"The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance" (Galatians 5:22). These are the characteristics of a healthy personality.
If anyone knew how to itemize principles, it was Carl Rogers. An example of such is what Rogers referred to as "statements of significant learnings," and the following is just one example of those: "In my relationships with persons I have found that it does not help, in the long run, to act as though I were something I am not."1
Rogers went on to discuss the need to trust the self. This is important in interpreting an event presenting itself. The person, not the facts, holds the key to an individual’s future. Facts and events do not dictate conclusions. Rather, they carry meanings for people to discover.
Behaviors are conducted according to how a person anticipates events. Perhaps this is a basis to the many problems facing society today: It is simply a macrocosm, a sociological example, of the individual personality. The human is results-oriented: In other words, expediency rules the day. The human is anarchistic by nature and bent toward chaos.
Individual differences of interpretation is a major reason for this. A person’s beliefs, and assumptions have a major impact on the perception, recall, and interpretation of events.
The result, then, composes differences of interpretation. A number of individuals, for instance, may be observing a fact, or phenomenon, and the resulting number of interpretations of that phenomenon may well equal the number of observing individuals. With that as a launchpad, as it were, humans make decisions based on their own predictions, which are funneled through their own interpretations, which are based substantially on past experiences, both in education and conditioning.
A healthy personality is composed of many aspects and facets. The primary one may be the ability to conform its unique perspectives, borne of the realization that they are indeed unique. If we, then can come to the conclusion that we are as different to others as they are to us, then we will have a better chance of taking on the characteristics listed in the first sentence of this discussion.
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Monday, September 20, 2010
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Conditioning Your Buying Habits
Many times, I have wondered what on earth the elements of a given commercial or advertisement has to do with the product itself. An example is that of the attractive, skimpily clad female singing star, whose performance over television had so raptly captured the attention of a male viewer that he didn’t notice that the restaurant in which he was working was on fire. What did this have to do with the taste or enjoyment of the product, in this case, a certain cola?
This,is an example of the effects of the association of even an unrelated pleasure to a product. The advertising agency was using the comedy form of entertainment in an effort to make the commercial entertaining as the program itself. The viewer, then, hopefully would automatically reach for that brand of cola during the next trip to the store.
Meanwhile, another brand probably sitting right beside it, plays upon natural human greed by advertising right on the container that the buyer may become a millionaire just by purchasing that can (and multiply those chances by buying a six or twelve pack).
Neither of these ploys, of course, has anything to do with the quality or quantity of the respective products themselves. But the technique of associating an otherwise unassociated pleasure with the satisfaction of the perceived need to fulfill that pleasure may in fact be more effective. In this case, the advertiser is exploiting the male’s (usually) innate attraction to females to create a humorous, therefore pleasurable, and memorable experience.
This effect is known in the world of psychology as “classical conditioning.” A very well simplified and clear explanation of classical conditioning is that it occurs when a stimulus designed to get a certain response is paired with another stimulus that, of itself, initially would not have such an effect. So over time, this second stimulus will cause a similar response because it is associated with the first one.
An example of this is an ad that ran some time ago promoting a laundry starch. The most prominent feature of the commercial was a waterfall. What did that have to do with starch? An explanation may be found a study where 79% of a group of students chose a pen of the same color of that to which they had been exposed while listening to music they enjoyed. Yet 70% of another group, who had listened to music strange to them, picked one of a different color. This is a classic example of associating a specific object with a pleasurable experience, which in turn creates a “false pleasure” to get a response, in this case buying their product.
So the next time you reach past one brand to buy the next, or ignore the generic version, which, deep down, you know may be just as good, this may help you understand just why you did that.
Get your free CD on Conquering Stress Today! http://www.ConquerStressToday.info
This,is an example of the effects of the association of even an unrelated pleasure to a product. The advertising agency was using the comedy form of entertainment in an effort to make the commercial entertaining as the program itself. The viewer, then, hopefully would automatically reach for that brand of cola during the next trip to the store.
Meanwhile, another brand probably sitting right beside it, plays upon natural human greed by advertising right on the container that the buyer may become a millionaire just by purchasing that can (and multiply those chances by buying a six or twelve pack).
Neither of these ploys, of course, has anything to do with the quality or quantity of the respective products themselves. But the technique of associating an otherwise unassociated pleasure with the satisfaction of the perceived need to fulfill that pleasure may in fact be more effective. In this case, the advertiser is exploiting the male’s (usually) innate attraction to females to create a humorous, therefore pleasurable, and memorable experience.
