Reena had 3 year history of depression and bulimia. In addition to bingeing and purging, she abused alcohol and self-harmed by cutting. She had also taken several overdoses. Despite having gained a first-class degree at university, she had an extremely poor opinion of herself.
During first meeting she said "I am a failure. Other people must be thinking I am pathetic." "I’m bound to mess up whatever I do. If I do well it’s because the task was easy, or I was lucky, or anyone could have done it."
Therapist asked her "whether she feels this all the time or some time during the day she feels otherwise?"
Reena said "I am not sure, I can be reasonably competent some of the time"
Reena said "I am not sure, I can be reasonably competent some of the time"
Therapist said "do you have any supporting evidences of you being reasonably competent, See If you can recall any"
Reena managed to recall two recent incidents. First when she helped children living on the streets with food.
second Reena wrote a poem, it was liked by many in her circle and also many other whom she didn't knew at all.
Reena managed to recall two recent incidents. First when she helped children living on the streets with food.
second Reena wrote a poem, it was liked by many in her circle and also many other whom she didn't knew at all.
Therapist asked Reena to visit again after one week. during this week Reena was asked to continue the exercise of finding the evidences and to make a note of each.
Reena returned the next week having identified a number of items for her log. She had completed a questionnaire and a form to apply for a bank account. She had done some reading, housework, and voluntary work, mended one of her skirts, made some phone calls, written a letter with regard to her
housing benefit, and organized a trip to see some friends.
housing benefit, and organized a trip to see some friends.
Reena observed that it was good that she had had something to put in her log. However, she felt that the items were ‘not sticking’. She discounted them by saying they were ‘no great shakes anyway’. She couldn’t allow herself to be pleased about such things, as she felt they highlighted what a long way
she had to go. If she accepted that these were achievements she would be bound to live a ‘bland and unfulfilling life’.
she had to go. If she accepted that these were achievements she would be bound to live a ‘bland and unfulfilling life’.
Her belief " "I am a failure. Other people must think I am pathetic." reduced from 100% to 60%.
Reena’s reactions to the experiment reflected her high standards for herself, which set her up to feel she was letting herself down in most situations. She continued the experiment for a longer period, re-reading her log on a daily basis to remind herself of the things she was accomplishing however small.
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