Rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT) is a form of treatment that seeks to identify pessimistic thought patterns and beliefs that negatively affect one’s behavior. This is not a new treatment method. American psychotherapist Albert Ellis introduced this approach in the mid-1950s.
Interestingly enough, Ellis turned to Eastern teachings, along with Greek and Roman philosophers, to develop this cognitive behavioral method.
He outlined the philosophy of REBT in his work “Rational Psychotherapy and Individual Psychology” where he compared rational therapy with the concept of individual psychology discussed by psychiatrist Albert Adler. REBT incorporates the ideas of stoic philosophers, who believed that an external stimulus is neither good nor bad. Instead, how the person thinks about that external trigger will determine his or her reaction.
What Is the ABC Model of REBT?
At the crux of REBT is the ABC theory:
- A – This refers to the activating event, which is the incident that affects the individual.
- B – This refers to beliefs, which refer to how the individual thinks about that particular event.
- C – This refers to the consequence, and it is how the individual emotionally reacts to that particular event.
This diagnostic tool educates people how their reaction may trigger a series of events, which may supersede or aggravate the original event.
For instance:
- A – A husband forgets to greet his wife on their wedding anniversary.
- B – The wife thinks he is being insensitive and becomes angry without really knowing the reason why.
- C – The husband becomes angry, too, because of problems at work.
Such scenarios clearly illustrates how a reaction to an event may snowball into a bigger problem. If the wife’s actions were not clouded by anger, she could have taken the interaction in another direction. If the husband had taken the opportunity to explain why he forgot to greet his wife, they would have had a better chance to settle their miscommunication. The original event may have become a nonevent.
Tactics such as the ABC theory may be useful for treatment. If a psychotherapist and a client are able to trace the original event—for instance, an incident of childhood sexual abuse—they may influence how the client responds to that event. The ultimate aim is to change how the client views and feels about the event, and find ways to settle unresolved issues in the hope of stopping self-destructive behavior.
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Three Elements of Irrational Thinking
Irrational beliefs lead to irrational thinking. According to Albert Ellis, a person may start thinking irrationally because of the following triggers:
- The person thinks that he should always receive whatever he wants whenever he wants it. He thinks that the things that he does not want should not happen to him. If his conditions are not fulfilled, he is miserable.
- The person thinks that he should perform well and should receive affirmation from others. If his conditions are not met, he feels undeserving.
- The person thinks that that he deserves to be treated fairly, just as he tries to treat others fairly. If his actions are not reciprocated, he becomes offended and lashes out at the perceived offenders.
The responses to the three elements are predictable. For instance, when the person does not get what he wants, he becomes angry. When the person is treated unfairly, he feels self-pity, and so forth.
Reaching Breakthroughs in REBT
Just as there are three elements of irrational thinking, Ellis said that psychotherapists may reach a breakthrough in REBT treatment when three conditions are met:
- When the client finally understands that she might not have control over the event that happened, but she may control her emotional reaction to that event. She may change her beliefs so the event does not continue to hold power over her.
- When the client engages in irrational thinking, the irrational belief is the culprit. When she stops holding on to that belief, her thinking and behavior also change.
- When the client understands that REBT is a continuing process. She may acquire irrational beliefs in the future, but using the techniques in this method, she will be better able to recognize irrational beliefs and make necessary adjustments to combat them.
Discussing the third element, Ellis pointed out that reaching insight into irrational thinking is just one part of the process. The only way to become better is to practice what you learn. You may do so with the help of therapists. You may even extend your therapy for additional support if you are not confident that you can do it on your own.
The ultimate aim, of course, is to equip the individual with knowledge and other tools so that therapy will not be necessary.
Learning Acceptance
REBT stresses the value of self-care to ensure emotional health, which has a direct impact on mental health.
As such, REBT techniques teach individuals that:
- They are not perfect – Everybody has flaws. They may do something wrong but it does not make them a bad person, especially if they are aware of their actions.
- Others are not perfect – People are frail and fallible. There will be times when they will treat you unfairly and unjustly.
- Life is not perfect — Things will not always go well. But there are times when everything seems to go right. The world does not cater to people. The universe is not conspiring to make them miserable.
Once they accept these ideas, people may find it easier to control their emotional responses when they think of events logically.
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Using REBT in Addiction Treatment
In 2016, the U.S. surgeon general said that only about 10 percent of people with a substance abuse disorder sought treatment for their problem. That’s a meager figure considering that more than twenty million Americans twelve years old and older are dependent on drugs or alcohol.
Rehab facilities use REBT to help clients overcome their addiction. It is effective in helping clients change how they view certain stressors and cope with certain challenges.
By changing their emotional responses, people do not have to turn to drugs or alcohol to cope. For instance, if they are unsatisfied with their jobs because they have abusive supervisors, they may change their responses by applying the three elements of acceptance. In this case, they may not be able to control how their supervisors are treating them, but they know that others are not perfect and that life is difficult sometimes.
REBT helps reduce the negativity surrounding an event so that people do not produce reactions that intensify the tension.
Holistic Therapy and REBT
Holistic therapy relates to rational emotive behavior therapy. Holistic therapy believes that every part of the human body should work in harmony within itself and the environment. Any imbalance may produce negative repercussions.
In the context of substance abuse, both REBT and holistic therapy complement each other to help clients toward recovery. REBT techniques may assist clients when they become sober. Holistic methods such as caring for oneself, coping with stress, and learning to let go of things you cannot control may help you sustain sobriety.