Using Rational Thinking to Decatastrophise

[AndyT]

This is something that comes from another discipline called Pathological Science. It is something that I have adapted to help think through situations, it is not bullet proof but I have found it helpful as I have a scientific education.:-

"One way confusion can enter a scientist's thinking involves disruption of the natural conceptual progression through four categories of ideas, ranked in decreasing order of surprisal. For convenience, we can refer to these as the paradigm's four Ps:


•The possible comprises all ideas that do not violate the most basic and global principles of science (e.g., the second law of thermodynamics; fundamental conservation laws).


•The plausible describes ideas that are clearly possible and would be tenable if we could envision circumstances under which they could be tested. (In the case of "polywater" or polymerized H2O molecules, discussed in more detail below, there was no a priori reason why a chemical reaction yielding such a substance could not occur and move downhill in potential energy, as any reaction must; the idea was implausible but not impossible.)


•The probable describes "normal science" as Kuhn used the term: incremental explorations that apply a paradigm and may extend its scope but do not threaten to overturn it. Science regularly makes orderly incursions into the realm of the unknown, expanding what is known without raising an eyebrow over the probability of the results.


•The proven applies to unsurprising exercises in puzzle-solving, te routine application of known principles, working firmly within a stable paradigm. Much of scientific education takes place here, though student work is fully capable of venturing into the other areas.


"The borders separating these ideas--particularly the line between the first two--are not as clear in practice as in theory, especially when a result is of interest to two or more distinct specialties. A high-surprisal hypothesis may appear impossible from one vantage point, while a different field's paradigm makes it clear that the hypothesis is well within the realm of the possible and merely stretches the limits of plausibility or probability. But only after an idea has run the scientific community's gauntlet--surviving rigorous experimental and interpretive efforts to falsify it--can it be said to move from questions of possibility to a probable or proven status. Pathological science occurs when an investigator cuts this process short, prematurely trading in scrutiny for advocacy.

[Badmemories]

Wow Andy,
great writing... I did not get very far in science... in less it would be something that would help to process sugar beets. So how can I apply these theories to my healing? I imagine that since Cptsd is now a theory that many psychiatrists  are just now starting to believe is a possibility and that it has NOT been really proven yet... they must be trying to prove that it is possible to create cptsd by abusing people (children?). 

I have read that they are doing MRI's and seeing that abused peoples brains are different than "normal" brains", so Scientists who are interested in learning the different parts of the brain ARE seeing things that they have never been able to test until the MRI's were available. They can now see  what different brains look like. So, they are learning more how the brain works.

I think that 40 years ago they did not really believe that soldiers coming home from the wars could possibly have PTSD and now it is diagnosed often for Soldiers now. Think about how much that is costing the US government because NOW they are paying benefits to soldiers where as years ago they did not..

I think that CPTSD is really on the cutting edge of psychiatry now and that someday it will be a normal evaluation tool and be added to the Diagnostic handbook. Many people would be eligible for benefits. On the other hand IF more preventative ideas were put into motion that the mental health of  people would get better. Ideas are slowly changing about how to raise kids to be healthy. For example, in My day we were commonly given spankings and other physical abuse, but now it is common for parents to give time outs and other non-violent alternatives to discipline their children. Perhaps with programs in place to discuss with parents on how emotional abuse causes mental illness that MORE parents will  learn better ways to treat their children. That in turn would make the percentage of people with CPTSD to go down.

Prevention would make mental health problems go down. The cost of mental health in America is NOT a priority now. Many people who seek help for mental health problems are not covered under their health insurance (even with the Obama care in place) Even though us with mental health problems know that healing is SLOW, appointments with therapists are limited to so many visits etc.
Prevention would be cheaper in the long run than paying out so much money for therapists etc. I have been going to mental health providers for about 40 years, and not one of them EVER talked to me about NPD and other PD problems. I think about how helpful that would have been for MY healing! 

Anyway not to go off on a tangent...just would like you to break Your theory down to my level so I can understand it better. 
Keep on keeping on!

[Butterfly]

Interesting Andy, so to understand correctly I looked up decatastrophize.  "In cognitive therapy, decatastrophizing or decatastrophization is a cognitive restructuring technique to treat cognitive distortions, such as magnification and catastrophizing, commonly seen in psychological disorders like anxiety and psychosis

The technique consists of confronting the worst-case scenario of a feared event or object, using mental imagery to examine whether the effects of the event or object have been overestimated (magnified or exaggerated) and where the patient's coping skills have been underestimated" —Wikipedia

And using eh 4P sounds like it would work in coming up with altnatives to our catastrophic thinking. Thanks for this.

[AndyT]

Thank you both,

Yes you are correct Butterfly, that is exactly what how to apply.

[AndyT]

Indeed it is!

I have felt like I have thought through the issues and many years ago predicted what would occur and it happened. Those who have caused it got a terrible shock when they learnt I am an investigator of adult bullying and had took official action over being waylaid by a thug at a funeral telling me they were upset over my presence in the area.

Oddly the Police support my evidence based approach coupled with my desire to find a just solution. They now really are stumped. I stood my ground and insisted that in the absence of remorse and no honest conversation that all links must be severed. It was the only solution that was wise, it also negated any challenge that can be made as to being unreasonable.