ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION DISASTER MENTAL HEALTH NEWSLETTER
ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION DISASTER MENTAL HEALTH NEWSLETTER
Learning From The Past and Planning For The Future
MENTAL HEALTH MOMENT
November 16, 2001
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NOTE: There will be no Mental Health Moment next week due to the Thanksgiving
holiday. Publication will resume on November 31. Best wishes to all for a safe and Happy
Thanksgiving with family and friends.
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"If you have the courage to begin, you have the courage to succeed."
- David Viscott
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APA Help Center
Articles and resources on terrorism and coping with the aftermath:
Coping With Terrorism
Handling Anxiety in the Face of the Anthrax Scare
Managing Traumatic Stress
Reactions and Guidelines for Children Following Trauma/Disaster
Coping With the Aftermath of a Disaster
Resources on Coping With Traumatic Events
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Medscape Disaster and Trauma Resource Center Site
http://www.medscape.com/resource/trauma
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A springboard for knowledge about psychology
http://www.vanguard.edu/faculty/ddegelman.amoebaweb
Maintained by psychologist Douglas Degewlman, Ph.D., at Vanguard University of Southern
California, AmoebaWeb showcases psychology at its best by listing Web sites and Internet
pages pertinent to areas of the field. The links allow exploration of hot topics and guide
professionals toward resources. Divided according to areas of psychology as well as into
categories of possible visitors, the site could be useful to instructors as a supplement
to introductory textbooks and could be a place for practitioners to encourage patients to
browse.
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Full-text journal articles at PsychARTICLES
http://www.apa.org/psycarticles
This online database contains more than 25,000 searchable, full-text journal articles on
general psychology and specialized basic, applied, clinical and theoretical research in
psychology. The database covers 42 journals published by APA and allied organizations,
with articles available from 1988 to present. Visit the Web site for a complete coverage
list, sample articles and information on services available for APA members, nonmembers,
libraries and other institutions.
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National Center for PTSD
http://www.ncptsd.org
Research and education on Post-traumatic Stress Disorder. The National Center for PTSD
is a program of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and carries out a broad range of
activities in research, training and public information.
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Gulf War Syndrome
https://www.angelfire.com/biz/odoc/gulf.html
This site contains annotated information for links to reports, history, medical and
psychological information, research, resources and help information about the Gulf War
and Gulf War Syndrome. It is presented in five sections: Introduction; official Response;
Medical Research; Conspiracy Theories; and Resources.
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PERCEPTIONS OF JUSTICE VITAL TO ETHICS PROGRAMS
Many organizations devote substantial resources to formal ethics
programs in efforts to discourage unethical behavior, but a new study
shows that the success of those efforts depend in part on whether
employees think they are treated in a generally fair way.
"Perceptions of organizational justice not only reduce a broad range
of unethical behaviors that can harm the organization, but they also
increase helpful behaviors, particularly employees' willingness to
cooperate with the goals of organizational ethics programs by
reporting ethical problems to management," says Linda Treviņo,
professor of organizational behavior in Penn State's Smeal College of
Business Administration. Treviņo co-authored a study of four large
corporations on the topic for a recent issue of Business Ethics
Quarterly. The researchers note that although ethics programs are
widespread, they are sometimes perceived to be "window dressing"
only. For the full story by Steve Infanti, visit
http://www.smeal.psu.edu/news/depth/october01/percep.html.
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DEPRESSION AND EFFECTIVENESS
Depression results from a belief in one's own helplessness (Seligman, 1975). It is similar to having
a lack of hope of receiving future life rewards. It is a learned belief which is based on a
history of unsuccessful performance and that one's behavior will not be effective in attaining
any desired goal. In other words, there is no expectancy of success. It isn't uncommon for persons
who become depressed to selectively forget about or devalue previous successes that they have had.
As a consequence, they have little hope or expectancy that success will come their way in the future.
It is important to be aware that the perception of oneself as a controlling individual is a
fundamental factor in self esteem. Anytime that we accept the loss of control we develop a feeling
of helplessness. For example, it's not an uncommon thing for a person recently promoted to a very
high position in an organization to be depressed. Though this may appear contradictory, it is important
to note that persons who are in the executive position of a company often delegate the responsibilities
to everyone else. They come to feel or perceive themselves as being less in control over their
immediate situation or environment than they might have felt when they were working at a lower
position. Other people make things happen, they do not. This can also explain why a beautiful woman
may become depressed. For her, compliments or rewards might be based on the fact that she looks
beautiful rather than because of her own efforts.
Helplessness is a state of being in which a person sees no alternative compensating behaviors to
use to solve a problem or to get out of a bad situation. At this point a person tends to crumble
or break down becoming totally unresponsive and passive to those around him/her. Depression is the
lack of control over trauma, not trauma itself. One of the best ways to counter depression is to
do something and watch the results of it.
Learned Helplessness
Learned helplessness has six prominent features:
1. Passivity
2. Norepinephrine depletion
3. A gradual dissipation of helplessness over time
4. A notable lack of aggression
5. Difficulty in learning that responding is effective
6. A loss of interest in eating, social and sexual activity
METHODS FOR REGAINING PERSONAL EFFECTIVENESS AND REDUCING HELPLESSNESS
Graded Task Assignments
In order to counter feelings of helplessness it is important for one to learn that he/she can
master many types of situations. A history of mastery innoculates one against the most severe
form of depression. It develops a sense of self efficacy. For example, some people force themselves
to work excessive hours to see if they can make something happen and make their efforts produce
some result. Others might argue, fight or be excessively confrontive to bring about some action
in others. Depression is minimized when one's behavior produces change or leads to goal attainment.
