calm myself down’ or, ‘I am going to treat myself to a cream cake to cheer myself up’? Theses actions are ok when done occasionally with no detrimental effects. However, if the individual is an alcoholic or morbidly obese the outcome for them could be catastrophic, even life threatening. They would not recognise their actions as being so as they see their response to the stress as normal and appropriate this can be described as a destructive coping strategy which in turn when repeated becomes a self-defeating behaviour (Module 5 p5). This is a subconscious response, a learned behaviour. The definition above suggests a conscious decision to deliberately sabotage the self, as on onlooker we would probably agree with that statement but the individual will see their action as a solution. There are a number of self defeating behaviours that will be recognised by us all over eating, excessive drinking, driving to fast, Beumister describes three categories of self defeating behaviour (Beaumister 2008)
• Primary Self Destruction- when an individual deliberately harms themselves for instance cutting themselves or taking an
References: Chrysalis Diploma in Counselling and Psychotherapy -Year Two- How to work with Self-Defeating Behaviours - Module Five 08/2010-10307SC Chrysalis Diploma in Counselling and Psychotherapy – Year One – Working with Stress, anxiety, phobias and habits -Module Five 1-50307SC Cherry K Cognitive-Behavioral Approaches http://www.netplaces.com/psychology/psychotherapy-and-other-approaches-to-treatment/cognitive-behavioral-approaches.htm accessed on 06/01/2012 Cherry K Client Centred Therapy Carl Rogers ' Non-Directive Approach to Therapy http://psychology.about.com/od/typesofpsychotherapy/a/client-centered-therapy.htm accessed 12/01/12 Self Defeating behaviour http://www.psychwiki.com/wiki/Self-Defeating_Behavior accessed on 02/01/2012 Nicholas S Appleyard D Meet the families where no one 's worked for THREE generations - and they don 't care, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-541598/Meet-families-ones-worked-THREE-generations--dont-care.html accessed 14/01/12 Leith K Baumiester R (1996) Why Do Bad Moods increase Self Defeating Behaviour Emotion Risk Taking and self Regulation Journal of Personality and Social Psychology Vol 71 No6 1250-1267 Baumeister R Bushman B (2008) Social Psychology and Human Nature Thompson Higher Education Belmont CA 94002-3098 Rogers Carl R (1967) the therapists view of psychotherapy ‘on becoming a person’, Publisher Constable and Robinson, St Edmundsbury Press LTD Bury St Edmunds England