Describe and Evaluate Two Approaches to the Treatment of Self-Defeating Behaviour
Word count – 2553
Describe and evaluate two approaches to the
treatment of self-defeating behaviour.
Module Five
Jane Ovington
May 2012
Jane Ovington - Chrysalis North2A - Tutor , Steven Lucas, page 1 of 9
Introduction
This essay aims to describe and evaluate two approaches to the treatment of self defeating behaviour. To do this I am using the description of Anorexia Nervosa as a self defeating behaviour, one which has far reaching consequences. I will include possible origins, causes and maintenance of Anorexia and describe two of many ways in which a therapist may help with this condition whilst weighing up the strengths and weaknesses of each.
Main essay
What is self defeating behaviour?
Self defeating behaviour could be described as behaviour that when compared to other possible courses of action, it is never the best possible action for that individual. A self defeating behaviour will at some point have been used successfully as a coping strategy to get through a difficult situation. This course of action is then stored in the subconscious by that individual as something that ‘worked’ and therefore the behaviour will be re-produced again in times of perceived trouble.
The self defeating behaviour will by its very nature actually serve to ensure that the fear or consequence that the person is trying to avoid will in fact come to pass. (Chrysalis Year 2 Module5)
What is Anorexia?
Anorexia is an eating disorder whose main feature is excessive weight loss and obsessive exercise. A very low weight is achieved which is then maintained abnormally low for the patients age and height.
The sufferer develops an intense desire to be thinner and an intense fear of becoming fat. Their body image becomes completely distorted and their body weight and shape become the main or even sole measure of self worth as maintaining an
Describe and evaluate two approaches to the
treatment of self-defeating behaviour.
Module Five
Jane Ovington
May 2012
Jane Ovington - Chrysalis North2A - Tutor , Steven Lucas, page 1 of 9
Introduction
This essay aims to describe and evaluate two approaches to the treatment of self defeating behaviour. To do this I am using the description of Anorexia Nervosa as a self defeating behaviour, one which has far reaching consequences. I will include possible origins, causes and maintenance of Anorexia and describe two of many ways in which a therapist may help with this condition whilst weighing up the strengths and weaknesses of each.
Main essay
What is self defeating behaviour?
Self defeating behaviour could be described as behaviour that when compared to other possible courses of action, it is never the best possible action for that individual. A self defeating behaviour will at some point have been used successfully as a coping strategy to get through a difficult situation. This course of action is then stored in the subconscious by that individual as something that ‘worked’ and therefore the behaviour will be re-produced again in times of perceived trouble.
The self defeating behaviour will by its very nature actually serve to ensure that the fear or consequence that the person is trying to avoid will in fact come to pass. (Chrysalis Year 2 Module5)
What is Anorexia?
Anorexia is an eating disorder whose main feature is excessive weight loss and obsessive exercise. A very low weight is achieved which is then maintained abnormally low for the patients age and height.
The sufferer develops an intense desire to be thinner and an intense fear of becoming fat. Their body image becomes completely distorted and their body weight and shape become the main or even sole measure of self worth as maintaining an
References: I personally suffered from this disorder from the ages of 17-21 and some of the information used has been based on my own experiences and that of my Parents. (Chrysalis Year 2 Module 5) R.L Palmer – Anorexia Nervosa. A guide for sufferers and their families. Penguin Books 1980 (http://ehealthmd.com/content/what-anorexia-nervosa http://psychcentral.com/lib/2006/treatment-for-anorexia/all/1/) Jane Ovington - Chrysalis North2A - Tutor , Steven Lucas, page 9 of 9 any type of therapy can begin. has to be set by the client and the client has to admit to the problem in the first place before