It is interesting to note people who experience mastery in everything that they do. This might
be because they are very able individuals or it may be because they only take on tasks which they
can successfully complete. As a result, they do not learn how to cope with failure, anxiety,
frustration or disappointment. Such individuals might be referred to as the "golden young people".
Research has demonstrated that people who only have mastery in younger years have a tendency to
fail in coping with stress in their later life. They may break down and experience a variety of
severe psychological disorders such as depression.
Approach
To achieve mastery, use a graded task assignment approach. This was originally developed by
psychologist Elaine Burgess of Drake University. Initially, engage in a very simple task, such
as making a simple telephone call and asking for information. Once completed and done well, try
a second level task of increasing difficulty, such as taking a gift back and exchanging it for
something different. Once this is done effectively and with mastery, take on a more complex task,
such as arranging a party. Each time, the task should be more complex yet within one's abilities
to perform the task and to do so successfully. As a result, the person experiences success at each
level, building competence and being encouraged. This gives an opportunity for others to reinforce
and commend the person for their accomplishments and provides opportunity for self reinforcement.
To start a task and then give up, or to fail, would only worsen the depression and enhance the
habit of prematurely terminating and withdrawing from tasks and activities.
Plan
1. List 5-10 tasks you will do this week.
2. Make an appointment with yourself to do them during the week. Specify when, where,
how, with whom, etc.
3. List how you will reward yourself after doing each task. Use the same reward
several times, or use different rewards.
4. Progress from simple to moderate tasks. Avoid difficult tasks for now.
5. Work out your personal plan with someone who is supportive and encouraging.
Diversification In Activities
To break up the state of learned helplessness, it's important to engage in a wide variety of
activities throughout the week and not to become dependent on any one type of activity. It is
quite possiblt that one could experience a helplessness pattern in one area of life, while not
experiencing helplessness in another area. To the degree that diversification is present,
depression is prevented or minimized. Friends and family should do everything possible to help
the depressed person seek opportunities which will lead to effectiveness, mastery, success, and
achievement in several areas of life. As a result, the achievement level in one area will
counteract the sense of helplessness in other areas of life. This calls for creativity and taking
a risk to try out a new activity or venture.
Covert Visual Rehearsal
If an individual is capable of visualizing and imagining clearly, the method of covert rehearsal
can be iused effectively. In this situation, one is asked to assume a relaxed posture and close
his/her eyes. The individual then imagines a situation which has been depressing and has been
associated with feelings of helplessness. In the visualization, be sure to imagine handling the
same situation in an effective, positive and forthright manner, but in a gradual, graded sequence.
In other words, the situation is conquered, resolved or handled successfully in the visualization.
Once clearly visualized, the individual should shift to a scene in which one is being reinforced
for effectiveness and mastery in that situation. As a result of repeating this sequence on many
occasions and similar scenes for several days in a row, there is an increased chance of being
successful in undertaking efforts to resolve problems and confront difficult situations. The
result on increased success contributes to a sense of effectiveness rather than helplessness.
Plan
The following chart can help in the process of visualization to rehearse handling situations in
daily living. It is important to focus on personally meaningful tasks.
1. Select a task you would like to do or must do this week.
2. Write out the sequence of the specific steps that comprise this task.
3. Plan a time to visualize this sequence in a relaxed state. Stop the sequence
whenever anxiety occurs, and it becomes unpleasant. With each step, imagine
yourself doing it successfully, but especially as you complete the task.
4. Just before doing this activity today or tomorrow, rehearse it imaginatively.
Example:
TASK: GOING SHOPPING FOR A FEW ITEMS NEEDED FOR TONIGHT"S DINNER
1. Checking shelves at home to assess if the needed items are on hand.
2. Making a mental note on what is needed.
3. Making a list of needed items.
4. Getting ready to go to the store.
5. Driving to the store.
6. Parking and going into the grocery store.
7. Walking into the store and going down the first aisle.
8. Selecting one, two or three items from the shelves.
9. Pushing the cart to check out counter; being in line for a few minutes.
10. Before the checker, exchanging money, taking bag of items.
11. Leaving store and driving home.
12. Arriving home and feeling successful about the shopping trip.
The next step is to pick an area and do a plan for yourself.
SUMMARY
Depression can be the result of a long history of learning to be increasingly helpless and believing
in one's loss of effectiveness. To change the depression depends on becoming more effective. The
goal is to achieve mastery in as many different areas of daily living as possible. The successful
completion of tasks by a depressed person usually increases optimism, level of aspiration and the
chance of improved performance in subsequent tasks undertaken. This is the primary way to diminish
the feelings of helplessness over time.
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REFERENCES
Beck, A, Rush, A.J., Show, B. and Emery, G. (1979). Cognitive therapy of depression. New York:
The Guilford Press.
Ellis, A. and Harper, R.A. (1975). A new guide to rational living. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey:
Prentice-Hall.
Seligman, M.E.P. (1975). Helplessness. San Francisco: Freeman.
Seligman, M.E.P. (1973). Fall into helplessness. Psychology Today. June 43-48.
To search for books on disasters and disaster mental health topics and purchase them online,
go to the following url:
https://www.angelfire.com/biz/odochartaigh/searchbooks.html
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Contact your local Mental Health Center or
check the yellow pages for counselors, psychologists,
therapists, and other Mental health Professionals in
your area for further information.
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George W. Doherty
O'Dochartaigh Associates
Box 786
Laramie, WY 82073-0786
MENTAL HEALTH MOMENT Online: https://www.angelfire.com/biz3/news