This effect is known in the world of psychology as “classical conditioning.” A very well simplified and clear explanation of classical conditioning is that it occurs when a stimulus designed to get a certain response is paired with another stimulus that, of itself, initially would not have such an effect. So over time, this second stimulus will cause a similar response because it is associated with the first one.
An example of this is an ad that ran some time ago promoting a laundry starch. The most prominent feature of the commercial was a waterfall. What did that have to do with starch? An explanation may be found a study where 79% of a group of students chose a pen of the same color of that to which they had been exposed while listening to music they enjoyed. Yet 70% of another group, who had listened to music strange to them, picked one of a different color. This is a classic example of associating a specific object with a pleasurable experience, which in turn creates a “false pleasure” to get a response, in this case buying their product.
So the next time you reach past one brand to buy the next, or ignore the generic version, which, deep down, you know may be just as good, this may help you understand just why you did that.
Get your free CD on Conquering Stress Today! http://www.ConquerStressToday.info
Thursday, September 9, 2010
The Mind and Chronic Pain
Pain comes in three stages: (1) acute, or adaptive and lasting less than six months; (2) chronic, enduring beyond the time of healing, constant and self-perpetuating, and often occurring in the absence of detectable tissue damage; and (3) prechronic, which essentially includes characteristics somewhere between the former two.
The most significant factor to chronic pain is its invisibility. That is, acute pain can usually be traced to an obvious injury--a cut, an infection. The removal of the cause will produce relief from that pain. Chronic pain is typically not so easily remedied, which is why it is so difficult to understand.
While explaining acute pain can be as simple as pointing to an underlying physical problem, chronic pain does not necessarily serve as such a useful warning of a physical problem. Rather, it often becomes a problem in itself. Indeed, chronic pain takes on many of the characteristics of its own root cause, leading to further problems, resulting in a vicious cycle. Psychological trauma and the actual physical processes--sometimes seemingly unrelated--seem to fuel each other.
Pain, for instance, can alter our moods and perceptions of stress, causing us, mostly unknowingly, to crave certain foods that naturally release serotonin, to elevate our moods, and endorphins, which are natural opiates that relieve pain. Candy and pastries fall into this category, for example, which can lead to obesity.
Psychologically, pain is generally described as a perceived response derived from our emotions and thoughts. The view in Eastern part of the world is generally more graphic. While Western science tends assume that the causes of pain exist on the physical level, Eastern thought regards that level as secondary.
Pain, from the general Eastern view, is an illusion, grounded in a conviction that we are helpless. Pain is simply viewed as information about what must be changed. This philosophy may be an explanation for the reputation of Eastern peoples for their often superior tolerance to pain. Tolerance to pain depends on memories, experiences, family history, personal biology, and culture.
From a my own perspective, chronic pain is a prolonged absence of well being. The most obvious, of course, is physical pain. Yet there is also emotional pain, which can be just as torturous, just as debilitating.
The typical Western method of treating either pain, of course, is through medication. While this has produced temporary relief, it by no means has approached a “cure,” either on a physical or emotional level.
Moreover, this form of treatment has had its own consequences: How many addicts, for instance, has it produced? And side effects can be serious–even fatal. This is what is so attractive about the Eastern philosophies: They imply that there are possibilities of procedures to help to eliminate chronic pain from the psychological side.
The power of the mind over pain can be absolutely astounding. This has already been demonstrated through my own counseling.
Get your free CD on Conquering Stress Today! http://www.ConquerStressToday.info
The most significant factor to chronic pain is its invisibility. That is, acute pain can usually be traced to an obvious injury--a cut, an infection. The removal of the cause will produce relief from that pain. Chronic pain is typically not so easily remedied, which is why it is so difficult to understand.
While explaining acute pain can be as simple as pointing to an underlying physical problem, chronic pain does not necessarily serve as such a useful warning of a physical problem. Rather, it often becomes a problem in itself. Indeed, chronic pain takes on many of the characteristics of its own root cause, leading to further problems, resulting in a vicious cycle. Psychological trauma and the actual physical processes--sometimes seemingly unrelated--seem to fuel each other.
Pain, for instance, can alter our moods and perceptions of stress, causing us, mostly unknowingly, to crave certain foods that naturally release serotonin, to elevate our moods, and endorphins, which are natural opiates that relieve pain. Candy and pastries fall into this category, for example, which can lead to obesity.
