that lead to anger, unhappiness, depression, fear and anxiety result from the thoughts about the event not the event itself.
These irrational thoughts are said to be have been conditioned through early childhood experiences. However, the individual is said to be able to either mitigate or add to the severity of the problem by reinstilling these false beliefs through auto-suggestion and self-repetition.
Ellis (1962) provides some examples of the kinds of irrational assumptions giving rise to psychopathology:
1. It is necessary to be loved or approved by virtually every significant other.
2. One should be thoroughly competent, adequate, and achieving in all possible respects if one is to consider oneself worthwhile.
Such thoughts will inevitably collide with reality and make for many unpleasant and painful life experiences.
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