How to Tell the Difference between Rational Rita and Irrational Irene?


'Irrational Irene', do you know her? Is she you? Sometimes? Often? Seldom?

 Why have I chosen this smiling positive face for 'Irrational Irene'?

 Because, if you have a mental disorder, and you are being irrational, you usually don't know you are. You may believe at that moment you are more rational than you have ever been in your life. You are often confident and forthright like this image of 'Irrational Irene'. Do you understand what I am saying?

Those powerful wrong irrational thoughts are quite capable of convincing you that you are right.

 Most of the time you may not even be aware that you are thinking irrationally. But this is what we need to learn: how to recognize when our thoughts are irrational.

 There is an excellent article on 'Psych Central' called "Identifying Irrational Thoughts" which I recommend as a must read. They describe in detail the following kinds of irrational thoughts:

 1. catastrophic thinking
2. minimization
3. grandiosity
4. personalization
5. magical thinking
6. leaps in logic
7. 'all or nothing' thinking
8. paranoia
9. delusional thinking

 If you are having thoughts that can be described any one of these nine ways, then you may be experiencing 'irrational thoughts'. It is important that you learn to recognize these thoughts when they come.

 In time, and with a little help, you may be able to identify your own irrational thoughts.

 Here is one of mine. Moving. That's right, moving. When I am depressed, or slightly manic I will convince myself that we really need to move. I will even try to convince my husband that we need to move. I might even go house hunting. When I am not in a depressive phase or hypo-manic phase, I simply do not want to move.

 How is this useful? Well, when I start to think about moving I am alerted. "Oh, oh, I might be heading for a depression or a hypo-manic phase, I had better be careful." I mention it to my husband right away he usually says "yup, I kind of noticed, I was just waiting for the right moment to bring it up."

 Together we agree on a plan to keep me safe, and keep everyone else safe from me and my ideas. Usually bed rest for a few days will divert these irrational thoughts and the mood that has brought them on. But if that doesn't work, I might have to get myself to the doctor.

 It is important that we learn to identify all of these kinds of 'Depression Go Aways'. 'Irrational Irene' can be dangerous, destructive, expensive, and hurtful to both you and those you love. She is one of the less obvious ones to recognize and the most devious. Watch out for 'Irrational Irene'!

 HOW ABOUT YOU? What kind of day are you having? Do you recognize 'Irrational Irene' when she comes to town? Are you aware of the symptoms of your moods? Do you accept help if someone points out these things to you? Or do you get your back up if anyone comments?

 Don't give up! There is hope for depression.

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