Psychologically, pain is generally described as a perceived response derived from our emotions and thoughts. The view in Eastern part of the world is generally more graphic. While Western science tends assume that the causes of pain exist on the physical level, Eastern thought regards that level as secondary.
Pain, from the general Eastern view, is an illusion, grounded in a conviction that we are helpless. Pain is simply viewed as information about what must be changed. This philosophy may be an explanation for the reputation of Eastern peoples for their often superior tolerance to pain. Tolerance to pain depends on memories, experiences, family history, personal biology, and culture.
From a my own perspective, chronic pain is a prolonged absence of well being. The most obvious, of course, is physical pain. Yet there is also emotional pain, which can be just as torturous, just as debilitating.
The typical Western method of treating either pain, of course, is through medication. While this has produced temporary relief, it by no means has approached a “cure,” either on a physical or emotional level.
Moreover, this form of treatment has had its own consequences: How many addicts, for instance, has it produced? And side effects can be serious–even fatal. This is what is so attractive about the Eastern philosophies: They imply that there are possibilities of procedures to help to eliminate chronic pain from the psychological side.
The power of the mind over pain can be absolutely astounding. This has already been demonstrated through my own counseling.
Get your free CD on Conquering Stress Today! http://www.ConquerStressToday.info
Monday, September 6, 2010
Working With Illness: Do You Mind?
Patients may not find adequate answers in the doctor’s office for their emotional reactions. Physicians are admittedly often largely unprepared to deal with them. It becomes obvious, then, that psychological services are needed to supplement traditional health care both to help patients to create more positive images of their situations and themselves and even to improve their adherence to their medical regimens.
As patients, it is necessary to become aware of our automatic thoughts. We need to learn to define what we have lost and to deal with emotional realities. This will help us to release our emotions and go forward with our lives
Beyond this “discovery” process, we must release the identity we have assumed that is associated with our illness. We must learn to overcome anxiety, both from the illness and life itself.
Emotional control and pain management are very effectively implemented through well-applied meditational techniques, such as breathing exercises. Goal setting and management are achieved through affirmations and visualization. We must learn also to monitor our thinking, eliminating negative and anxiety-producing thoughts and replacing them with positive ones. This will help us to dispense with our negative automatic thoughts and replace them with more rational, realistic thinking.
Loved ones must not be neglected; they must go through generally similar processes for the patient’s sake and their own. They must be taught that they cannot control nor bear responsibility for anyone’s behavior but their own. They must become educated as possible in the patient’s illness; the more they know, the more they can be of aid to the patient. They must support the patient’s endeavors toward independence, rather than to follow natural tendencies to maintain the patient’s dependence on them. They must be careful not to project emotions of guilt, grief, or frustration onto the patient. The patient has enough sense of loss to overcome without such negative involvement.
The conclusion is simple: The mind can hasten or inhibit the control over and recovery from virtually every disease and physical condition. Yet this may be the most neglected aspect of treatment and recovery. If we want the best results–or if we want them for a loved one–we must address the mind as diligently as we do the body.
Get your free CD on Conquering Stress Today! http://www.ConquerStressToday.info
As patients, it is necessary to become aware of our automatic thoughts. We need to learn to define what we have lost and to deal with emotional realities. This will help us to release our emotions and go forward with our lives
Beyond this “discovery” process, we must release the identity we have assumed that is associated with our illness. We must learn to overcome anxiety, both from the illness and life itself.
Emotional control and pain management are very effectively implemented through well-applied meditational techniques, such as breathing exercises. Goal setting and management are achieved through affirmations and visualization. We must learn also to monitor our thinking, eliminating negative and anxiety-producing thoughts and replacing them with positive ones. This will help us to dispense with our negative automatic thoughts and replace them with more rational, realistic thinking.
Loved ones must not be neglected; they must go through generally similar processes for the patient’s sake and their own. They must be taught that they cannot control nor bear responsibility for anyone’s behavior but their own. They must become educated as possible in the patient’s illness; the more they know, the more they can be of aid to the patient. They must support the patient’s endeavors toward independence, rather than to follow natural tendencies to maintain the patient’s dependence on them. They must be careful not to project emotions of guilt, grief, or frustration onto the patient. The patient has enough sense of loss to overcome without such negative involvement.
The conclusion is simple: The mind can hasten or inhibit the control over and recovery from virtually every disease and physical condition. Yet this may be the most neglected aspect of treatment and recovery. If we want the best results–or if we want them for a loved one–we must address the mind as diligently as we do the body.
Get your free CD on Conquering Stress Today! http://www.ConquerStressToday.info
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