According to Martin Seligman, an expert in Positive Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania, one of the main processes by which we develop a depressive thinking style as children is by a tendency to explain negative events as :
- PERMANENT
How We Develop A Depressive Thinking Style As Children : The 3P Theory.
Is Your Predominant Response To Trauma Flooding Or Dissociation?
We have seen from previous articles that I have published on this site that individuals can physiologically respond to severe and chronic trauma in two opposing manners: by becoming FLOODED (hyper-aroused and over-reactive) or by becoming DISSOCIATED (hypo-aroused and … Read the rest
The Freeze Response To Trauma And Polyvagal Theory
It is well known that our body’s self-protective response to imminent danger and threat (whether perceived or real) is to enter a state of ‘fight’ or ‘flight.’ However, what is perhaps slightly less well known is there is a … Read the rest
BPD, Feeling Painfully Empty, The ‘Leaky Cup’ Metaphor And Thrill Seeking
When a child is born into the world, s/he is utterly helpless and dependent upon his / her mother, and, in the early days of life, as long as his / her mother is present and sufficiently responsive to … Read the rest
Signs An Adult Was Abused As A Child
Signs An Adult Was Abused As A Child Include The Following :
1) DISSOCIATION :
Symptoms of dissociation can range from mild to severe: Mild symptoms of dissociation include ‘zoning out’ and feeling in a daze, whereas severe symptoms of … Read the rest
Childhood Trauma Leading To Over-Dominant Brain Stem
A simplified way of describing the structure of the brain is to think of it as comprising three main regions (e.g. MacLean, 1990) that develop in the following order from birth to a person’s early or mid-twenties.
FIRST TO DEVELOP: … Read the rest
‘Top-Down’ And ‘Bottom-Up’ Ways Of Treating Childhood Trauma.
WHAT ARE ‘TOP-DOWN’ THERAPIES?
A ‘top-down’ therapy is one that aims to create a positive change in the individual’s behavioural, emotional and somatic symptoms in a ‘top-down’ direction (i.e. by beneficially ALTERING THE INDIVIDUAL’S THOUGHT PROCESSES). Techniques for doing … Read the rest
The Manipulative Parent
There are many ways in which the manipulative parent may manipulate their offspring, including:
- emotional blackmail
- verbal aggression
- implicit or explicit threats
- deceit
- use of ‘the silent treatment’
- control through money or material goods
- positive reinforcement of behaviour which
What Is Your Attachment Style And How Does It Affect Your Relationships?
ATTACHMENT THEORY AND THE ‘MATERNAL SENSITIVITY HYPOTHESIS’:
According to attachment theory, the way we react in our relationships with others, specifically in relation to our reactions to being hurt by, threatened by or separated from significant others, depends largely … Read the rest
Reducing Anxiety By Calming The Amygdala
We have seen from other articles published on this site that severe and protracted childhood trauma, resulting in the child being frequently subjected to extreme stress, can damage the development of the part of the brain known as … Read the rest
Depression : Anger Towards Parents Turned Inward?
The idea that depression is the result of our anger towards others (such as our parents) who have hurt and betrayed being turned inwards towards ourselves is usually thought to originate from the theories of Sigmund … Read the rest
Reducing The Pain Associated With Being Stuck In ‘Fight / Flight’ Mode.
We have seen how the experience of severe and protracted childhood trauma can damage the development of the brain’s amygdala, leaving us, as adults, prone to chronic anxiety and a sense of being ‘stuck on red alert’ / trapped in … Read the rest
Childhood Rejection Leading To Possessive Behavior In Adult Relationships
If we were rejected when we were children by parents / primary carers this can have a profound effect upon our adult, intimate relationships, causing them to be ruined by a perpetual, intense fear of losing our partner and … Read the rest
Childhood Trauma And Arrested Self-Development
Early life trauma can interfere with, or arrest, the development of the self.
The normal development of self involves the following stages.
- Approximately 6 months: the capacity for self-observation develops
- Approximately 12 months: the capacity for symbolic thinking
