| First I will explain the history behind this. This is part of | | | | The National Institute of Mental Health spent millions of |
| the cure-- understanding the way your mind works. | | | | dollars on testing that shows that this therapy works |
| This comes from a lot of research done by Dr. | | | | on depression. This book says |
| Seligman and is explained in his book, Learned | | | | "How you think about your problems, including |
| Optimism (Copyright 1990). | | | | depression itself, will either relieve depression or |
| The back of this book says "LEARNED | | | | aggravate it. A failure or defeat can teach you that |
| OPTIMISM...offer(s) a program that anyone can use to | | | | you are now helpless, but learned helplessness will |
| conquer depression...."--Kirkus Reveiws. He uses the | | | | produce only momentary symptoms of depression-- |
| word optimism but it is not positive thinking. It is a very | | | | unless you have a pessimistic explanatory style. if you |
| specific thing that he developed. Learned Optimism is | | | | do, then failure and defeat can throw you into a |
| another book he has written. | | | | full-blown depression. On the other hand, if your |
| In the laboratory, he was able to create a state of | | | | explanatory style is optimistic, your depression will be |
| learned helplessness with people and animals. The | | | | halted." |
| researchers would give an unpleasant stimulus to the | | | | One way of explaining events is if they are temporary |
| animals like a shock at regular intervals. There was | | | | or permanent. The latter is like saying "this kind of thing |
| one group that could learn something to stop it from | | | | always happens." An example of the former is like |
| happening. The other group would get it no matter | | | | saying "I was not feeling well that day." The pessimistic |
| what they did. | | | | style explains bad events as if they are permanent. |
| The 2nd group could be given new experiments and | | | | The optimistic style explains bad events as if they are |
| learn a new way to stop the stimulus. The first group | | | | temporary. The optimist also explains good things as if |
| would give up trying to do something to stop it. They | | | | they are permanent. The pessimist explains good |
| were later given a new situation, where they could | | | | events as if they are temporary. |
| easily learn to stop it with little effort. But they would | | | | Another way of explaining things is if they are specific |
| not even try. | | | | or pervasive. The pessimist will explain a car accident |
| They had learned to be helpless. This state had 8 of | | | | as everything in their life is a wreck. The optimist will |
| the 9 signs of depression as mentioned above. It did | | | | explain it like "I need to get my car fixed and will be |
| not have the last one about suicidal thoughts since the | | | | without a car for a few days. |
| stimulus given to humans were mild. Learned | | | | Also the optimist will tend to explain it as it being the |
| helplessness "follows from the belief that whatever | | | | other guy's fault. The pessimist will say it his his fault. |
| you do doesn't matter." | | | | This one is not as important as the other two, but this |
| In these experiments some of the animals and humans | | | | style is better for one's self esteem. But I think that it |
| could not be taught helplessness. They would always | | | | only matters with people who have a lack of |
| keep trying. This lead to the research on explanatory | | | | self-esteem, which may be most people. Practically |
| styles. This "is the manner in which you habitually | | | | everyone with depression also have too much anxiety. |
| explain to yourself why events happen." | | | | |