Richard
Symptom or Cause?
Subject: [DarkCouncil] Symptom or Cause? (Dialogue)
From: "Richard Irvine"
Date: Mon, 09 Oct 2000 22:31:51 GMT
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As part of our wonderful convenience culture that I so love and adore, the
packet of paracetemol seems to be a permanent fixture in medicine cupboards
all over the western world. A simple sequence of events occurs.
Step 1. Subject gets headache.
Step 2. Subject walks to medicine cupboard and opens it.
Step 3. Subject takes a (probably excessive) number of paracetemol to
relieve said aching head.
To my (admittedly less-than-sane) mind, this seems to indicate something about our culture. Certainly, we have a problem, we look for the solution; nothing wrong there. However, it seems to me that it is not the problem we address, but the symptom. We understandably see the fact that we have a headache as a problem. However, we don�t think to address the reason why we have a headache. We look for the short term, immediate solution, that is, the paracetemol, rather than addressing the reason we have a headache, for example stress in the workplace or lack of sleep.
When we take a step back, it seems commonsense; why constantly shove pills into our mouths, no doubt doing us harm, when we can look for the real cause and resolving that, and hence alleviating the problem at its root? Well, I�d say that we mainly choose the fast quick-fix solution because it requires time and effort to take a step back and look at the root cause.
And of course, this applies to far more than headaches. Look at our emotional responses. We are angry. Society tells us this is bad bad bad. So we seek to brush these emotions under the carpet; perhaps we seek advice on anger management from a therapist, those gurus of modern society. But trying to hide these emotions does little except make steady progress towards eventual and inevitable implosion. Our emotions are in many cases symptoms of a problem. It is not good enough to say �I am angry, and this is a problem� or �I am afraid, and this a problem�. These emotions are signals. In my personal opinion, if there is a key word in the Fatum Operandi, it is �why?� Like the curious child seeking to understand his environment, question everything around you, and some of the most important things you can question with a desire to understanding are your emotional responses; this way you can see what they are trying to tell you.
If a baby cries, a parent don�t usually say �what a terrible noise- let�s gag the child� (although I�m sure many are tempted!). They say �the child is crying, therefore he must be hungry/ uncomfortable�, etc. Treat your emotions in the same way; don�t shut them up with the immediate response that they are dangerous and should be suppressed; find out what they are trying to communicate to you.
Which more or less concludes what I am trying to say, although by way of an appendix of sorts, I thought I�d address James Bugental�s (1978) views on levels of therapeutic goals.
Level 1 is Adjustment. This is basically the �take a paracetemol� solution- the minimal removal of symptoms without any real change of outlook. In terms of emotional responses, this is �getting rid� of your emotions, if this is possible; more likely brushing them under the carpet.
Level 2 is Coping Effectiveness. Here, rather than taking the paracetemol, you grit your teeth and cope with the headache. Self explanatory, really; you improve your ability to cope with the problem rather than solve it. In terms of emotional responses, you accept that your emotions are there, and just learn to exist without dealing with them.
Level 3 is Ego Renewal. You get rid of the symptom and raise your morale and outlook by doing so. In terms of emotional response, this is crushing your emotions and replacing them with more �positive� factors in a �think happy thoughts� kind of way.
Level 4 is Growth in Personal and Interpersonal Actualisation. This is looking at your symptom in a far more positive light, and hence stopping it being part of the problem, and starting to let it be part of the solution. The person has moved on from one outlook to another, and has grown in doing so. In terms of emotional response, this is seeing that your emotions have a positive role to play in your life.
Level 5 is Existential Emancipation. This is the discovery of the real self. It is understanding the fuller picture, that the symptoms are a result of a problem within your environment, and not isolated factors. In terms of emotional response, it is finding the reasons of your response, examining them and dealing with them if appropriate.
Level 6 is Transcendence. Having examined and understood the situation, we begin to move on in our psychospiritual development.
Don�t see these levels as further attempts to pigeonhole, but just another perspective on the various stages of response to a symptom. Do you feel that you are on one of these particular levels? Where do you wish to be? How can you help yourself improve your response? Keep on asking these questions.